I am sick of buying dehumidifiers

[Carnhzkr]

It seems that every year I have to shuck out another $200 for a dehumidifier for my basement. I just bought one from Sam's Club last year and it worked fine, but this year it just runs but doesn't collect any water. Am I doing something wrong in the off season? In the fall, I just unplug it and empty the bucket, and hope it runs again in the spring. Seriously, if I can get two years out of one, that's better than average for me.

[gbin]

That's because almost all of the compressors in consumer-grade dehumidifiers sold in the U.S. are cheap crap made by the same few companies in China (Even if the other components and case are "Made in the USA"). You can find much better dehumidifiers that are actually made in the USA, but there aren't many and they aren't cheap; of course, they'll eventually more than pay for themselves by not needing frequent replacement.

There was just another thread on this subject. I and a few other people put our recommendations there:

[URL]https://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=724090[/URL]

Gerry

[cliftp]

[QUOTE=Carnhzkr;6569402]It seems that every year I have to shuck out another $200 for a dehumidifier for my basement. I just bought one from Sam's Club last year and it worked fine, but this year it just runs but doesn't collect any water. Am I doing something wrong in the off season? In the fall, I just unplug it and empty the bucket, and hope it runs again in the spring. Seriously, if I can get two years out of one, that's better than average for me.[/QUOTE]

Hi Carnhzkr, If you figure out the combination let me know! I didn't own a dehumidifier until August 2018. (Long story, but a high water table mess). We bought the Santa-Fe 90. Made in Wisconsin. It worked good throughout the rest of 2018.

Started it up in the spring of 2019. Wouldn't work. Tech support was great, said I need a Thernister, (sp??) Sent me a link to a YouTube video and the part. Installed, it worked great.

Fast forward to this spring. Didn't work again. Called tech support. Very nice people. Did some trouble shooting via email. Tech determined low on refrigerant and needed to be sent in. This thing is big so not convenient to ship. They said they'd cover it all but they were at least 4 to 6 weeks out. No dehumidifier for the summer didn't seem great. So, they offered a deal on another one. Bought the next size down, (70 pint). $500 ish dollars and I had to send them the label from the old one and recycle it. So new one is in the basement doing its thing. Hoping I got a good one this time.

Good luck!

Paul C.

[Carnhzkr]

[QUOTE=gbin;6569410]That's because almost all of the compressors in consumer-grade dehumidifiers sold in the U.S. are cheap crap made by the same few companies in China (Even if the other components and case are "Made in the USA"). You can find much better dehumidifiers that are actually made in the USA, but there aren't many and they aren't cheap; of course, they'll eventually more than pay for themselves by not needing frequent replacement.

There was just another thread on this subject. I and a few other people put our recommendations there:

[URL]https://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=724090[/URL]

Gerry[/QUOTE]

Sorry, I missed this thread. I guess I wasn't interested in learning about crappy dehumidifiers until today when I realized mine was toast. Pooch paid $800 for a dehumidifier? Yikes, that does look like a heavy duty unit and will probably pay for itself eventually, but $800 is a big pill to swallow. I'll probably just shell out another $200 and complain about it again next year.

[gbin]

[QUOTE=Carnhzkr;6569430]Sorry, I missed this thread. I guess I wasn't interested in learning about crappy dehumidifiers until today when I realized mine was toast. Pooch paid $800 for a dehumidifier? Yikes, that does look like a heavy duty unit and will probably pay for itself eventually, but $800 is a big pill to swallow. I'll probably just shell out another $200 and complain about it again next year.[/QUOTE]

And that's how they get you. ;)

Gerry

Okay let me ask you you have any windows in your basement that is big enough to allow small AC?.

You know a dehumidifier has the same mechanics of an AC with a bit of modifications to have the condensation of the coilsto drip into a container. In one of my houses I put in a small AC in a basement window and where it dripped out I put a plastic sheet.Making sure it is graded away to go three or 4 feet away from the foundation which should stop water from trying to come in. One could put washed stone over or even bark mulch to make it look better. The benefit of this to is it would contribute to the cooling of your basement in hot weather.

Now they also sell portable ACs. These are on wheels and come with a vent that you can put into a window. You can buy them that have the advantage of not having to empty the water tank. I have one that we use for backup that also blows the condensed water with the hot air out of that same tube..

What I don't like about those portable air conditioners is the fact that they are blowing air out, and therefore somewhere in your house that same amount of hot humid air is coming in. Yes it helps cool your room or part of the house, but is not as efficient of one's that don't do that, i.e. like the common window rattlers.

[Bill Krejca]

Yup, I used to be naïve enough to check out "best rated", and bought several of those, over the years, as they regularly failed. Finally, I just decided to go buy whatever, and the same 2 year life story continued. Death, taxes, and dehumidifiers!

Bill

[waldowillie]

[QUOTE=Carnhzkr;6569402]It seems that every year I have to shuck out another $200 for a dehumidifier for my basement. I just bought one from Sam's Club last year and it worked fine, but this year it just runs but doesn't collect any water. Am I doing something wrong in the off season? In the fall, I just unplug it and empty the bucket, and hope it runs again in the spring. Seriously, if I can get two years out of one, that's better than average for me.[/QUOTE]

Quit buying dehumidifiers and do what I do now. Go to Dollar Tree and for a buck you buy a charcoal/charbon MOISTURE ELIMINATOR. They last about a month and they pull an amazing amount of water out of the air. Spend $12 per year instead of $200.

[Big Sandy]

I bought a supposedly nice one from BestBuy for my cabin last year.
This spring it didn't work.
I have a 20 year old whirlpool at home that keeps on running.

[MikeV]

I had a regular dehumidifier purchased from menards. Had a hard time keeping the house dry.

Had the hvac company that installed my furnace / ac put a whole house dehumidifier in. House is nice and dry plus I can keep the air temperature higher with the ac. No need to live in a refrigerator to try to keep the house dry.