A Dehumidifier Add-On for an HVAC System: Worth It or a Waste of Money?

Even though your air conditioner might be good at delivering cool air on a consistent basis, it is only natural that you would occasionally pause and wonder if the results that you are getting from your HVAC heating or cooling system are satisfactory.

In this day and age, HVAC systems are more important than they have ever been, with expertly integrated technology and features that make the most of what the climate has to offer. It is reasonable to assert that they are indispensable in every possible way.

What if, on the other hand, there was another way to keep your environment comfortable and clean without having to buy a new system? Given how hard it is to predict the weather in the modern world, this could be very helpful.

Investing in a dehumidifier is among the most effective ways to augment the performance of your HVAC system and make day-to-day life more pleasurable. A dehumidifier is a part of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Instead of operating on their own, they cooperate with the heating or cooling system that is already in place. This adds more functions to the system as a whole, which makes it work better as a whole.

Dehumidifiers, in particular, are made to take moisture out of the air. In fact, they are able to remove up to 12 gallons of water from your residence on a daily basis. After it has been gathered, all of the moisture will be released, making your environment less humid and clammy.

The goal of this guide is to help you learn about dehumidifiers for your whole house. As we move forward, we will begin by providing an explanation of what whole-house dehumidifiers are, and then we will proceed to provide some comparisons and cost assessments.

What is a Whole-House Dehumidifier? - A Dehumidifier Add-On for an HVAC System

Before we get into the details, let us briefly discuss what whole-house dehumidifiers are and what they do.

As you know, the basic function of a dehumidifier is to eliminate moisture from the air and make the environment less sticky. That probably earned a suspicious eyebrow raise from you—after all, don’t ACs do the same?

To put it simply, yes. Air conditioners also use dehumidifying technology, but since their main job is to keep temperatures cool, this is not their top priority.

So, the dehumidifying feature in an AC is... not all that effective, and it's almost unnoticeable in harsh and moist temperatures. Whole-house dehumidifiers are made to get rid of too much moisture in the air inside a home. It is usually part of a central heating and cooling system, and its main job is to give the owner precise control over the relative humidity of the whole house.

Whole-house dehumidifiers can help to reduce the growth of mold and mildew, improve the quality of the air inside the home, and make the home more comfortable to live in by reducing the sensation of dampness or stickiness in the air. These benefits are achieved by removing excess moisture from the air.

Also, ACs and dehumidifiers follow a similar operation. Both units employ a process where heat is extracted from the air, after which a coil is cooled.

The moisture, thus taken in from the humid air, melts on the coils, and the water is then sent out. This way, moisture is successfully removed. However, ACs and dehumidifiers differ based on function. Where an AC visibly cools the air, a humidifier doesn’t explicitly cool anything.

Whole-House Dehumidifier or a Portable Unit? - A Dehumidifier Add-On for an HVAC System

A whole-house dehumidifier is a type of dehumidifier that is designed to remove excess moisture from the air throughout an entire home. Most of the time, this kind of dehumidifier is built into a central heating and cooling system. A portable dehumidifier, on the other hand, is a more compact, self-contained unit that is freestanding and can be moved from room to room. Its purpose is to remove excess moisture from a particular area or room.

There are a few key distinctions to be made between portable dehumidifiers and whole-house dehumidifiers, including the following:

Size and capacity: Whole-house dehumidifiers are better suited for larger homes or homes that have a high level of humidity. This is because whole-house dehumidifiers are larger than portable dehumidifiers and have a higher capacity for removing moisture. Portable dehumidifiers are more compact, making them an excellent choice for spaces that are less than 100 square feet.
Installation: Professional installation is required for whole-house dehumidifiers because they are installed as a component of a central heating and cooling system in the home. Dehumidifiers that are portable are freestanding appliances that can be moved from one room to another with relative ease.
Noise level: In terms of the amount of noise they produce, whole-house dehumidifiers are typically less noisy than portable dehumidifiers.
Cost: Whole-house dehumidifiers tend to be more expensive than portable dehumidifiers because they cost more to install, are bigger, and can hold more water.
Maintenance: Generally speaking, whole-house dehumidifiers require less maintenance than portable dehumidifiers do.
Presentation: Whole-house dehumidifiers are typically concealed from view because they run through the ducts in your walls rather than being placed in plain sight. Most portable dehumidifiers are put in open areas where they can block your view and make it hard to get around.
Efficiency: Portable dehumidifiers are only made to take moisture out of one room, while whole-house dehumidifiers work with the HVAC system to take moisture out of the whole house. As a result, whole-house dehumidifiers are generally more efficient than portable dehumidifiers.

In conclusion, a whole-house dehumidifier is a better option for people who want to control humidity throughout the entire house, have a larger budget, and are willing to spend more on installation and maintenance. On the other hand, a portable dehumidifier is a good option for people who want to control humidity in a particular room or area and are looking for a solution that is less expensive and more flexible.

