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Frigidaire FAD504TDD 50-Pint Dehumidifier
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When mine arrived I found it a “snap” to unpack, to set up, and to begin the initial test run; simple to use, the unit should appeal to everyone, even those who find themselves mechanically challenged. Operation is intuitive, and if you’re like me, and prefer to plug things in first and read the directions later…you will appreciate this Frigidaire dehumidifier. When you do decide to refer to the printed instructions, they are remarkably clear, concise and easy to interpret.
The unit seems lighter than the manufacturer advertised weight of 37 lbs. It’s mounted on casters, and very easy to maneuver (even on carpeted floors), and the design is eye-pleasing…I would even say attractive; if you need to locate the unit in full view it is NOT distressing. I also like the fact that this dehumidifier has a float valve on the dump bucket, which shuts off the unit when the bucket is full, helping to avoid a messy over-flow. There is a “bucket-full” indicator light on top of the dehumidifier to alert the operator that it is time to empty the collected water. A word of caution however : in my experience, removing the collection bucket on any dehumidifier once “full-to-the-brim” can be tricky and usually results in some spillage. Thankfully, there is a clear window gage on the bucket that allows you to visually see how much water has accumulated in the bucket. Conceivably one could check the unit periodically, and empty the bucket before it gets “too” full. As well, there is a filter that needs to be removed every 250 hours of operation then washed and dried before re-installed. This does not seem burden-some to me. In fact, I think periodically washing the filter is a good practice : the combination of dirt and water typically encourages the formation of mold, and cleaning the filter regularly will help to prevent a “science project” from taking up residence in the dehumidifier. I do not want the air I breathe to be circulating over a dirty, moldy filter !! A light on the dehumidifier alerts you when it is time to clean the filter…”memory” is not an issue.
Within an hour of first operating the unit I could already detect some benefit from the dehumidifier; the air was discernibly dryer as moisture was being “sucked” from the air, and water began collecting in the dump-bucket. ! This seems to be an efficient appliance.
Regarding the operating noise…if you have a box fan turn it on to “medium-high”, stand back from it six feet, and listen. This will give you an accurate sense of how loud you can expect the unit to sound when the dehumidifier fan is set to “high”. Keep in mind however, the manufacturer recommends you initially run the dehumidifier continuously on “high” for the first four or five days….just until you’ve dried out the environment. After that, one can lower the setting, which will reduce the noise further….and presumably result in a reduction in energy consumption as well. There is also a timer on the appliance, which will allow you to set the dehumidifier to come on at night while asleep; this surely would be a good option for someone concerned about fan noise during waking hours. (The timer is handy too if you are gone from your residence for any extended period.) Subjectively, I would say the noise coming from the dehumidifier, set on “high”, is not any greater than a modern, energy efficient, window-mounted air conditioning unit.
I live in a small-to-medium size one bedroom apartment, and only plan to run this dehumidifier intermittently. However, if I were going keep the unit running “non-stop” on “high” I might consider purchasing an extended 3 or 5 year warranty for peace of mind. The standard warranty from Frigidaire is one year, which is typical for most dehumidifiers. Only time will tell if this appliance is well-made.
I would indeed recommend this dehumidifier to a friend !