Best Dehumidifier for Garages (2022 Review)

Thinking of investing in a dehumidifier for your garage?

Perfect!

In this proHVACinfo guide, you’ll learn:

  • What are garage dehumidifiers? (and why you might need one)
  • What are the different types of garage dehumidifiers? (do different types achieve different results?)
  • How do garage dehumidifiers work? (learn what really matters)
  • What do you look for in the best garage dehumidifiers? (not all units are created equal – learn why)
  • Our reviews of the best garage dehumidifiers
  • And much more!
proHVACinfo | Dehumidifiers for Garages
ImageProduct
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Honeywell Large Room Dehumidifier
  • Alexa Smart Home Enabled
  • Energy Star Certified
  • Household Name Brand
  • Alexa Smart Home Enabled
  • Energy Star Certified
  • Household Name Brand
View on Amazon
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Blu-Dri Commercial Dehumidifier
  • Commercial Grade Performance
  • 150 Pint Per Day Moisture Removal
  • Wheels For Easy Transport
  • Commercial Grade Performance
  • 150 Pint Per Day Moisture Removal
  • Wheels For Easy Transport
View on Amazon
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hOmeLabs Large Room Dehumidifier
  • Covers Up To 4500 Sq Ft
  • Reduces Odors
  • Simple to Use
  • Covers Up To 4500 Sq Ft
  • Reduces Odors
  • Simple to Use
View on Amazon
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Alorair LGR Compact Dehumidifier
  • Energy Efficient
  • Rugged Design
  • 5 Year Warranty
  • Energy Efficient
  • Rugged Design
  • 5 Year Warranty
View on Amazon
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Waykar Dehumidifier
  • Intelligent Touch Control
  • Safety Standby Mode
  • Built In Timer
  • Intelligent Touch Control
  • Safety Standby Mode
  • Built In Timer
View on Amazon

What Are Garage Dehumidifiers?

Many of us use our garages for storing all sorts of items, yet never think to keep the climate under control in order to preserve whatever it is we’re storing.

Garage dehumidifiers are high capacity dehumidifying appliances designed to wick moisture out of the ambient air to create a less humid environment.

This is absolutely essential for storage locations like garages, as high humidity can easily cause irreparable damage to your property.

In addition, garage dehumidifiers can prevent the growth of mold and fungi, and can also provide undesirable conditions for pests like ants and termites, helping to keep them away from your home.

If you store wood or other porous items like stone tiles in your garage, a good garage dehumidifier can also help prevent warping and cracking.

What are the Different Types Of Garage Dehumidifiers?

Because of the large, open nature of garages, we generally recommend sticking with heat pump dehumidifiers.

Below we will compare this type with other commonly available dehumidifier types to explain more about the difference.

Ventilator Style

While a heat pump style garage dehumidifier actively works to remove moisture from the air in the room, a ventilator style dehumidifier focuses on air exchange.

They are usually mounted within the wall, and use fans to draw air out of the space and expel it to the outside.

Because garages usually have a large door that is regularly opened, these dehumidifiers aren’t particularly useful, as opening the door for and letting fresh air in has the same effect, without having to purchase anything.

Desiccant Dehumidifiers

Desiccant dehumidifiers use a chemical product like silica gel to wick moisture from the air.

Unlike heat pump garage dehumidifiers, they usually don’t require electricity, although some are equipped with fans.

They keep absorbing moisture until they become saturated, at which point you either need to recharge them, or replace them.

Heat pump garage dehumidifiers, on the other hand, can be connected to a hose that leads directly to a drain for constant moisture removal with no intervention.

How Do Garage Dehumidifiers Work?

Garage dehumidifiers are usually heat pump style appliances, meaning they operate on the same principle as an air conditioner, using the refrigeration cycle.

They employ a fan to draw air into the unit, where it passes through a washable filter that will collect dust, dirt, and debris.

Once the air is inside your garage dehumidifier, it flows over the evaporator coils.

These coils are incredibly cold, so as the warm, moist air contacts them, it instantly condenses, depositing retained moisture on the coils.

The beads of water begin dropping and flowing off the coils into a collection pan.

From there, the water either drains to a collection tank, or an internal pump will eject it via a drain hose.

The now supercooled air is redirected over the condenser coils, which will warm it back up before the fan blows this now much drier air, back into your garage.

If your garage dehumidifier has a humidistat, it will continue in a cycle until the desired relative humidity is reached, or, in the case of units draining to a tank, until the storage vessel is full.

What Do You Look For In The Best Garage Dehumidifiers?

When it comes to garage dehumidifiers, there are a number of features that really help to separate the great ones from the more average models.

Keep reading to find out more about these must have features.

Coverage Area

Ensure that you look for a garage dehumidifier that offers sufficient coverage for the size of your garage.

This figure is typically presented in square feet.

Having a dehumidifier with a coverage area that exceeds the size of your garage is fine, however if you choose an underpowered model, you’ll lose energy efficiency as it will most likely never reach the desired relative humidity and run continuously.

Storage Tank Capacity

If you aren’t planning to run a hose out to a drain, you’ll need to make sure that your garage dehumidifier has ample storage to prevent you from having to empty the tank every day.

The tank size is a limiting factor, and if you intend to leave it running while you’re out of the house, it will automatically shut off as soon as it’s full, leaving your garage without dehumidification until you’re able to empty the tank.

Low Temperature Operation

Because garages are often uninsulated, they can be as cold as the outside temperature during the winter.

Unfortunately, some dehumidifiers are often unable to operate in low temperatures. Good dehumidifiers will be able to run in temperatures as low as 33 degrees Fahrenheit.

Energy Efficiency

Garage dehumidifiers work on the same principle as air conditioners, meaning they can actually use quite a lot of energy to operate.

Energy efficiency is definitely something to look for to ensure that your dehumidifier isn’t too costly to run.

Energy Star certification is a good indicator of a garage dehumidifier’s ability to run efficiently

Third Party Testing

Third party testing facilities will award certification to appliances that undergo nationally recognized standardized testing for safety and overall functionality.

These certificates essentially prove that the device is safe, and that it does what the manufacturer claims it does.

ETL listed is a good example of this.

Our Reviews of the Best Dehumidifiers for Garages

Final Thoughts On The Best Garage Dehumidifiers

Keeping your garage humidity under control is a great way to prolong the life of everything you store in there.

Not only that, but keeping the atmosphere comfortable makes it a much more pleasant environment to work in, which is ideal if you’re in there a lot.

Controlling humidity in the garage can also prevent issues with rooms that share walls with the garage, too, especially if they are uninsulated.

This means you’ll prevent damp conditions that lead to mold, which is not just unsightly, but also a potential health hazard.

Stephen Marks

Stephen Marks

Stephen is an HVAC and home-repair enthusiast. He's here to answer any of your questions about HVAC!

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Stephen Marks

Stephen Marks

Stephen is an HVAC and home-repair enthusiast. He's here to answer any of your questions about HVAC!

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