Santa Fe Compact70 Dehumidifier Review

SantaFe Compact70

Santa Fe are a long-time manufacturer of Made in America dehumidifiers that are suited to heavy duty applications, whether commercially focused or within the home.

Santa Fe have recently overhauled their entire line of dehumidifiers, so we’re excited to finally get our hands on what is proving to be their most popular, the Compact70. This model replaces the previous Compact 2 model with a new design and a series of new features.

SantaFe Compact70

If you have need of a dehumidifier that has serious power and performance credentials, stick around for our verdict on the Santa Fe Compact70.

Features And Benefits

The Santa Fe Compact 70 is designed to remove up to 8.75 gallons, 70 pints or 33 litres of moisture from the atmosphere within a 24 hour period. You might notice that this figure is the same as smaller dehumidifiers designed to be used within living spaces, but the difference is that this unit will remove water much faster and therefore shut off quicker.

Santa Fe rate this model as being suitable for crawl spaces of up to 1,800 – 2,600 square feet and basements of up to 1,800 – 2,200 square feet. The difference in quoted area is due to the difference in overall ceiling height of each environment.  

These figures are a guideline, which means that this unit will continue to work even in larger spaces. It will simply take a little longer to remove moisture from the air.

Control Panel

The compact70 features a basic control panel which consists of a humidity dial and a fan setting switch. Through the use of these two controls it is easy to set your desired operating parameters.

The three humidity settings are as follows:

  • Drier – 35% - 45% relative humidity
  • Normal – 45% - 55% relative humidity (the recommended setting for most applications)
  • Humid – 55% - 65% relative humidity

The setting you choose will determine how often and how long the unit runs for. When the desired humidity setting is reached, operation is stopped until humidity levels begin to rise again. You can also set the humidity dial to ‘always on’ which will cause the unit to run continuously without stopping.

The fan setting switch allows the fan to run continuously to circulate air or instead only when the dehumidifier function is in use.

The ‘Normal’ setting will be the most efficient for getting rid of mold and mildew and is the setting recommended for most people. If you prefer, the ‘Humid’ setting is also an option if maintaining low moisture levels is not critical.

If you are trying to remediate water damage or your crawl space or basement is particularly damp, we recommend setting the device to the ‘Drier’ setting for optimal dehumidification.  

Operating Temperature Range

The Santa Fe Compact70 is designed to operate in temperatures between 49° and 95°F with this unit working most effectively between 56° and 95°.  This isn’t to say that temperatures outside of this range are unsuitable, simply that it won’t be operating at maximum efficiency.

If you intend to use the Compact70 in cold or unheated environments, the built in defrost function will prevent frost damage by halting the dehumidifier cycle and running the fan until normal conditions resume.

Built In Pump

The basic form of drainage for this device is via gravity through the supplied drain hose. A condensate pump can be purchased separately which will allow you to pump collected water to a disposal location of your choice.

MERV-13 Air Filter

Santa Fe have designed two filters for use in this model; the MERV-13 and a pre-filter.

The MERV-13 is designed for superior filtration and is one of the best in its class. It is capable of filtering out dust and dirt particles from the air to ensure that your dehumidifier continues to perform efficiently.

The washable pre-filter is designed to pre-treat the air entering the unit before it reaches the MERV filter.

Optional Duct Attachment Kit

Santa Fe provides you with several ducting options depending on your requirements. There is the choice of both a supply and return ducting kit which we recommend if you need to be able to route air to a specific location.

These kits also work to reduce noise and vibrations produced by the dehumidifier.  

Auto Restart

Like any good dehumidifier, this one comes with an auto restart feature. If you experience a power outage, the unit will resume normal operation as soon as power returns. Great if you live in an area which experiences frequent storms.

Warranty

Santa Fe provide a 6 year limited warranty with this model which is designed to assist you in the event of any issues arising. Providing the terms and conditions of the warranty are adhered to, the product will be covered against material defects in both workmanship and materials.

The validity of this warranty relies on the user complying with the operating instructions and operating the product as intended.

Santa Fe Compact70 Side View

​Pros And Cons

The feature list is impressive, but how does this model perform in practice? In this section, we’ll cover the advantages and disadvantages of the Santa Fe Compact70.

Pros

  • Small footprint. The compact design is perfect for the smallest of spaces, whether a mechanical closet or low crawl space.  
  • Powerful. With a rating of 70 pints, this dehumidifier will dry out any space quickly and efficiently. During our testing process, we were able to reduce humidity from 65% to 45% in around 2 hours in a 2000 sq. ft crawl space.
  • Low heat load. This unit has been designed for low temperature operation and enhanced air flow. Perfect for those applications where monitoring temperature is critical.  
  • Energy efficient. Generating only 580 watts @ 80°F and 60% RH makes this unit incredibly energy efficient, exceeding Department of Energy standards.

Cons

  • ​It isn’t the quietest dehumidifier available but is comparable to other heavy-duty units in noise output.

​Final Verdict

The Santa Fe Compact70 is all the dehumidifier that most homeowners will ever need for their basement, crawl space, workshop or garage.  

It performed well in every test we put it through and never failed to deliver results. Its power consumption is impressive at an average of 5.1 amps at 115v and with an average sound output of 55 decibels isn’t any louder than any comparable model available.

The included 6 year warranty provides a good amount of cover against defects and premature failure which will result in the rectification of any faults that arise within the warranty period, providing you with ongoing peace of mind.

This high performance and competitively priced dehumidifier is highly recommended and should prove a reliable damp remediation tool for years to come.

​Our Rating

About the Author Lets Remove Mold

If you're looking to buy a new dehumidifier then you're in the right place. Through years of HVAC and mold remediation experience, the team at letsremovemold.com are able to provide advice on the type of dehumidifier you need for your home.

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