What It’s For
Two things you’ll see discussed on this site as technologies you can use to minimize your mold risk are dehumidifiers and air purification systems. This device combines both into a single unit, and that makes it worth talking about.
Granted, you’ll pay a premium for the combined functionality, but also, you won’t have to buy several different units. Just buy one device that can do it all! That said, the Santa Fe we’re talking about here isn’t for everyone, but for those who want the final word in both dehumidificiation and air quality, this, or a product like it is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Mold needs a high humidity to thrive in. Anything that strips the air of its excess moisture by definition winds up creating an environment where it’s harder for mold to thrive. Given that mold spores are also airborne, air filtration and purification is another important component of minimizing the risk of a mold infestation in your home. This unit combines both functionalities in a single device, simplifying your life.
Pros
Santa Fe is an American company, and all its products are manufactured right here in the USA. If you want to support the nation’s economy and solve an important problem for your home, that’s one reason to buy. If you’re looking for a single point solution, rather than having to buy several different machines, this is the product to consider.
The unit can extract a mind-boggling 155 pints of moisture from the air per day, making it ideal for whole home dehumidification, even in the most humid parts of the country. With that kind of water extraction capacity, even if you have a huge home, this beast of a machine can handle it. It’s a real workhorse of a unit by any definition. Where air handling is concerned, it utilizes MERV-6 air filters, which are capable of trapping mold spores and preventing them from lingering in your home, where they might find a suitable surface to land on and start spreading.
Cons
There are two negatives against this product. One past, and one current. First, it should be noted that a couple years ago, Santa Fe DID have some production problems which resulted in them receiving numerous customer complaints about the quality of their products. These problems have been addressed, so that’s no longer an issue if you’re buying new, but if you’re shopping for a used or refurbished unit, it is something to bear in mind.
The second problem is a much more significant one, and will be a deal breaker for many perspective buyers, and that is the issue of cost. This unit is far and away the most expensive dehumidifier we’ve covered so far, retailing for two thousand dollars. It’s a lot of money, but when you consider the money you’d have to spend to get the kind of wall to wall, multi-function coverage this unit provides, you’ll see that it’s actually pretty competitively priced. The difference, of course, is that if you buy several smaller machines, you can space their purchases out over time, whereas buying this brute sees you spending all the money at once.
Another thing to take note of in the “con” category isn’t a problem, per se, but it definitely bears mentioning. At 155 pints per day, this may simply be too much machine for some homes. If your home doesn’t generate anything close to 155 pints per day of excess moisture, then you’re wasting your money buying a unit with this kind of capability. This goes back to proper sizing. Getting the right sized unit for the square footage of your home really matters, and can either save you a bundle if you properly size, or leave parts of your home unprotected if you undersize.
Summary
We have to give this one 3.5 stars out of a possible five. One half point was deducted because the price puts the unit out of reach for many consumers who would otherwise be interested in the unit, and one point due to the fact that it’s simply too big a machine for a significant portion of the market. Granted, for those who need it…for those living in areas of extreme humidity and/or who have very large homes, this is the unit of choice, but that description only applies to one segment of the market, and not the market as a whole.
Leave a Reply