Capacity
The nominal capacity of the dehumidifier is the
maximum amount of moisture that the unit can remove from the air per day.
For efficient operation, the capacity of the dehumidifier must be no less than the amount of excess moisture that accumulates in the room during the same time. This amount can be calculated using special formulas or calculator programs. However, the results of such calculations are quite approximate, but they can be used in the selection, and for a full guarantee it is worth taking a performance margin of at least 10–20%. If desired, this margin can be more; but note that high performance significantly affects the price, dimensions and energy consumption of the dehumidifier.
Recommended room area
A very conditional parameter that slightly characterizes the purpose by the size of the room. And depending on the height of the ceilings, layout, structure of the building and equipment, the actual values may differ significantly. Nevertheless, this item represents the maximum recommended area of the room that this model can effectively serve:
the use in smaller rooms is quite acceptable, but the device simply does not have enough performance for a larger space. Also, note that the area is indicated based on a ceiling height of 2.5-3 m — the standard value for residential premises; with a higher ceiling height, the effective area decreases, and it can be recalculated using special formulas.
When choosing by area, it is worth taking a certain margin, but it should not be too large — otherwise, the device will be unnecessarily powerful, bulky and expensive.
Controls
The type of control provided in the design of the dehumidifier.
The type of control determines how external control elements (buttons, knobs, sliders) interact with the hardware of the unit. There are two options here:
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Mechanical. Systems in which the control elements act directly on the individual parts of the dryer. For example, fan speed adjustment (see "Features") in such systems can be carried out using a slider that directly changes the resistance of the resistor in the fan power circuit; the shutdown timer (see ibid.) is a rotary knob with a clock mechanism, etc. The mechanical control is simple and reliable, it is suitable for all basic functions of the dehumidifier and at the same time, it is inexpensive. On the other hand, such systems are inferior in accuracy to electronic ones, and besides, they do not allow many additional features (remote control, display, etc.). Therefore, although this type of control can be found in all categories of dehumidifiers, there are fewer such models on the modern market than electronic ones.
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Electronic. Control is carried out through a special electronic circuit: each user action (pressing a button, turning a knob, etc.) is processed by this circuit, and from it control signals are sent to the working elements of the dehumidifier. Such systems are more functional and advanced than mechanical ones. Electronic control is conveni
...ent and allows you to use various additional functions — for example, displays and remote controls; and individual parameters can be controlled with very high precision and small adjustment steps. The disadvantages of electronic systems are considered to be higher cost and lower reliability than mechanics, as well as repair difficulty. At the same time, these shortcomings are not so often critical: for example, differences in cost are usually almost imperceptible against the the overall price of devices, and the probability of failure in modern electronics is still very low. Nowadays, it is the most popular type of control among dehumidifiers of all categories. And it can be implemented either by buttons or by touch panel. The second option gives the device a solid look.Operating temperature range
The ambient temperature range in which the dehumidifier can operate normally. The wider this range, the more versatile the dehumidifier is, and the more diverse the conditions in which it can be used. Note that, in contrast to the humidity range (see above), going beyond the operating temperatures is fraught not only with loss of efficiency but also with serious malfunctions and even breakdowns. Therefore, it is worth choosing a unit according to this parameter in such a way that it is guaranteed to block possible fluctuations in the temperature of the air with which the dehumidifier is to work.
Note that most modern models are designed to operate at positive temperatures, with the lower limit being on average about 4–5 °C. The only type of dehumidifiers that can operate at temperatures below zero are
adsorption dryers(see "Suitable for").
Condensate tank volume
The volume of the tank for collecting condensate (moisture removed from the air), provided in the design of the dehumidifier.
The larger the condensate tank, the slower it will fill up and the less often it will have to be emptied. It is especially important for high-performance units (see above). On the other hand, the volumetric tank has the appropriate dimensions, which affects the dimensions of the entire dryer. When evaluating the relationship between tank capacity and dehumidifier performance, note that the device rarely operates at full capacity. See "Dehumidification capacity" for more on this; here we note that if, for example, a dehumidifier with parameter of 24 L/day has a tank of 4 litres, this does not mean that the tank will necessarily be filled to the top every 4 hours. An alternative to tanks is the use of permanent condensate drainage systems; see "Features" for details.
Noise level
The maximum noise level produced by the dryer during operation. The lower this number, the more comfortable the use of the unit will be; this is especially true for residential premises. For workshops, warehouses and other similar places, the noise level is not so critical — this type of climate control equipment is often installed in places where there are almost no people, or in the vicinity of such noisy equipment, against which the noise from the dehumidifier can simply be lost. However, for non-residential premises, data on the noise can be useful — for example, to assess the need for special ear protection and other labour protection measures.
Note that this parameter is measured in decibels, and this is a non-linear value: for example, a change of 3 dB approximately corresponds to an increase/decrease in power by 2 times, by 10 dB — by 10 times, etc. Therefore, to assess the noise level, it is easiest to use comparative tables. Here is a simplified table for the range that most modern dehumidifiers fall into.
35 dB — muffled conversation;
40 dB — quiet conversation; the maximum noise level allowed in residential premises during the daytime;
45 — 50 dB — conversation in a normal tone;
55 dB — background sound in the office without special noise sources;
60 dB — loud conversation;
65 dB — city street with average traffic intensity;
70 dB — a conversation of several people in raised tones.
