The 3 Best Dehumidifiers to Keep Your Crawl Space Dry

By Nick Evans •  Last Updated: 04/05/22 •  15 min read

A crawl space dehumidifier is used to remove humidity from the air in crawl spaces, basements, or even your entire home. Removing humidity helps prevent things like mold and mildew from growing on rugs, ceilings, and other areas of your home. A good crawl space dehumidifier can also prevent bugs that thrive on moisture (like silverfish) from entering your home. Therefore, there are many reasons to consider a crawl space dehumidifier.

We’re here to help you find the best crawl space dehumidifier for your home. While our favorite choice is the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier, more options can be a good fit depending on your needs. That said, read on to learn about crawl space dehumidifiers and about which model is right for you.

Top Pick
COLZER Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier

We love the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier because of its range, pints per day capabilities, and auto-defrost technology. It's one of the best units around when it comes to value for what you get.

Pros:
  • Auto-defrost 
  • Corrosion-resistant coils 
  • Auto-restart 
  • Can dehumidify entire homes 
  • Smart display
Cons:
  • Expensive 
  • No warranty
From Amazon

Best Crawl Space Dehumidifiers 

Below are the best crawl space dehumidifiers for your home:

1). Top Pick: Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier

Top Pick
COLZER Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier

We love the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier because of its range, pints per day capabilities, and auto-defrost technology. It's one of the best units around when it comes to value for what you get.

Pros:
  • Auto-defrost 
  • Corrosion-resistant coils 
  • Auto-restart 
  • Can dehumidify entire homes 
  • Smart display
Cons:
  • Expensive 
  • No warranty
From Amazon

Why We Like It: We love the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier because of its range, pints per day capabilities, and auto-defrost technology. It’s one of the best units around when it comes to value for what you get.

Quick Facts

The Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier is one of the best products around for basements, crawl spaces, and even entire homes. The unit is compact but powerful. When connected to HVAC systems it can remove humidity from an entire home because of its range. It also comes with a smart display that shows users things like the temperature, humidity level, and more. The display can also be used to set cycles and program the device to operate without user input. It also features auto-defrost technology, so it can handle colder climates. This makes it ideal for crawl spaces.

What Sets It Apart 

The Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier is unique because of its combination of features. The smart display, auto-defrost, and corrosion-resistant coils are second-to-none and Colzer was able to keep the cost low for shoppers. It’s also unique because it comes with an optional drain pump, so you don’t have to worry about manually dumping the dehumidifier each day. It also comes with some other features that make it easy to maintain like washable filters, auto-restart, and more.

Things to Consider 

We’re fans of the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier but that doesn’t make it perfect for everyone. The Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier has a few drawbacks that we need to cover. We’ll start with the price. Unfortunately, it’s more expensive than some products like the BaseAire AirWerx55. This puts it out of a lot of shoppers’ price range. Another drawback is that it doesn’t come with a warranty. Many products have 5-year warranties and ratings from Energy Star. The Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier does not.

Who It’s For 

If you’re looking for a well-rounded crawl space dehumidifier that you don’t have to interact with too much, the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier is your best bet. It can dehumidify your entire home, drain through the pump, and restart when needed. This makes it a great choice for people who want a hands-off experience with dehumidifiers. We also recommend this product for people who live in colder regions. The auto-defrost feature prevents the coils from getting damaged by the cold.

Pros 

Cons

2). Upgrade Pick: Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier

Upgrade Pick
Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier
$1,929.99

The Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier is one of our favorite products because of how powerful it is when compared to other units. It has a huge range and features more advanced features than competitors.

Pros:
  • Can dehumidify the average home 
  • 5-year warranty 
  • Corrosion-resistant coils 
  • Advanced smart features
Cons:
  • Expensive 
  • No auto-defrost capabilities
From Amazon
09/30/2023 03:26 pm GMT

Why We Like It: The Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier is one of our favorite products because of how powerful it is when compared to other units. It has a huge range and features more advanced features than competitors.

Quick Facts

The Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier is an industrial-grade crawl space unit. You can connect it to your home’s HVAC unit and remove humidity from your entire home. It also comes with advanced features like corrosion-resistant aluminum coils and smart technology. The smart technology provides you with a simple interface on the device to configure. When configured, the unit operates without user intervention. Therefore, you can set the Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier and forget it. When humidity levels rise, it will do its job automatically.

What Sets It Apart 

The Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier is special because of its range. When hooked up to an HVAC system, it’s more than a crawl space dehumidifier. Instead, it’s a whole-home dehumidifier. Ultimately, you get a unit that works for your entire home instead of just the crawl space. It’s also unique because of its corrosion-resistant aluminum coils and 5-year warranty. The manufacturer is confident that the Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier is built to last.

Things to Consider 

We’re big fans of the Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier. That said, it’s not perfect. The biggest drawback of this product is the price. It’s almost twice as expensive as other crawl space dehumidifiers. While the price is justified, that makes it unreasonable for some shoppers. Another drawback is that it lacks auto-defrost capabilities or any defrost capabilities. For an expensive unit, we expected to see some type of defrosting function. If you’re looking for a model that’s more affordable and suitable for low temperatures, the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier is a great alternative.

Who It’s For 

The Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier is for people who want to dehumidify their entire home. While it works for crawl spaces, it covers the square footage of most homes. Plus, you can set it and forget it. For homeowners who want to live a life free of humidity, it’s hard to justify a different crawl space dehumidifier. It’s also a great choice for people who want to use a crawl space dehumidifier with their HVAC system.

Pros 

Cons

3). Budget Pick: Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier

Budget Pick
ALORAIR Commercial Dehumidifier 113 Pint
$469.98

We love the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier because it's affordable, made right here in the United States, warrantied for 5 years, and powerful. It's the perfect combination of price and functionality.

Pros:
  • Auto-defrost
  • Corrosion-resistant coils
  • Low cost
  • Made in the United States
  • Energy Pledge Friendly
Cons:
  • Not the most advanced unit
From Amazon From Walmart
09/30/2023 03:06 pm GMT

Why We Like It: We love the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier because it’s affordable, made right here in the United States, warrantied for 5 years, and powerful. It’s the perfect combination of price and functionality.

Quick Facts

The Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier is as well-rounded as it gets. It’s built with durable materials and features a durable blue shell, corrosion-resistant coils, and even an auto-defrost setting. The auto-defrost setting activates when the coils have small amounts of frost building up and this process is something the unit does on its own. This helps the unit operate at temperatures as low as 36° Fahrenheit. Keeping moisture out of a crawl space can be accomplished during most conditions with the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier. On another note, this makes the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier applicable in commercial situations because of its durability, compact size, and cold weather efficiency.

What Sets It Apart 

The Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier is unique for a few reasons. First and foremost, the product is made and manufactured in the United States. During a time where almost everything comes from third-party factories, it’s nice to see a product being made with American steel. Another unique feature is how well it works in industrial settings because of its auto-defrost capabilities. Plus, you can’t beat the low cost and shiny blue paint.

Things to Consider 

The Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier is one of our top choices. That said, it’s not suitable for everyone, especially those that need some more bang for their buck. This is because some shoppers might benefit from a more advanced product. If this is the case, you’ll want to consider the Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier for Crawl Spaces instead. While it’s almost double the price, it performs better than the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier in almost every area.

Who It’s For 

The Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier is our top choice for people who are shopping on a budget. We recommend this dehumidifier for almost anyone who needs a crawl space unit. With innovative technology and a reasonable price, it’s an entry-level device that serves its purpose. Plus, for most homes, its range and output are more than sufficient. We also recommend this unit for people who live in colder regions because of the auto-defrost functionality.

