Dehumidifiers

[beeza1]

Strange question to ask on a Rail Forum I know, but has anyone any experience of dehumidifiers?
I live in an old Victorian cottage which suffers from condensation at this time of year, I have tried 2 or 3 different dehumidifiers in the past, they all seem to work well for the first few months then get gradually less efficient, extracting less and less moisture until all they do is blow out cold air, this usually occurs shortly after the warranty expires!
Can anyone recommend a decent unit, I am considering getting an Ebac, mainly because they are offering a free 5 year guarantee at the moment, has anyone any comments re Ebac, good or bad, or suggestions for alternatives. Thanks.

 

[yorkie]

... they all seem to work well for the first few months then get gradually less efficient, extracting less and less moisture until all they do is blow out cold air....

Could this be the problem..?

Under certain conditions of temperature and humidity, ice can form on the dehumidifier cooling coils. The ice buildup can impede airflow and eventually form a solid block encasing the cooling coils. This buildup prevents the dehumidifier from operating effectively, and can cause water damage if condensed water drips off the accumulated ice and not into the collection tray. In extreme cases, the ice can deform or distort mechanical elements, causing permanent damage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehumidifier

 

[beeza1]

Could this be the problem..?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehumidifier

Thanks for that, I have gone down that "route" myself, the units are supposed to have a defrost function to prevent icing up,
I have read reviews for several units and my experiences are not uncommon, one reviewer of the Ebac advised purchasing the extended warranty as "you will definitely need it".

 

[maniacmartin]

I know this is an old school answer but..
Have you tried opening the windows when cooking or running hot water in the bathroom? This has always solved the problem for me much better than dehumidifiers, as the moisture can escape naturally.

 

[deltic]

We have had a Prem-I-Air 8L/day Desiccant Dehumidifier for about a year - works fine so far - we suffered from condensation when putting in double glazing in our flat - not helped by having to dry clothes indoors as well

 

[Strat-tastic]

Don't get fobbed off by the 12 month warranty get out they try to pull. Under the sale of goods act you are entitled to your product being of satisfactory quality, which includes lasting a reasonable amount of time.

See here for more info.

 

[michael769]

Portable dehumidifiers are really only any good for condensation issues caused by cooking or drying washing indoors. If it is due to a real dampness issue you'd really need an industrial one to be able to make headway.

Not that dehumidifiers become less efficient as things dry out so it is to be expected that they will extract less water over time unless there is a source of continuing dampness.

 

[IKBrunel]

I think dehumidifiers are a good quick fix to resolve dampness issues. We use one to dry clothes in winter because I figure a 300W dehumidifier is more efficient than running a >2KW drier.

they do make a bit of noise and controls need consideration, does it have a humidity controlled switch or simple on/off switch so you could plug it into a timeswitch.

re performance: filter may need cleaning to prevent icing up, also given they work on same principle as domestic fridge, I'm not sure if the 'don't switch on for an hour after moving rule applies' (you can definitely kill fridges by switching on right after movement).

But...like 'air conditioning' they only recycle stale air, so aren't a replacement for opening windows or extraction.

In these days of well insulated & well sealed houses, humidity levels and condensation are more of a problem. A good long term solution is to get heat recovery ventilation installed, so that heat from air extracted is used to warm the air blown into the house. Conventional kitchen/bathroom extractors work by forcing cold air in through any cracks or open windows. Heat recovery ventilation is standard with 'passivhaus' architecture & will be the norm when building regs require zero carbon homes in a few years time.