whole house dehumidifier cost

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 12, 2022

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How Much does it Cost to Install a Whole House Dehumidifier?

	Low $1,850 – $2,200	Average Cost Estimate $2,250 – $2,800	High $2,900 – $3,700
Retail Cost	$1,035 – $1,600	$1,250 – $2,200	$1,700 – $3,450
Capacity/Day	50 – 90 Pints	90 – 120 Pints	120 – 155 Pints
Accessories Cost	Up to $200	$200 – $400	$250 – $500
Energy Star	No	Yes or No	Yes or No
Location Access	Easy	Easy to Average	Average to Difficult
Brand Rating	Good | 2-3 Stars	Better | 3-4 Stars	Best | 4-5 Stars
Cost of Living	Low to Average	Average	Average to High
Installed By	Pro	Pro	Pro
Permit & Inspection	$0	$0 – $125	$125+

Sections: Overview | Product Costs | Installation Cost | DIY or Pro

Overview of House Dehumidifiers

This Costimate is about whole house dehumidifiers that are connected to the home’s central HVAC ducts. A ducted house dehumidifier is an excellent solution to high humidity. They’re common in two settings:

• Homes that do not have central air conditioning
• Homes with central AC when dehumidification but not cooling is desired in spring and fall months

In a typical installation, the unit is placed near the furnace or air handler. This might mean floor-mounted in a basement or crawlspace or hung from trusses in an attic.

A duct pulls air off the cold air return line and sends it into the dehumidifier. Moisture is condensed out of the air, collected in a pan and drained into a floor drain or out of the attic using a drain line. The dehumidified air is pushed back into the return line to be circulated by the air handler’s blower. Whole house dehumidifiers have a pleated filter of 8-12 MERV. The filter must be changed every 1-3 months as part seasonal HVAC maintenance, depending on how much the dehumidifier runs and whether pets are present in the home.

Dehumidifiers are rated by the number of square feet they effective dehumidify. However, your home’s construction plays a role:

Consider three homes, each 2,000 square feet.

• Home w/ Loose Seal. Older homes with no house wrap and drafty doors and windows allow humid air to penetrate, so you’ll need a larger dehumidifier. Choose a model rated for 3,000 square feet.
• Home w/ Tight Seal. Newer homes with a tight envelope and doors/windows in excellent condition don’t have air leaks. You’ll need a smaller dehumidifier: Choose a unit rated for 1,500 to 2,000 sq. ft.
• Home w/ Average Seal: Homes 20-40 years old with windows and doors in good condition are considered average. Choose a humidifier rated 2,000 sq. ft.

Costs for dehumidifiers and installation are included below. Cost factors are listed to help you accurately estimate what your whole houses dehumidifier cost will be. Costs from other estimate sites and prices submitted by readers give the full picture of potential costs.

Related Cost Estimates

Product Cost Details

Dehumidifier Retail Price Factors

There are three factors affecting the price of a whole house dehumidifier. Installation cost factors are discussed later.

• Capacity – The amount of moisture a unit can remove is measured in pints per 24 hours. Capacity starts at about 60 pints for small units. The largest whole house dehumidifiers remove more than 150 pints per day. Cost goes up with capacity.
• Efficiency – Efficiency is measured in Pints / Kilowatt hour, how much moisture a dehumidifier can remove given a fixed amount of electrical energy. A unit with a higher efficiency rating will be able to extract more moisture than a less efficient model using the same amount of energy. An efficient unit will cost more, but the cost will be made up over time through lower energy bills. Look for the Energy Star label for a certified high-efficiency unit.
• Internal Pump – If the unit will be installed below grade, and there’s no floor drain or sump crock, the moisture will have to be pumped up and out. Dehumidifiers with internal pumps, or when a pump must be added to the installation, cost will be $150-$500 higher.

Retail Cost Range (Equipment Only)

Here’s an overview of whole house dehumidifier prices for just the unit.

• $1,035 – $1,600 | Units with capacity of 60-90 pints per 24 hours
• $1,250 – $2,200 | Units with capacity of 95-120 pints per 24 hours
• $1,700 – $3,450 | Units with capacity of more than 120 pints per 24 hours

Cost of Installation Supplies

These supplies and accessories may be needed for installation or to enhance performance or convenience:

• $120 – $200 | Condensate Pump Kit
• $2.00 – $3.50 per foot | Insulated Flex Duct
• $1.50 – $2.50 per foot | Flexible Drain Tube
• $9.00 – $18.00 each | 8-12 MERV pleated filters
• $50 – $315 | Remote Dehumidistat Control models range from simple analog dials to digital touchscreen WiFi models
• $30 – $80 | Hanging Kit
• $60 – $125 | Ducting Collar Kit if not included
• $48 – $135 | Dampers for zoned dehumidification, with cost based on whether the damper is motorized

Permits, Inspection, and Installation Costs

• $0 – $125 | When power is available at the installation site, no permit is needed. A permit is required when an electric circuit and wiring is added to power the humidifier.

Installation Labor Cost

• $35 – $50 per hour | Handyman labor rate
• $60 – $115 per hour | HVAC technician labor rate

Most large handyman services have an experienced dehumidifier installer. However, hiring an HVAC pro might better ensure installation that maximizes the benefits of the dehumidifier, as well as preserving manufacturer warranties if required.

Installation Labor Factors

There are three installation labor cost factors:

• Installation Difficulty: When the location is difficult to access, the job will take longer, and cost will rise.
• Installer Demand: If you plan installation for a slow time of the year for HVAC installers, the estimates you get will be more competitive.
• Cost of Living: Where you live can impact price by as much as 35%. Cost of living is average in major metropolitan areas of the South, Midwest and Southwest. It is highest in large metro areas on the Coasts. Costs are lower in rural areas.

Installation Time 

• 3-5 Hours | Time needed for a 2-person crew installing a whole house ducted dehumidifier.

DIY or Hire a Pro

We recommend pro installation for a whole house dehumidifier.

A homeowner experienced in mechanical, electrical and plumbing might properly install a unit, but someone with those skills would likely skip this section.

Improper installation can produce mechanical failure, water damage from leaks and more serious problems.

The work also requires important planning steps. These include determining the proper unit size and where to integrate the ducts with your current ductwork to optimize the system’s performance. This is a challenging project, and that’s why it makes sense to hire a pro.