Pros 

Cons 

4). Also Great: BaseAire AirWerx55 

Also Great
BaseAire AirWerx55
$648.66

We love the BaseAire AirWerx55 because it's affordable and functional. It also comes with some features we love like auto-shutoff, and auto-defrost.

Pros:
  • Hassle-free features like a drainage hose 
  • Can handle low temperatures of 33° Fahrenheit 
  • Affordable 
  • 5-year warranty
Cons:
  • Lacks the range of high-end crawl space dehumidifiers
  • Not the best coils
From Amazon
09/30/2023 03:42 am GMT

Why We Like It: We love the BaseAire AirWerx55 because it’s affordable and functional. It also comes with some features we love like auto-shutoff, and auto-defrost.

Quick Facts 

The BaseAire AirWerx55 is a simple and effective crawl space dehumidifier. It comes with many advanced features like auto-shutoff, auto-restart after power outages, and even auto-defrost. While the display is basic, this makes it a hands-off unit for most homes. It also has a decent range and can be connected to HVAC systems for better performance. The BaseAire AirWerx55 also comes with a 5-year warranty and a drain hose. When it comes to value for your money, the BaseAire AirWerx55 is up there with the best.

What Sets It Apart 

The BaseAire AirWerx55 is special for a few reasons. Firstly, it can operate at temperatures as low as 33.8° Fahrenheit. This means it can operate close to freezing temperatures and can handle cold climates. Another unique aspect of the BaseAire AirWerx55 is how it handles noise. Crawl space dehumidifiers can be loud and obnoxious but the BaseAire AirWerx55 only produces 52 decibels of noise. Compared to other units, this is quiet.

Things to Consider 

The BaseAire AirWerx55 is a good product but it’s not perfect. While the cost is low, there are some tradeoffs for the low price. The biggest disadvantage of the BaseAire AirWerx55 is that it doesn’t cover a lot of square feet. For example, the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier has 4 times the square-foot coverage as the BaseAire AirWerx55. While this doesn’t make it ineffective in most crawl spaces, it limits its dehumidifying capabilities.

Who It’s For 

The BaseAire AirWerx55 is perfect for people who want a simple and effective crawl space dehumidifier. It’s not the best product around but it comes with hassle-free features. For people who want a product that can be turned on and forgotten about, the BaseAire AirWerx55 is a perfect choice. Plus, it even drains on its own and turns back on after power outages. We also recommend this unit for people who live in cold climates because it can handle lower temperatures than most dehumidifiers.

Pros 

Cons

Read Also: Best Dehumidifier for Your Garage

Everything You Need to Know About Crawl Space Dehumidifiers

Looking at a list of the best crawl space dehumidifiers is a great place to start. Still, it’s not always enough to make a decision. When Shopping for crawl space dehumidifiers it’s important to find a product that fits your specific needs. If one product works for someone, that doesn’t always mean it will work for you. For these reasons, we’re going to take you through some factors to consider when shopping for crawl space dehumidifiers.

Range

To get started, we’ll focus on range. The range of dehumidifiers is measured in square feet. This is no coincidence because the size of most homes and individual rooms in homes is also measured in square feet. Therefore, you should measure the crawl space you’re looking to use the dehumidifier in before selecting one. Moreover, if you plan on connecting the unit to your HVAC system, make sure the range is enough to cover your entire home.

If you don’t want to worry about precise measurements or have a huge home, we recommend a product like the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier. Its range of 6,000 square feet can cover most crawl spaces, basements, and even entire homes. On the other hand, if you have a smaller space you don’t need to get the best available crawl space dehumidifiers. For smaller spaces, a product like the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier is more than enough.

Capacity

The next thing you want to consider is a crawl space dehumidifier’s capacity. When it comes to crawl space dehumidifiers, capacity is measured in pints of water. When a dehumidifier is functioning properly, it removes moisture from the air. This moisture is collected in a basin. Some crawl space dehumidifiers have drainage hoses that function automatically but for some products, you’ll have to drain them manually. So, if a product can store 100 pints, that’s how much water it can hold before overflowing.

