Can I do this w/a dehumidifier?

15 years ago

I need to install a dehumidifier in my basement, as it's musty smelling and some things in storage are getting mildew etc... I don't have a sink downstairs, but do have a 16" hole in the floor in the corner of the slab, it's new construction, 5 yrs old. When I bought the house, it tested a bit high for radon, so the former homeowner (seller) had a radon mitigation system installed. This consisted of covering up the aforementioned 16" diam. hole, and installing 4" pvc duct to an exterior fan which moves the air from the hole outside and up the side of the house to the second floor where it escapes. Note: there's no water in the basement, and it's never been wet...just humid, esp. this summer in upstate NY when we had a lot of rain.

Q: I want to install a dehumidifier that I won't have to physically empty by carrying the water upstairs to dump. I know there are models available that offer a drainage hose out the back. Can I cut a hole in the plastic cover to the radon system and drain there? The volume of water won't be that great, but last thing I want to do is flood the basement.

Option 2: about 3 feet off the floor of the basement is a 4" pvc trap that drains all waste water out of the house into the septic tank out back. I could theoretically put the dehumidifier on a shelf and drain slightly downhill to the trap, as it has a pcv clean-out which sits vertically that I could step down to accept a garden hose. I'm just concerned this might back up...

Any advice?

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Comments (2)

andrelaplume2
15 years ago
we have a heat pump with a humidifier attached. I elevated my dehumidifier a bit and drain it into the same open pcv pipe that the hunidifier drains into in the winter. Do you have such a set up? Do you have a sink? The radon thing does not sound like a good idea....I'd call the radon complany first. Is the trap you propose to use open, it sounds promising but I'd check with a plumber...
sniffdog
15 years ago
you might want to consider a small pump that is made for draining HVAC systems - they run around $100. I believe that HD and Lowe's carry them.

I have one of these pumps connected to one of two heat pumps in the basment to drain both the A/C and humidifier water generated by that heat pump. The put the pump in because they forgot to install a second drain to handle heat pump number 2. The main drain in the center of the basement was installed to handle heat pump number 1.

The pump has a tray at the bottom with a float switch. The two input water tubes (A/C drain and humidifier drain) feed into the top of the pump box. The output line is 3/8 inch copper tubing and runs about 50 feet over to the main drain which then runs into the sump pump.

If you use a small pump, then you can dump the water from the dehumidifier into a sink drain line that you know is only carrying water.
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