Should I Hire a Desiccant or Refrigerant Dehumidifier?

What's the difference? This article explains the differences between the two and in which scenarios you will need one or the other.

#Desiccant or Refrigerant dehumidifier?

When commencing a dehumidification project, It can be tricky knowing the following what type of dehumidifier and how many dehumidifiers to use. Let’s examine some of the factors involved in making the decision.

Desiccant or Refrigerant Dehumidifiers?

The two main ways in which we can dry the air in the environment is through the use of refrigerant and desiccant dehumidifiers.

1. Refrigerants work by passing hot humid air over a cold surface this is what we call coils. The water then drips down the coils and is pumped out of the dehumidifier.

2. Desiccants dehumidifier use special materials which hold and absorb moisture. The air passes through the desiccant material which absorb the moisture. The material is then heated to recharge the desiccant so the process can be repeated over and over again. It’s important to note that in many applications, desiccants and refrigerant dehumidifiers work well together. The advantages of each compliments the weakness of the other.

#Operational Temperature and Humidity

Desiccants are more effective at lower moisture and temperature levels and they work effectively from 45% RH down to 1%. RH. However, they are less effective at reducing the high level of moisture

Conversely, refrigerants are more effective at high temperatures and moisture levels. However, they are not used often in situations where the humidity is below 45% RH. In order to get better performance from the unit, ice would start to form on the refrigerations coils and therefore reduce performance They are not effective in low temperatures where it is harder to condensate the air.

#When Should I use them?

Desiccants are especially handy in outside environments or environments where it can get particularly cold, where as refrigerants are best used in areas where it is not cold, and there are high levels of moisture. Our large desiccants are well suited for places such as large warehouses and contruction sites, where as our refrigerant dehumidifiers are best suited to indoor environments.

If you are looking at hiring a dehumidifier from us, we have a customer service team available to help you choose the unit you need for your application. We would need to know the available details to make a decision: