Spent $700 on a dehumidifier for my basement crawlspace and I'm not sure if it's helping or just running up my electric bill

I dropped $700 on a high end dehumidifier for my crawlspace about 3 months ago because I was worried about moisture and mold down there. The thing runs pretty much 24/7 now and my electric bill went up like $40 a month. But my humidity meter shows it staying around 55% which is better than before. Is this just one of those things you gotta trust the science on or did I waste my money? Anyone else dealing with crawlspace moisture and feel like you're just throwing cash at it?

3 comments

3 Comments

paige3318d ago

Did you try a timer before I dropped that kind of money? I had the same problem last year, bought a mid range one for like $350 and set it to run only during the hottest part of the day when humidity peaks. It drops to 50% in about 4 hours then kicks off, and my electric bill only went up maybe $15. Your meter showing 55% is actually solid, that's under the mold danger zone of 60%, so the thing is working. The real test is if you notice any musty smell gone or less dust down there. If those are better, you're probably fine, just maybe adjust the run time so it's not going 24/7 unless your crawlspace is really damp.

ryan_barnes6d ago

@nancyn69's therapist comment got a laugh outta me cause it's true. I ran mine on a timer for a few weeks and found it only needed to kick on like 3 hours a day once the humidity was under control.

nancyn697d ago

Just wait til you see what your therapist costs after obsessing over crawlspace humidity.