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Old 07-26-11, 04:03 PM   #8
Ryland
Master EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Western Wisconsin.
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I just checked the amp draw of the furnace fan, 5.8 amps! so it's drawing around 650 watts while it is running! combined with the dehumidifier that draws around 600 watts while running the window A/C is looking like a better and better way to dry our house out.
Of course the dehumidifier keeps the basement dry year round, we have it painted with dry lock paint on the walls and epoxy paint on the floor with plastic in the crawl spaces that is sealed in with spray foam and calk, even with that the dehumidifier runs a few hours per day where before the dry lock paint and crawl space plastic it used to run nearly non stop.

So my conclusion is, if you just want to dry your house out and cool it a tiny bit, an energy star rated window A/C unit really is a good way to go, but if you want to do it on the short term cheap and already have a dehumidifier then using your furnace to cool and dry the rest of your house does work up until that point that your basement warms up, this is of course dependent on the side of basement you have, the size of house and how well everything is insulated.
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