Neighborhood Garage Door Repair of the Bay Area, CA knows the difference that proper humidity can make in your garage. An overly humid garage space can lead to rust and rot in your door, and overall discomfort for you and your family. Here are some tips for picking a dehumidifier for your garage.
Environment
Consider the overall climate in your region before choosing a dehumidifier. Get a good idea of the relative humidity throughout the year. If your area is very humid, or if you have a partially underground garage, consider getting a high capacity unit to handle the extra load.
Dehumidifier efficiency is also affected by the ambient temperature of the room they’re servicing. If your garage is very hot or very cold on a regular basis, this could affect the unit’s ability to operate properly. To get the best results, be sure to get a dehumidifier designed to work in extreme temperatures.
Garage Size
Dehumidifiers are rated based on the amount of moisture they can pull out of the air over a given amount of time. Since most homeowners don’t have a good idea of how many pints per hour they want to remove, they have another rating system. Look for how many square footage they can realistically keep dry.
Obviously, you’ll need to know the square footage of your garage, so just measure it out before shopping. Try to overestimate this space when selecting your dehumidifier. It’s better to have too large of a unit than too small of one and not keep up with the moisture.
General Operation
There are a few other general items to take note of when picking a dehumidifier for your garage. Before buying, make sure to turn on the unit you’re looking at to see how noisy it is when operating. Make sure you know the energy efficiency of the unit so you don’t buy a power hog. Lastly, get a unit that has an optional hose outlet for draining.
Using Your Dehumidifier
You need to pick a good space in your garage for your new dehumidifier. Make sure it’s in easy reach of a grounded outlet. It will also need plenty of clearance, about 12” on each side, to ensure proper air flow.
The key thing to remember when operating a dehumidifier is to keep the tank empty. When it fills up, it will automatically shut off to prevent overflow. When you first start using it, check it frequently to get a feel for how often it needs to be emptied. The best option is to hook up a hose to the reservoir and run it to a floor drain for automatic draining.
Call Us for Garage Door Service
If your garage’s humidity has been out of hand and led to rust and rot, give Neighborhood Garage Door Repair of the Bay Area, California a call. We’re available to take your call 24/7. Let us know your need, and we’ll take care of your repair or service right away!
