Andrew Metzger, a partner in a Milwaukee, WI heating and air conditioning manufacturing company, reconfigures an air-conditioner to form a pool room dehumidifier.

Andrew and his sons Jim and Gary form a new company that has a sole product line of dehumidification systems used to control humidity in indoor pool room applications.

A local building is rented, and a manufacturing facility for building dehumidification systems is formed, initially building and marketing 2-ton to 10-ton systems.

A state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is constructed, allowing expansion for the product line to include up to 20-ton systems.

After a group of local investors purchases this company, Andrew Metzger officially retires.

After a five-year no-compete clause in the purchase contract concludes, Jim and Gary Metzger, along with brothers Graham and Jeff Gelhaar, form what is now DCA (Dehumidifier Corporation of America).

DCA’s initial product line grows from 1.5 tons to 15 tons with pool water heating assist (WH) as an option. An additional model (WH-CT) also introduces water cooling from an existing cooling tower. Honeywell 775 microprocessor controls are standard. ETL certification is granted.

DCA adds a PC Model Line and also an Outdoor Air (OA) line of dehumidifiers. The OA line would pretreat humid outdoor air before it is introduced into the dedicated indoor dehumidifier.

DCA adds an 8-ton dehumidifier and also 7.5-ton and 10-ton single-phase dehumidifiers where three-phase is not available.

DCA introduces 24-ton and 30-ton twin circuit models.

407C refrigerant replaces R-22 refrigerant across the total line. Models DCA 3600, 4100, 5500, and 650 are added to the product line.

Vertical models from 1.5 tons to 7.5 tons are introduced to the lineup. R-410A replaces R-407C as the standard refrigerant available.

DCA introduces the RA series of dehumidifiers in those applications where a large moisture load is confined to a small-volume space. Honeywell Vision Pro and Vector controls replace all controls offered previously.