Will A Dehumidifier in the Basement Help the Whole House?

When it comes to humidity, there is a Goldilocks zone: not too dry, not too humid.

Basements are notorious for being damp and humid, and many people put a dehumidifier in their basement to try to combat this issue. Many people also believe that putting a dehumidifier in the basement will help the whole house. In fact, you will need more than one dehumidifier in the basement to dehumidify the whole house.

Let's find out the truth!

Basement Humidity and Its Effects

Your home's basement is susceptible to humidity problems. Too much humidity can lead to a number of issues, including mold growth, wood rot, and condensation on walls and ceilings. In order to protect your home, it is important to understand the causes and effects of humidity in your basement, as well as how to address them.

If you live in an older home with a damp basement, the main cause of your basement's low humidity is likely lack of proper ventilation. Basements are always known as the worst place in your house in terms of ventilation. If you can't vent the air in your basement, it will push the dampness up into your home's main living areas.

What A Dehumidifier Can Do for Your Basement

It's no secret that humidity levels can be drastically different from one level of a home to the next. And while most people are primarily concerned with keeping the humidity levels in their main living areas comfortable, it's also important to remember the lower levels of the home. Especially when it comes to the basement.

A dehumidifier can be a great addition to your basement. Basements are often damp and humid, which can cause problems like mold and mildew. A dehumidifier can help to reduce the humidity in your basement, making it a safer and more comfortable space. This device can also help to protect your belongings from damage caused by excess moisture.

In terms of health benefits, dehumidifier helps to control the growth of mold and dust mites. These allergens are known to cause problems for people with allergies and asthma. Dehumidifiers also help to control humidity levels in a home, which can prevent respiratory problems in winter months. 

Will a Dehumidifier in the Basement Help the Whole House?

Most people think that when they put a dehumidifier in their basement, it will dehumidify the entire house. In reality, however, a dehumidifier in the basement will only dehumidify the basement.

This is because the humidity levels on each floor of a house are usually different. If you put your dehumidifier in the basement, it will be effective only on the floor right above it.

The most efficient and cost effective way to lower humidity levels in your home is by installing a whole-house dehumidifier. If you still want to buy portable dehumidifiers, you have to place them in every room where you want the humidity to be controlled.

How Many Dehumidifiers Do I Need for My House?

How Many Dehumidifiers Do I Need for My House?

It's not easy to determine the right number of dehumidifiers for your home, as it depends on a number of factors, including the size and humidity level of your house, the climate, and how many rooms in your home.

In general, you'll need one 50 pint dehumidifier for every 500 square feet of living space. So if you have a 2,000-square-foot home, you may need four 50-pint dehumidifiers.

However, running many portable dehumidifiers in your house can raise your electricity bills and maintenance costs, while the humidity reduction ability may not be as good as using just one whole house dehumidifier.

Final Verdict


A dehumidifier is a household appliance that is used to reduce the humidity of the air. Dehumidifiers are often placed in basements, as the lower temperature and high humidity can cause damage to belongings.

It has been proposed that by placing a dehumidifier in the basement, the humidity of the entire house will be reduced. However, this is not the case as while the dehumidifier in the basement did reduce the humidity of that specific room, it did not have an impact on the overall humidity of the house.

You should better think about installing a whole house dehumidifier in order to reduce the overall humidity level in your house.

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My name is Justin Williams. I am the founder and blogger at TheDehumidifierExperts.com (read more about us). I was an allergy sufferer and that is also the reason why I began my trek to finding the best dehumidifier for my own personal health issues. All of the dehumidifier top picks on the site were put through their paces by Lance Perez - our dehumidifier researcher. He put each one through a series of tests to see how well they performed. Then, our editorial team compiled the insights into articles and published them.

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