When selecting an industrial dehumidifier for your restoration business, there are many different attributes to weight according to their value to your business -- especially if you’re planning to buy multiple of the same unit to outfit an entire company. What is the maximum humidity the unit can take? What sort of power source does it need to run? You even need to worry about the noise caused by the unit, so it can be used on stricter residential property jobs.
Below, we’ve selected five of the best options for your restoration business, along with an explanation of just what each once can offer to you. We’ll focus only on portable units, leaving more powerful but permanently-installed units aside. If possible, all units on this list will be appraised using the AHAM rating capacity, which looks at the capacity for moisture removal at 60-80% atmospheric humidity.
This 120V Global Industrial dehumidifier may be one of the strongest on the market, but at over 120lbs in weight, it had better be! This workhorse can pull 130 pints of water from 60-80% saturated air in a single day, making it on-par with the strongest portable dehumidifiers on the market. Like many dehumidifiers of its type, it does not have a built-in reservoir for captured water, and so must be hooked up to a sink or some other drainage point. Given how much water this unit can pull from the air, that’s probably for the best.
The unit also features rubber wheels and a top handle for easy portability, despite its size and weight, along with a timer for long-term projects. This isn’t the most feature-rich dehumidifier on the market, but it is definitely one of the most politically important; this is a unit to buy when you think you’ll need to dehumidify the largest, wettest spaces of all.
At over 110 pounds and a noise level of greater than 50dB, the Aprilaire E130C Pro isn’t the smallest or lowest-profile dehumidifier on the market -- but it is one of the most powerful. As the name implies, the E130C can removed 130 pints of water per day in constant use, at about 60-80% humidity levels. At 90%+ humidity, the unit can capture up to 250 pints per day.
This is the dehumidifier you want to get if you need to dry a large space in a small amount of time. With its incredible power, you’d better be able to transport it to and from the property but, if you can, you’ll spend the least time drying the space. Make sure to get the version with casters, so you have the ultimate in versatility with this unit.
Global Industrial has a large line of low-grain dehumidifiers for removing moisture from large, high-humidity interior spaces, and this is the lower-capacity version of the one above. Though its maximum moisture removal caps out at just 64 pints per day, it also comes in significantly lighter than its biggest cousin, at just 80lbs. The lighter footprint also comes with a lower energy consumption, which sounds help prevent electricity bills from behind unnecessarily high.
This smaller unit is not suitable for spaces larger than about 800 square feet, but for smaller areas in need of drying, you can’t find an easier, cheaper option to use.
The EIPL CD60 is the most energy-efficient of this batch, pulling a mere 6.4 amps, which keeps costs for electricity down for long-term projects. The EIPL is suitable for smaller environments with a regular level of water damage, as well as larger environments with low humidity in need of capture. Though it’s not for every job, the EIPL is great for quick, relationship-building jobs with clients and property-owners.
The EIPL is great to drop off in deeply water-logged areas, slowly and gently removing moisture at a rate that can reach deep into water-damaged walls. More rapid dehumidification could have led to the quick dessication of outer layers, while moisture remains below the surface.
With a rated capacity to remove moisture of just 80 pints per day, this dehumidifier can’t measure up to the biggest, heaviest, and loudest on the market -- but for a very respectable 80 pints of dehumidification, it is incredibly easy to use. With a small body and a relatively light 65lbs of weight, the DriEaz Revolution dehumidifier is highly portable, by the standards of commercial dehumidifiers; per pint of humidity captured, it’s around the lightest and most energy-efficient of all.
This unit offers some interesting features, including 24-7 cloud contact, so you can check on things like humidistat readings often, throughout the day.
Picking the right dehumidifier isn’t just about choosing the one with the greatest affility for atmospheric moisture and calling it a day; the needs of the space and of the particular type of water damage must also be taken into account. The right dehumidifier won’t just be up to the task in terms of capacity, but provide the convenience features that help keep your projects on schedule and problem-free.
Whether it’s the ability to transmit moisture readings remote viewing on the cloud, or the ability to run near-silent and avoid complaints from neighbours, the nuances of dehumidier function are what set the different units apart, and determine which will be best-suited for you.
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