anyone run a home dehumidifier?

[steveo3002]

we get a few damp windows over winter plus the dry air should feel more comfortable than damp air

anyone run a dehumidifier ? do you find it needs to run alot or would a couple of hours over night keep things okay once its had its initial settling?

thinking id like to try one , but might hurt on the elec bill if its on always vs a few hours on cheap rate

 

[Morrisman]

My daughter has several of the small throwaway type round her little house. They collect a fair bit of water.

 

[Cobbler]

We have an old small one that I was given years ago, we run it when the weather is cold & damp for about 12 hours a day, this is enough to keep the condensation down. We don’t run it at night because of the noise & have no idea how much it costs but it can’t be too bad. I would think a more modern one would be more efficient & wouldn‘t need so long. There is no makers plate on it so I don’t know the power consumption.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

How big an area would it have to service? I have one I run in the kitchen for a couple of hours after cooking in Winter, when it's realistically too cold to open the window.

It draws a surprising amount of water from the air, but I have no idea of what it costs per 'session'.

 

[Red'n'Black]

We use one for drying clothes in the bathroom, an Ebac 2650e. It gets left on in 'smart' mode for about 8 months of the year, adds a couple of hundred a year to the electric bill but works great, completely got rid of condensation running down the windows and black mould everywhere.

I really rate the Ebac, it replaced one of the desiccant types which was some no-name import, used twice as much power and was constantly breaking.

 

[Shox Dr]

Unless you have a way of measuring the humidity in the building, I see little piont in turning them on and off when you think its required. They all have humidistats. Switch it on set it at the level you feel happy with and leave it to do its job. Its not as if it will pull more than you set it at.


(We've had 2 running for the last 20+yrs. 1 in a store, the other in the house. Store is set and allowed to run whenever, I get around 1gal per week. The other in the house is used through winter, again set and allowed to run, the amount of water per week varies greatly.

 

[Craig-SM]

Get a modern one with the humidity sensor. Set the humidity and it turns itself on to reduce the dampness as and when needed. They’re also great for drying clothes so save on using tumble dryer when it’s raining.

 

[voipio]

Used an Ebac dehumidifier in the garage. There can be months, usually in the spring, when the air is relatively dry, when it doesn't need to run at all. When it runs during the more humid conditions, energy consumption varies between 2 and 4 kWh per gallon of condensate, depending on temperature and humidity, and the output air is slightly warmer than the room air coming into the machine. Used in the house, the warming effect will reduce the central heating requirement, offsetting the running cost (it might even pay for itself?). The condensate gets filtered, using a coffee percolator filter, and is used in the steam iron, and for "streak-free" washing of windows.

 

[Trevorleach]

Meaco DD8L
Switch on sensor setting, and it tests air every few minutes and only runs if it needs to.
I bought one for the boat and it was the one the liveaboards said to get.
Have another at home to dry laundry.

 

[skotl]

I’ve had one in the garage, permanently dripping thru a pipe to the outside, for years. It’s been fantastic and I rarely have to worry about rust on the tools.

Also got a £50 job currently running in the bathroom as we battle the results of a roof leak - empty a pint out of it every day or so.

 

[Gareth J]

I run one a lot in the kitchen this time of year. Before the heating is on but while I'm not that keen to open windows a lot - even if I did would have to pick times carefully as it's often quite warm and wet out.

It'll drag the RH from ~75 without to ~60%. And empty at least one x3l tub daily. Also adds ~300W of power to the room.

Really though, it's a stopgap. I'd like to fit an mvhr unit.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Meaco DD8L

That's the one I bought after reading about them on a thread here some time ago.

 

[blackolive (Ste)]

Ive an ancient wood effect vinyl finished ebac that I bought from the loot newspaper second hand 20 odd years ago. I run it in the garage on a timer as the humistat thing doesnt work. In winter when its damp it needs emptying twice a week. If I forget for a day or two you can feel the damp in there

 

[Kram]

might hurt on the elec bill if its on always vs a few hours on cheap rate

Perhaps at the moment but not once you start putting the heating on.

Dry air costs less to heat, plus the waste energy of the dehumidifier will offset some heating.

You'll get more heating advantage if the cold water output is connected to a drain such that it doesnt sit and absorb heat from the room.

 

[richard8166]

We use a Meaco compressor type dehumidifier in the house. Left on most of the year, but it dosen't do much in the summer. Set to 50% humidity, in autmn/winter/spring it fills about once a day (2.5 litres), probably using 2 to 3 kw/h per day. So probably costing about £200 per year to run as mentioned above. It definitely makes a difference to the house. I'd replace it if it broke!
We chose a Meaco because they are reasonably quiet. Not as quiet as maybe you want at night, but acceptable. We have it on the landing, and with the bedroom doors shut you can't really hear it.
We've had a cheap compressor type before, and that is certainly not quiet! Occasionally dragged out to dry washing still, but just too loud to leave on.

 

[vw1]

I shall be following this with interest as I can't go about drying the inside of the windows everyday over colder months.

 

[Mick Annick]

Used an Ebac dehumidifier in the garage. There can be months, usually in the spring, when the air is relatively dry, when it doesn't need to run at all. When it runs during the more humid conditions, energy consumption varies between 2 and 4 kWh per gallon of condensate, depending on temperature and humidity, and the output air is slightly warmer than the room air coming into the machine. Used in the house, the warming effect will reduce the central heating requirement, offsetting the running cost (it might even pay for itself?). The condensate gets filtered, using a coffee percolator filter, and is used in the steam iron, and for "streak-free" washing of windows.

+1 for EBAC, we bought one for our house here before we moved in permanently. We had a lot of damp issues - stone floors laid on earth, not DPC, etc, but had to plumb it in as it was filling the 2 litre tank daily.

 

[fizzy]

I use one in the summer - drops RH from 75% to about 60%. Unless it's very cold the compressor types are best. For very cold conditions the desiccant type are better.
Once the AGA is lit no need though - humidity drops to about 40%

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I use one in the summer - drops RH from 75% to about 60%. Unless it's very cold the compressor types are best. For very cold conditions the desiccant type are better.
Once the AGA is lit no need though - humidity drops to about 40%

Veering OT for a moment , it's good to see you posting again! Hope the recovery continues.

Aaaaand, back to sucking moisture from the air.

 

[mtt.tr]

Have your considered positive input ventilation?