Updated July 24, 2022.
Does the size of the dehumidifier really matter? The answer is yes, especially when it comes to installing an electric dehumidifier for your gun safe. So, before purchasing you should know which size of dehumidifier exactly is needed for your gun safe.
Choosing an inappropriate size of a dehumidifier could result in excessive humidity inside your gun safe and possible corrosion of your valuables and firearms.
Considering the possibility of choosing the wrong one, I would like to discuss in detail so that you can find out “what size of dehumidifier do you exactly need for your gun safe”.
Contents
What Size Of The Dehumidifier Do I Need For My Gun Safe?
There are two types of dehumidifiers prevailing on the market. One is electric and the other is desiccant (basically a material that wants to maintain a state of dryness, as opposed to a material that wants to attract moisture).
Electric dehumidifiers are more effective than desiccant dehumidifiers. However, they do require drilling a hole at the back of the wall of the gun safe and connecting with the power outlet through the wire. A person who doesn’t want to make a hole at the back of the wall of the safe may choose the desiccant option.
The size of the dehumidifier you should use depends on how big your gun safe is. The bigger the area the more powerful the dehumidifier is required. A table is inserted below to make you clear that what size of dehumidifier you should use:
| Dehumidifier Rod Length (inches) | Coverage Area in Cubic Feet (App.) | Watts |
| 12 | 100 | 12 |
| 18 | 200 | 18 |
| 24 | 300 | 25 |
| 36 | 500 | 38 |
How to measure Cubic Feet: Measuring the area your gun safe could be a piece of cake if you know the proper method. You can find a cubic area just multiplying the length by the height by the width. Let’s assume your gun safe’s height is 6 feet, the length is 3 feet and width is 5 feet the then total cubic area will be 6*3*5=90 which means you can use a 12 inches dehumidifier rod.
Desiccant Dehumidifier is one of the cheapest and affordable options to reduce condensation inside the gun safe. It’s very popular as it is super easy to use and doesn’t require drilling a hole at the safe’s wall. There are different types of desiccant dehumidifiers like Eva dry E-333, Damp Rid moisture absorber, Dry Pack Silica gel canister, etc.
The desiccant gel inside the dehumidifier absorbs moisture, water vapor, and condescension up to a certain level after it needs to be recharged. It can be used 3 to 4 weeks at a stretch with our recharging.
In the case of a desiccant dehumidifier, size doesn’t matter but the capacity. If your gun safe is much bigger then you should use a high capacity desiccant dehumidifier. New and Improved Eva-dry E-333 dehumidifier has the capacity to cover up to 333 cubic feet which is incredible.
However, if you expect better performance then you should go for Electric dehumidifier which has the ability to reduce excessive mold and mildew inside the gun safe.
Benefits Of Using Dehumidifier For Gun Safe:
One of the most important benefits of using a dehumidifier inside the gun safe is to protect firearms and valuables from rust. It has been designed to control humidity inside the safe.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve gone through the above discussion carefully then you know the importance of buying a dehumidifier that exactly fits for your gun safe. Before purchasing you should consider the capacity/size of your dehumidifier and the area of the gun safe.
If you want to sure yourself whether the dehumidifier is working properly then just purchase a branded gun safe hygrometer and keep it inside your gun safe and measure temperature.