Best Commercial Dehumidifier for Basement [Top 5 Picks & Comparison]

The concept of having a basement is becoming more and more popular day by day. They exist in many homes across the United States and are used for various purposes.

Some people use unfinished basements for much-needed storage. Others finish their basements and add significant square footage to their living space. Some basements are used for offices while others are used as workshops.

While basements are great, they come with many challenges. Typically, it is much more difficult to maintain the moisture and air quality of basements.

The air in a basement is usually damper than the upper level. The temperature inside a basement is also much lower than the upper levels. In winters, the temperature in the basement can be several degrees lower than the temperature above.

It is difficult to dehumidify basements because most dehumidifiers do not work at lower temperatures. Later in this article, we will look at the five best commercial dehumidifiers for basements.

These commercial dehumidifiers are good for commercial sites. Many basements that are currently a job site also require dehumidification and so commercial dehumidifiers for basements are also used in job sites. 

Moisture in Basements

Basements typically have more moisture than the upper levels due to many reasons. The first is that moisture seeps through the foundations. It can also enter through leaks and generally when there is moisture in the upper levels. 

Job site basements also have excessive moisture because of the construction activities. It is extremely important to control moisture in job site basements as it will lead to weak foundations. 

While high moisture levels in basements make them difficult to live in, you should worry more about the fact that it can cause molds to grow. Molds cause structural damage to the home and health issues.

A commercial dehumidifier can also be used for basements of residential homes. Basements usually have a large area and therefore commercial dehumidifiers are more suited for them as compared to household dehumidifiers. 

A commercial dehumidifier can easily bring moisture levels in the basements below 50 percent. According to the Basement Health Association, humidity levels above 80 percent cause the growth of mold and mildew. However, a humidity level below 50% is ideal.

Signs of Excessive Moisture in The Basement

If you have a basement, you should have a commercial dehumidifier made for basements. However, you may not need not take action rapidly if signs of excessive moisture are not visible.

On the other hand, if these signs are visible, you should get to work as soon as possible. We have listed these signs below, 

• Visible growth of mold 
• You can feel the humidity in the wall when you touch them 
• You can see condensed moisture on surfaces 
• You smell a strange odor in basements
• Storage in the basements have a moldy smell

Top 5 Commercial Humidifiers: By Best Performing Feature

Guide to Select the Best Commercial Humidifier for Basement

Not all dehumidifiers are suitable to be used in basements. We have compiled a buying guide that will help you identify if the dehumidifier you have in mind can be used in the basements. Use this guide to help you make your purchase decision.  

1. Drainage 

One of the most important features to look for in a dehumidifier is its drainage. While most fixed and duct dehumidifiers will come with a drainage system, it is not the same for portable dehumidifiers.

Dehumidifiers that do not have a drainage system cause inconvenience as you have to empty the tank manually. So, if that is something that you want to avoid, look for dehumidifiers that have drainage.

However, such a humidifier will typically cost more than the one that does not have a drainage system. So, if you are looking for more cost-effective options, you can ignore this.

It is important to know here that dehumidifiers that come with drainage systems are of two types. The first is using gravity and the second is using a pump. Again, the gravity one will be cheaper but less convenient than the one that uses a pump to drain water. 

2. Size 

The capacity of the dehumidifiers should be sufficient enough to cover your whole basement. Job site basements are also typically much more in size as compared to other sites. 

A good rule of thumb is 10 pints for every 500 square feet. So, if you have a 1500 square feet basement you should go for a dehumidifier with around 30 pints of capacity.

Here it is important to note that you may not use these figures exactly. Use these more ballpark figures and select the dehumidifier that has the nearest capacity to your calculations.

The capacity of the dehumidifier also depends on how damp your basement is. If you feel like your basement has severe moisture issues, feel free to use a dehumidifier that has a very high capacity.

Home basements are usually less damp than job site basements. So, if you are using a commercial dehumidifier for a job site, make sure that you get your hands on the one that has a very good capacity.

Basements usually span over the entire floor square footage of the house. So, typically they are larger than other rooms in the home. They are also damper than the upper floors. It is for this reason that we suggest commercial dehumidifiers for home basements also.

3. Automatic Defrost

If you live in a cold climate where temperature easily drops to sub-zero in winters, this is a must-have feature. As the name suggests, this feature automatically defrosts the ice that builds up in the dehumidifier so that running

4. Air filter

Some dehumidifiers come with air filters. They trap dust, pollens, and allergens and keep the air quality clean. They are good to have in a dehumidifier and improve the air quality significantly. These dehumidifiers are especially beneficial if you will be using them in your home’s basement.

5. Low-temperature operation

A dehumidifier that can easily perform in low operations has this feature. As the automatic defrost, this is a must-have if you live in a cold climate. 

6. Automatic Humidistat

A humidistat works like a thermostat. Where a thermostat maintains a constant temperature in a room, a humidistat maintains constant humidity in the room. This feature eliminates the manual guesswork and the need to check the humidity in the basement manually. 

Now that you have an idea about what your dehumidifier should have, let’s jump straight into our recommendations. 

Top 5 Commercial Dehumidifiers Best Suitable for Basements

1. AlorAir Duct-able Version Basement

Best for Cold Climates

Alo air is a duct-based dehumidifier. It is perfect for your home basement if you live in a cold climate area.

This is a duct-based commercial dehumidifier which makes it suitable for use at home. This is because homes are more suited to permanent and convenient solutions.

The dehumidifier can also be used in basement workshops and offices. However, since job sites require the movement of dehumidifiers, this dehumidifier is not suitable for job sites.

This dehumidifier can work in temperatures as low as 36 degrees Fahrenheit. It comes with an automatic defrost system that detects if there is frosting on the coils.

