EnerGuide Appliance Directory 2005

Appliance Energy-saving Tips and Distributors by Brand Name

Dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from the air in your home. They can be especially handy in basements, which are often uncomfortable due to dampness.

The dehumidifiers listed in this directory include only ENERGY STAR qualified portable plug-in models that can be located in areas of greatest need throughout your house.

EnerGuide labels do not appear on residential dehumidifiers. The list provided in this directory is taken from models listed in Natural Resources Canada's energy efficiency database.

Use the following table when selecting a standard-capacity dehumidifier for residential use.

*If dehumidifier capacity is not measured in metric units, remember that two pints are equivalent to approximately one litre.

1. Space feels damp and has a musty odour, especially in humid weather. Damp spots may appear on walls and floor.
2. Space feels and smells wet. Walls or floor sweat, or seepage is present.
3. Walls sweat and floor is almost always wet.

A bigger problem?

It's important to find the source of any moisture problem in your home because the resulting mould and mildew buildup may pose health risks. A wet basement, for instance, may be evidence of foundation cracks or substandard drainage. Windows that have excessive condensation may indicate poor home ventilation. Renovated and new homes may suffer high-humidity problems due to moisture in the building materials.

In fact, moisture problems are not uncommon in today's well- insulated homes, which not only keep in heat, but also trap moisture. Remember that cooking, laundry, showers and dishwashing by a family of four can release as much as 80 litres of water into a home's air each week.

Portable dehumidifiers are an ideal choice to address minor moisture problems, but they are no alternative to proper ventilation. Air-to-air heat exchangers and heat- and energy-recovery ventilators are common in modern homes and are standard new-home equipment in some jurisdictions. Talk to an HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) specialist to determine the option that's best for your home.

You may also want to read Operating and Maintaining Your Heat Recovery Ventilator, available through the publications section of the OEE's Web site at oee.nrcan.gc.ca/publications.

ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifiers

High-efficiency, portable residential dehumidifiers may now be eligible to display the ENERGY STAR symbol. Depending on the model and capacity, ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifiers use 10 to 23 percent less energy to remove the same amount of moisture as similar-sized standard units.

The energy efficiency of ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifiers is measured by their Energy Factor (EF), or the amount of water they remove per kilowatt-hour of energy used.

To meet ENERGY STAR performance levels, standard-capacity dehumidifiers (up to 35 litres of water removal per day) must have EFs between 1.2 and 1.5, depending on the appliance's capacity.

Energy- and money-saving tips

• Because of the amount of air and moisture that flows through your dehumidifier, bacteria can build up quickly. Make sure you regularly clean your unit – especially its filter. Clean the coils by brushing the filter with a mixture of water and bleach.
• Whatever model you choose, make sure that the system is the right size for the space you need to dehumidify. Bigger is not necessarily better; in fact, an oversized dehumidifier may simply consume more energy to remove the same amount of moisture as a smaller unit.

Listing of Dehumidifier Distributors by Brand Name

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