Annual dehumidifier service keeps crawl space drier and free of mold in Pennington

Challenge

A Pennington homeowner in Mercer County had contracted with Cowleys, a certified Basement Systems dealer, to encapsulate his crawl space. Encapsulation, a complete sealing of the crawl space from the outdoor elements, is an investment that saves homeowners from the damage caused by wet, damp crawl spaces. Encapsulation prevents water seepage and hot, humid air from entering the crawl space, and also acts as a barrier for insects and nuisance wildlife. When supplemented by dehumidification, encapsulation inhibits dangerous mold growth and other allergens, providing clean, healthy air for the home’s occupants. 

We install commercial-grade SaniDry dehumidifiers. Specifically designed for crawl spaces and basements, these powerful maintenance-free machines operate in temperatures as low as 40 degrees F. Much more powerful than traditional dehumidifiers, they have the capacity to extract close to 14 gallons of water per day at 80 degrees F. These dehumidifiers do not require human intervention. They operate automatically, turning on and off according to a built-in hygrometer that measures indoor relative humidity. Also, there is no water tray to empty; instead, they connect directly into the drainage system. 

Solution

I was dispatched to the home to provide annual servicing of his dehumidifier. Even though these dehumidifiers are maintenance-free, no different than your furnace and HVAC system, they still require annual servicing to ensure that the unit is operating at its peak efficiency. When the dehumidifier needs to be working, you want the peace of mind that it’s ready to do its job. As part of our servicing checklist, I  thoroughly check of the mechanical functioning of the unit, change the filter, and check the discharge line to make sure that the gravity feed is not clogged. At the homeowner’s request, I also installed a hygrometer so he could monitor crawl space humidity levels without having to access the crawl space. Crawl spaces are tight, uncomfortable area that can be difficult to access, especially for elderly homeowners or those with mobility issues.