The dehumidifier is perfect for your basement for several reasons. It has a pump-based drainage system. When you are looking for a dehumidifier for basements, it helps if it comes with a pump.

It is also one of the powerful dehumidifiers that you can get your hands on. It has a dehumidifying capacity of 90 pints. It means that even if you have a very large basement, it has you covered.

According to the rule of thumb we mentioned, the commercial dehumidifier should cover at least 4500 square feet of area. 

If the total square footage of your home, including the basement, is around 4500 square feet, you can use the dehumidifier for your entire home.

However, since it is a duct-based dehumidifier, it requires proper installation, and that might be one of the costs that you need to keep in mind in addition to the retail price. The dehumidifier comes with a five-year warranty. 

Pros

• Automatic defrost 
• Large capacity 
• 5 years warranty 

Cons

• Relatively Expensive

2. Aprilaire E70 Pro

Best for Home Basements

If you live in a temperate climate, the Aprilaire E70 pro is the best duct-based dehumidifier you can get. It is best for your basement because it can cover it all.

This dehumidifier can also be used in offices and workshops that are located in basements. This dehumidifier has a total capacity of 70 pints. This makes it sufficient for at least 1400 square feet of area.

The company claims that it is suitable for up to 2800 square feet. This commercial dehumidifier is designed to work at lower temperatures. This makes it a good choice for basements because temperatures in basements are lower than at the upper level. 

The Aprilaire E70 pro comes at a very attractive price. It is difficult to find a suitable duct-based commercial dehumidifier for the basement at this price tag. It is half the price of the Alo Air dehumidifier that we reviewed above.

One of the drawbacks of the dehumidifier is that it does not come with a condensate pump. If you plan to use it in your basement, you will have to buy the pump separately.

You can still use it by connecting the pipe and taking it to the ground level. The water will drain when the pipe is filled to the top. However, this method is less effective than the pump method. Any leakage in the pipe can also be detrimental to your basement. 

Pros

• Competitive price
• Decent coverage area 

Cons

• Does not come with a condensate pump 

3. BlueDri BD-130P

Best for Job Sites Basements

It is often difficult to find a portable commercial dehumidifier for basements. It is because portable dehumidifiers seldom can work at lower temperatures and cover a good area.

The Blue Dri portable dehumidifier solves all of these problems. The dehumidifier can work at low temperatures. It has an impressive capacity of 225 pints, this capacity is enough to cover more than 10,000 square feet.

This commercial dehumidifier also comes with an automatic water pump. It is a rare feature in a portable dehumidifier. This feature will make your life a lot easier while using it in a job site basement, as you will not have to carry the dehumidifier to the ground level to drain it.

Portable dehumidifiers are still heavy and difficult to move. This one weighs around 107 pounds. However, it comes with two sturdy wheels and a good quality handle that makes it easy to move around.

Its build quality also makes it suitable for use in rough conditions such as a job site. The humidifier also comes with reusable filters. It is easy to remove, clean, and put the filters back in the dehumidifier.

Pros

• Exceptional coverage area 
• Reusable filters 
• Automatic pump

Cons

• No major drawbacks

4. Bluedri BD – 76

Value for Money

The BlueDri BD 76 offers the best value for money when you are looking for a commercial dehumidifier for your basements. It is a portable dehumidifier so you can use it at job sites and finished basements as well.

This dehumidifier can operate at low temperatures. This makes it suitable for use in basements. It also has a capacity of 150 pints. This is a good capacity and enough to cover most basements.

The dehumidifier comes with an automatic condensate pump that will make your life easier when you drain water out of the basement. 

This is a portable commercial dehumidifier. It weighs around 81 pounds which is significantly lower than the Blue Dri dehumidifier that we reviewed above. The key difference between the two is the coverage.

In most cases, you will not need the extra power offered by Bluedri 130-p. This dehumidifier is very efficient and easy to operate. If you want the best bang for your buck, go for Bluedri BD-76

Pros

• Value for money 
• Good capacity and coverage 
• Automatic pump 

Cons

• No major drawback

5. Colzer Commercial dehumidifier

Best Price

The colzer commercial dehumidifier comes at an unbelievable price. It can work at lower temperatures. Therefore it is ideal for basements.

Surprisingly it is one of the most powerful dehumidifiers you can get on the market. The total capacity of the humidifier is 164 pints which makes it suitable for most basements. 

This commercial dehumidifier has two large wheels and a sturdy bar handle that makes it easy to transport. The colzer dehumidifier comes with an automatic humidistat with an auto on and off function.

This means that it will automatically turn on as soon as it senses humidity levels below the desired level. The dehumidifier does not come with a condenser pump. However, since this is a portable dehumidifier, it can be easily carried to various places to do the job. 

Pros

• Very powerful 
• Automatic humidistat 
• Best price 

Cons

• No condensate pump 

Comparison of Above Listed Commercial Dehumidifiers for Basement

	Dimensions (Inches)	Automatic Defrost	Capacity (Pints)	Pump	Dehumidstat
AlorAir	23.2 x 15.2 x 17.7	Yes	90	Yes	No
Aprilaire E70 Pro	33 x 13.04 x 12.88	No	70	No	No
BlueDri BD-76	19 x 20 x 32	No	150	Yes	No
BlueDri BD-130P	22 x 23.5 x 34.5	No	225	Yes	No
Colzer	21.6 x 19.6 x 32.5	No	164	No	Yes

Final Comments:

Some dehumidifiers can function at lower temperatures and are more suited for basements. These are typically commercial humidifiers and so will cost considerably more than usual humidifiers.

However, it is a good investment that you should make for basement job sites and homes. If you are still unable to decide, then, we recommend picking either AlorAir or Aprilaire dehumidifier, both perform great.