Basements are usually cool and are also one of the most damp-prone areas of the home. That’s why not just any dehumidifier will do. To get rid of musty odours, condensation and high humidity, you need a dehumidifier with high capacity, high airflow and good performance even at lower temperatures. If you choose the wrong model, the problems may persist even though the dehumidifier is collecting water.
Do you have a dehumidifier in your basement but still find it smells musty? Is condensation still forming on the windows, or does the air feel damp? You’re far from alone.
Many people believe that all dehumidifiers work in the same way. They buy a model that collects water in a tank and assume the problem is solved. But a cellar has completely different requirements to a bedroom, living room or bathroom. If the dehumidifier isn’t suited to the environment, the humidity may still be too high – even though the machine is running every day.
The basement is often situated wholly or partly below ground level and is therefore affected by ground moisture, temperature fluctuations and limited ventilation. During the summer, the problems often become even worse. When warm, humid outdoor air enters the cooler cellar, it cools down. It can then no longer hold as much water vapour, and the moisture condenses on cold surfaces such as walls, floors and windows. This can lead to:
The longer the humidity remains high, the greater the risk of these problems developing.
A common mistake is to look only at how many litres of water a dehumidifier can collect per day. That does not tell the whole story.
In a basement, dry air must be able to circulate throughout the entire space. If the airflow is too low, the air becomes dry only immediately around the dehumidifier, whilst moisture remains behind furniture, in corners, along external walls and in other parts of the basement.
If you look at the dehumidifier, it appears to be doing its job: the dehumidifier runs constantly and you empty the water tank. The moisture disappears from the air, doesn’t it? The machine is working flat out and, of course, it does collect water from the air, but it cannot cope with the whole space, so the relative humidity is still too high in large parts of the room.
This is why many people find that the musty smell and condensation persist even though the dehumidifier is running every day.
A basement is a considerably more demanding environment than other parts of the house. To effectively reduce humidity, you need a dehumidifier that has:
This is also why dehumidifiers for basements are often larger and more powerful than models designed for living rooms or bedrooms.
See our range of basement dehumidifiers and compare models for different sizes and needs.
Dehumidifier for basements, garages and attics
Dehumidifiers for basements, garages and attics
Dehumidifiers for basements, garages and attics
Powerful dehumidifier for large basement and sanitation
If you recognise several of these problems, it may be a sign that your dehumidifier isn’t suitable for your basement:
So, just because the dehumidifier is collecting water doesn’t automatically mean the problem is solved.
If your basement still smells musty or feels damp despite the dehumidifier being on, the problem isn’t always that the dehumidifier is faulty – it may simply be unsuitable for the environment. A basement requires high dehumidification capacity, high airflow and good performance at lower temperatures to keep the entire space dry.
By choosing a dehumidifier designed specifically for basements, you reduce the risk of mould, condensation, unpleasant odours and costly damp damage, whilst creating a better and healthier indoor climate.
This may be because the dehumidifier has too low a capacity or too low an airflow for the space. In a basement, it’s particularly important to choose a dehumidifier designed specifically for basement use. See our range of dehumidifiers for basements.
The most reliable way to check is to measure the humidity with a hygrometer. The fact that the dehumidifier is collecting water isn’t always a sign that the whole cellar is at the right humidity level.
Generally, a relative humidity of between 50–60% is recommended to reduce the risk of mould, odours and damp damage.
It depends on where the dehumidifier is located. In basements, crawl spaces and garages, we recommend running the dehumidifier all year round, but Wood’s dehumidifiers have a built-in hygrometer and will only operate when the humidity exceeds the set relative humidity level (around 50%).
Yes. Musty odours are often caused by high humidity. As the humidity decreases, the odour usually improves as well.
