I run a 70 pint dehumidifier in my basement to bring the humidity from 65-69% down to 45-50%. I used to empty the bucked twice a day but that gets old very quickly (and even then it would fill in less than 12 hours, I should have probably emptied 3x per day but that is not practical)

Next option is to install a drain hose. I have it draining into the sump well. That never gets high enough to activate the pump, I think it just slowly goes into the ground. But that means the sump pump is never dry (it used to get dry when it didn't rain and humidifier didn't drain in it)

The third and best option is to drill a small hole in the wall and have it drain outside. Yes this model has a built in pump. My only question is what happens in the winter, the outside hose would freeze and this won't be able to pump

Now writing this, I started to think if I should drill a hole in the laundry room floor and run the hose from the basement into laundry room and into the drain, which goes into the septic tank. This would never freeze.

Thoughts?

or maybe in the winter when temperature is below freezing humidity is not an issue in the basement? air is usually dry in the winter.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2020 01:44PM by space-time.

The dehumidifier I have had a small pump that allows the water to be pumped out to another location Using an enclosed tubing. I had it drain into the toilet tank and any excess went down the excess drain pipe. If yours doesn’t have a pump, you can elevate it high enough that gravity does the job.

In the winter high humidity is not a problem. Set your forced air furnace fan to run 24/7.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

Is it a problem that the sump pump would never be dry?

We installed a wire shelf about four feet off the ground next to our utility sink and short hose empties into our utility sink. It rarely runs in the winter, if at all.

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mikebw
Is it a problem that the sump pump would never be dry?

some of that water will evaporate back in the basement and that seems inefficient... also why have constant moisture under the slab if that can be avoided.

I am just thinking to drill a hole and let it drain outside and see what happens in the winter when it freezes. Maybe let it dry back in the sump pump during the winter.

I did the same thing FormerlySaleenl did....dehumidifier on wire shelf above the laundry sink, drain hose drops directly into the sink. Having the dehumidifier higher off the floor seems to help with air circulation as well.

Draining outside thru a hole in the wall is not a good idea. Just let it drain into the sump. the water in the sump is draining into the ground via the built-in drain field under the basement floor.

Our dehumidifier, our furnace humidifier, and our AC evaporator all drain into our sump. We are high enough above the nearest standing water ( a large lake with a river flowing through it) that we will never flood our basement. I removed the 3rd sump pump years ago. They were never used and rusted in place. No mold or other ill-effects have resulted.

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Ed (modelamac)

Trying to figure out some people is like trying to smell the number 9.

No floor drain (sanitary) in the basement ? That’s your best bet.

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cbelt3
No floor drain (sanitary) in the basement ? That’s your best bet.

no, that would be below the septic tank level I guess....

My dehumidifier runs into the sump well. During the summer, it eventually fills enough for the pump to run. I have a wooden cover over the sump well hole to keep the humidity out of the basement.

Drilling a hole to ANYWHERE outside WILL give mice, bugs etc an easy way INTO your house. Don't do it.