Style, Utility, and Dry... Oh My!
Written: Jul 23 '04
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
|
|
| Effectiveness: |
|
|
|
Pros: Effectiveness, ease of use, control panel
Cons: Noise, drain connection hookup
The Bottom Line: For your unused basement, buy it. For a finished and occupied basement, try another model referenced in my article.
|
|
|
| workscorp's Full Review: Whirlpool AD50USL Dehumidifier |
Why I Purchased This Dehumidifier
My basement was created in the true sense of the word, as it's the base for half of my home. My house is made of stone and was built in the 1920s. The basement is completely buried, with walls and pillars of stone plus a concrete floor that was added decades after the original house was built. The basement is big, dark, spooky and damp. Think dungeon-esque.
It houses the gas heating, air conditioning, water heater and water pressure tank. Needless to say I try never to go down there except when I'm forced to change the air filters.
The air conditioner has always emitted a musty smell from the vents. So, the last time the repair guy was out to replace some A/C electrical relay, I asked him about it. We happened to be in the basement at the time, so he looked around, and stated the obvious. It was pretty darn damp down there!
Next thing you know, I'm dehumidifier shopping. I was at Lowes comparing the various brands and models when I spotted the Whirlpool AD50USL. It stated it was created for basements only and will remove moisture down to 44 degrees.
So I went home and did some research. It seems most dehumidifiers will run down to just over 60 degrees, then ice-up and shut off. Some have a de-icing feature that kicks in at that temperature, but they only try to de-ice themselves and not remove any moisture.
It seemed the AD50USL fit the bill since it operated at low temperatures, and since my basements's not insulated, it also operated at low temperatures. The dehumidifier was also the most powerful one available at Lowes. Since the walls and floor are usually wet, it was a good match.
How This Dehumidifier Works
All dehumidifiers are basically a small air conditioning unit placed in a spiffy package. Air conditioners dry out the air. They do this by blowing the dry, cool air back into the house, while blowing the warm, moist air outside. Dehumidifiers blow both the cool and warm air back into the room, but they trap the water in a bucket instead. Hence the dry air with no temperature change. The AD50USL could possibly warm the air just a bit because of its low temperature feature. It blows just a bit of warm air on the evaporator coil (the one that makes the cool air) to make sure it doesn't freeze up. That's the "patented technology" that makes it good for cold basements, according to the Whirlpool Helpline.
Confused? Me, too. But it all works since this model has earned the Energy Star award. And I practically saw the walls and floor dry before my eyes.
There are 4 main settings: Low, High, Continuous and Auto Dry. There is also a moisture control feature which includes 5 settings ranging from Moist to Dry. The Continuous setting just runs the machine all the time on the high fan setting. All others use the moisture control feature, with Auto Dry adjusting the fan setting. Basically it will run until the selected moisture setting is reached then cycle on and off to maintain it.
How This Dehumidifier Has Performed
I was skeptical of the 50 pint per 24 hour rating (that's over 6 gallons a day). But I was set straight pretty quick.
I took it down and installed it in the basement. The next morning, the bucket was full and it had shut off, patiently waiting for me to empty it.
I did do, and just hours later, it was full again. Since the walls and floor were wet, I figured it had a lot of water to grab and this would be temporary. I was wrong. Within days the basement was dry and I was still emptying the bucket 3 times a day.
I decided to use the constant drain feature. There is a plastic connector that connects to a garden hose on the side of the bucket. You must drill at least a 1/4 inch hole in the connector to allow the water to flow out. I used a larger drill bit to play it safe, and if you're tool deprived, you could probably (very carefully) use a sharp utility knife to cut the hole.
I went back to Lowes and purchased a cheap $5 garden hose. I cut off and used the first 12 feet (8 is the max recommended in the user's manual, but mine runs downhill and drains just fine). I connected this to the bucket and allowed the unit to empty into the basement floor drain. Now it can run all it wants and never fill up and shut off.
What I Like About It
It's powerful. It keeps the basement dry and there is no longer any moldy smell from the air conditioner. If it rains lightly, the basement is dry in a day; for heavy rain, max 2 days.
Even though hidden in the basement, the styling is very attractive and the digital control panel is laid out nicely and easy to use.
What I Don't Like
First, the cost. It was $249, but it was what I needed and it works.
For a similar model without the low temp basement feature, you could buy the AD50DSL for $159, quite a savings. It has the same capacity.
For smaller, finished basements, I recommend the AD25BBK. It grabs 25 pints a day but the bucket holds quite a bit more.
It can be noisy. High speed is actually better than Low because it masks the compressor's buzzing. Mine's in the basement, so I don't care. But if it's in a room that's occupied, turn it off when you enter and on when you leave.
Overall
If you have a basement subject to moisture and element exposure, don't hesitate to purchase this model. It works. You won't be disappointed.
But if ambient temperature is not your concern, purchase one of the other models listed above.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 249
Battery Life: N/A
Noise Level: Somewhat loud
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
workscorp
|
|
Location: Asheville, NC
Reviews written: 25
Trusted by: 7 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.