Why Do You Need a Whole House Dehumidifier? - A Dehumidifier Add-On for an HVAC System

Because the benefits of having a dehumidifier aren't immediately obvious to the majority of people, purchasing one may give rise to a number of significant questions in the buyer's mind before the purchase is made.

When most homeowners have a whole central air conditioning system, the question in the last sentence is asked more often. However, while it is true that no one wants to waste money on a system that appears as though it won't make a difference, this is not entirely accurate.

In places where the weather is usually warm, damp, and humid, buying a whole-house dehumidifier is a very good idea. In conditions like these, even an air conditioner is not going to be all that helpful in actually removing the stickiness from the environment. At this point in the process, dehumidifiers come into play. They have a larger capacity and are only used to get rid of all moisture.

If you accidentally invest in an air conditioner that is much larger than what your home needs, a dehumidifier may be a good solution for you. These overpowered units can do bad things, like cool your home quickly without getting rid of any of the humidity in the air. In this case, a dehumidifier might be able to help lessen these negative effects.

Taking the humidity of the air around you into consideration is, in a nutshell, one of the most straightforward ways to determine whether or not your home needs a dehumidifier.

If there is condensation on the glass windows of your home, a musty smell in the air, or even mold growth inside your property, you need a dehumidifier that can handle the entire house.

Cost of a Whole-House Dehumidifier - A Dehumidifier Add-On for an HVAC System

The cost of a dehumidifier is typically determined by factors such as the brand that you go with, the size and capacity of your dehumidifier, the kind of dehumidifier that you buy, and many other such factors.

Everything from your current cost of living to the seasonal rates for professional installation to the type of dehumidifier and the size of the dehumidifier all play a role in the installation process.

Dehumidifiers for the entire house can range anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 per unit. There is, of course, a disparity in cost between different brands, sizes, and kinds. There are many different kinds of manufacturers in this market, from Honeywell to Carrier.

In addition to the initial cost, you will also be responsible for the installation costs, which can range anywhere from $450 to $800. As a result, the total amount may come to as much as $3,000.

You also need to take into consideration how much of an impact this unit has on the monthly electricity costs. If you want to cut down on the amount of money you spend each month, you should look for a dehumidifier that has good energy efficiency.

Pros and Cons of Whole-House Dehumidifiers - A Dehumidifier Add-On for an HVAC System

It is understandable if you are still on the fence about whether or not investing in a dehumidifier for the entire house is worthwhile.

Pros to Whole-House Dehumidifiers - Pros and Cons of Whole-House Dehumidifiers

The following are some advantages of purchasing a whole-house dehumidifier:

Improved indoor air quality: By removing excess moisture from the air, a whole-house dehumidifier can help to improve indoor air quality by reducing the growth of mold and mildew and improving overall air quality.
Increased comfort: By reducing the feeling of dampness or stickiness in the air, a whole-house dehumidifier can help to make a home more comfortable.
Reduced allergies: Reducing the amount of dust mites and other allergens in the air can help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.
Furniture protection: A whole-house dehumidifier can help protect wood furniture, floors, and musical instruments by keeping the humidity in the air at the right level.
Energy efficiency: Because they are designed to work with the HVAC system to remove moisture from the entire house, whole-house dehumidifiers are more efficient than portable dehumidifiers in general.

Cons to Whole-House Dehumidifiers - Pros and Cons of Whole-House Dehumidifiers

The following are some cons of purchasing a whole-house dehumidifier:

Cost: Whole-house dehumidifiers are typically more expensive than portable dehumidifiers, and installation costs can be substantial.
Maintenance: Whole-house dehumidifiers require regular maintenance, such as cleaning and replacing filters, to function properly.
Energy consumption: Whole-house dehumidifiers consume energy, which can raise your energy bills.
Complexity: Whole-house dehumidifiers are complicated systems that may necessitate professional installation, which can raise the price.
Too-little humidification: Whole-house dehumidifiers can remove too much humidity from the air, causing dry skin, nosebleeds, and respiratory problems, and must be monitored and controlled.

Essential Takeaways - Pros and Cons of Whole-House Dehumidifiers

In conclusion, a whole-house dehumidifier can be a good option for people who want to improve indoor air quality and increase comfort in their home, but it is important to remember that it is an expensive and high-maintenance option that may require professional installation. It is also critical to keep an eye on the humidity levels in your home to avoid underhumidification.

Conclusion - A Dehumidifier Add-On for an HVAC System

The last question that needs to be answered is whether or not purchasing a whole-house dehumidifier is truly an intelligent financial decision. The answer depends more on what you want and need than on what is going on outside of you.

But we are sure that this system will come in handy for you if you live in an area where it rains and is humid a lot and you have trouble with ventilation and cooling in different parts of your home because of the climate.

If it is well taken care of and used, a whole-house dehumidifier can last anywhere from five to ten years without any problems. Even though they cost a lot of money, these systems have been shown to be very helpful for homeowners.