Capacity is also directly related to output. The output of a crawl space dehumidifier is measured by pints per day. This is the amount of moisture a dehumidifier can remove from the air in a 24-hour cycle. Keep in mind, devices won’t be able to remove as much moisture from highly saturated air. That said, the pints per day that a crawl space dehumidifier can remove in 24 hours is typically the same as its maximum capacity. Plus, most devices will turn themselves off when the cycle has ended.

If you’re looking to remove a lot of moisture from your home each day, the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier is your best bet. It can remove 145 pints per day of moisture from the air when used in optimal conditions. That said, the Aprilaire E100 Pro Dehumidifier for Crawl Spaces is the best choice if you’re dealing with a lot of saturated air.

Size 

When working with crawl spaces, the size of a dehumidifier is important. You want to make sure the unit fits, so you must measure the length, height, and width of the crawl space you’re going to use it in. That said, if you’re using it in a basement or warehouse, this becomes less of an issue. If you’re looking for the smallest crawl space dehumidifier, the Alorair Commercial Dehumidifier is a great choice. Its measurements come in at 19.2″×12.2″×13.3″, which is small enough to fit most crawl spaces.

Temperature Rating 

Finally, you want to consider the temperature rating of a crawl space dehumidifier. Some crawl spaces get cold over winter months, so it’s important to find a unit that has auto-defrost capabilities, corrosion-resistant coils, and the ability to operate at low temperatures. While dehumidifiers won’t work below freezing, some models dehumidify the air that’s just above 33° Fahrenheit. One such model is the BaseAire AirWerx55. It can handle near-freezing temperatures and has auto-defrost capabilities.

Crawl Space Dehumidifier FAQ 

What’s the Best Crawl Space Dehumidifier? 

The best crawl space dehumidifier is the Colzer Crawlspace Commercial Dehumidifier. It can operate in cold temperatures, has a range of 6,000 square feet, and has an output of over 100 pints per day. Plus, it’s affordable and not as expensive as other industrial-grade dehumidifiers.

Do You Need a Special Dehumidifier for Crawl Spaces 

Yes, we recommend a special dehumidifier for crawl spaces. If you’re going to use a dehumidifier in a crawl space you should find a unit that can handle lower temperatures. This is because some crawl spaces reach temperatures that are close to freezing. For this reason, we recommend a unit with auto-defrost capabilities.

What Is the Ideal Humidity for a Crawl Space 

If you have a crawl space, we recommend keeping the humidity levels between 30% and 60% humidity. In most cases, a crawl space should level out at around 55% humidity. To achieve these humidity levels you’ll need a crawl space dehumidifier that can remove moisture from the air. We recommend a product that can remove about 100 pints per day of moisture.

Does Crawl Space Humidity Impact Humidity in the Rest of the House? 

Yes, crawl space humidity can impact humidity levels in the rest of your home. When cold air mixes with the warm air of crawl spaces on warmer days, it can raise the humidity of the home and crawl space by about 2% (on average). Using a crawl space dehumidifier can prevent this issue.

Can Dehumidifiers Damage Wood? 

Yes, dehumidifiers can damage the wood. This is because the air that’s too dry can weaken the wood and make it vulnerable to cracks. For this reason, you should keep humidity levels between 30% and 60% in areas that have wood. This includes crawl spaces and the rest of your home. 

Reduce Moisture Like a Pro!

Crawl space dehumidifiers remove humidity from your home, which is great for preventing bugs and mold. With the right crawl space dehumidifier, you can create a healthier environment for you and your family. Most crawl space dehumidifiers also connect to your home’s HVAC system. In other words, you can dehumidify your entire home and keep your HVAC system dry.

We hope you find the best crawl space dehumidifier for your needs!

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