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GuideWhole-house

Whole-house dehumidifier: who needs one, and what it costs to run

A ducted unit for a humid home with central air. ENERGY STAR® says a contractor should size and install it.

By Julien Fourel · How we compare

Updated Oct 16, 2026EPAEIA

3 picks that fit

How we pick

How we pick. The 21 certified whole-house models. One pick per capacity band: up to 70 pints a day, 70 to 100, and 100 and over. Each is sold by a store we link to. Within each band, the highest efficiency (IEF) wins, then the larger capacity. We show no yearly cost, since the EPA doesn’t publish how it works out these units’ yearly figures. Stores never pay for a place.

Every model that fits

21 certified models of the right size

The most efficient comes first, with what removing 100 pints costs in the United States.

Showing 6 of 16 lines · cost in the United States

Certified 52 to 172 pint whole-house dehumidifiers, most efficient first
ModelCapacityEfficiencyPer 100 pintsWi-FiEPA Most EfficientPage
Santa Fe Ultra V155Filed by Research Products128 pints3.26 L/kWh$2.66 NoYes
Santa Fe Ultra V205Filed by Research Products172 pints3.12 L/kWh$2.78 NoYes
Santa Fe Ultra V125Filed by Research Products103 pints2.63 L/kWh$3.29 NoYes
Santa Fe Ultra V100Filed by Research Products86 pints2.45 L/kWh$3.54 NoYes
AprilAire E130Filed by Research Products105 pints2.35 L/kWh$3.69 NoYes
Healthy Climate HCWHD#-130Filed by Lennox Industries105 pints2.35 L/kWh$3.69 NoYes

Capacity

128 pints

Per 100 pints in the United States

$2.66

Efficiency

3.26 L/kWh

EPA Most Efficient

Yes

Capacity

172 pints

Per 100 pints in the United States

$2.78

Efficiency

3.12 L/kWh

EPA Most Efficient

Yes

Capacity

103 pints

Per 100 pints in the United States

$3.29

Efficiency

2.63 L/kWh

EPA Most Efficient

Yes

Questions

What people ask before buying

Do I need a whole-house dehumidifier?

ENERGY STAR points to one if you live in a humid climate and have central air. The homes that gain most, it says, are fairly well sealed, have central air, and read above 55% humidity all through the house.

For one damp room, a portable is the simpler buy: it dries the space it stands in and moves where you need it. To choose between the two, see dehumidifier for home or whole-house vs portable.

ENERGY STAR, Dehumidifiers buying guidance, read Oct 5, 2026
What size whole-house unit do I need?

The ENERGY STAR sizing table covers portables only. A ducted unit is sized on site, for the whole house.

ENERGY STAR, Dehumidifiers buying guidance, read Oct 5, 2026 · EPA list, Oct 15, 2026
Why no yearly cost on this page?

The EPA gives each unit a yearly energy figure but doesn’t say how it’s worked out, and the figures don’t line up. Take two units rated 105 pints a day at 2.35 L/kWh. The EPA lists the AprilAire E130 at 926 kWh a year and the Healthy Climate HCWHD#-130 at 2,808.

So we compare these units on efficiency (IEF, liters removed per kWh) and on what removing 100 pints costs at your price.

EPA list, Oct 15, 2026
Is a whole-house unit more efficient than a portable?

By the medians, yes. Certified whole-house units reach 2.35 L/kWh, against 2.01 for 45–50 pint portables. At the U.S. average price, removing 100 pints costs $3.69 with the first and $4.31 with the second.

EPA list, Oct 15, 2026 · EIA, July 2026

Before you order

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Data: U.S. EPA certified dehumidifiers list (updated Oct 15, 2026, checked Oct 16, 2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (July 2026). How we compare · Report an error

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