Help with Dehumidifiers

firsttimebuyers_2

We have serious condensation in our downstairs bathroom whenever we have a shower (ceiling, walls, window). Would a dehumidifier located outside the bathroom help dry the walls, window and ceiling after a shower? (We shower with the door closed). Or would it make no difference once the condensation is on the surfaces?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

kataddey

A dehumidifier will take up all the moisture in a room, even if it has condensed on to surfaces.

Fire_Fox

Does the bathroom have an extractor fan that is vented to the outside? Is it the humidistat type and is it powerful enough for the room?

SimbaSimon

firsttimebuyers wrote: »

We have serious condensation in our downstairs bathroom whenever we have a shower (ceiling, walls, window). Would a dehumidifier located outside the bathroom help dry the walls, window and ceiling after a shower? (We shower with the door closed). Or would it make no difference once the condensation is on the surfaces?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A dehumidifier would work fine in this situation. You can try leaving the window open or install an extractor fan to take some of the moisture away which would also help but if you've tried that or need a quick fix a dehumidifier will work great. I brought one which was slightly pricey (£145) and only have it turned on a few hours a day when bathing or using the steam iron and its amazing how much water it fills up with.

iamcornholio

A dehumidifier will dry the air ....., but don't expect a typical domestic one to pull the condensation off a surface, or moisture soaked into the plaster. And placed in the hallway/landing it will be pulling air from all other parts of the property too, so the moist bathroom air will only be a small percentage of the air being dehumidified

They are also just a sticking plaster, and not a real solution

You may need a good, efficient fan in the bathroom, anti-mould paint on the ceiling, and squeegy the shower walls afterwards

firsttimebuyers_2

Thanks eveyone. We had an extractor fan fitted last year and we've used anti-condensation paint, but is still a problem. I think one of the problems is it is a downstairs bathroom, poorly insulated with only a small radiator, so it never gots 'hot' in there.

Can anyone recommend a particular dehumidifier???

SimbaSimon

firsttimebuyers wrote: »

Thanks eveyone. We had an extractor fan fitted last year and we've used anti-condensation paint, but is still a problem. I think one of the problems is it is a downstairs bathroom, poorly insulated with only a small radiator, so it never gots 'hot' in there.

Can anyone recommend a particular dehumidifier???

As the area of the house sounds quite cold a desiccant dehumidifier would be best. The compressor type which are more commonly found don't work well at lower temperatures.

We have this one which works well. http://www.4air.co.uk/dd122fw-mk3-desiccant-antibacterial-dehumidifier-w-laundry-mode-p-996068012.html It has high and low modes but I find low doesn't do enough so keep it on high for a few hours a day, i.e. while bathing or generating lots of moisture elsewhere! The rest of the time we leave it on low but as our humidity isn't normally above 65% it will just stay on fan only mode which doesn't use much power. It also has a timer so if your generating a lot of moisture in the morning you can leave it on for a few hours and go to work and it'll switch itself off.

A full range of models are available here http://www.4air.co.uk/dehumidifiers-home-office-c-860395437_2500.html but the higher the price the more likely it'll extract more water. The compressor models which are by far more popular do work okay, as long as the house isn't freezing temperature.

We also got a standalone hygrometer from ebay for about £5 which shows the temperature and humidity. If the levels do get too high I can just put the dehumidifier on high and get the humidity down, we get really bad mould on our external wall because of the design of our house.

One thing to consider is they aren't overly quiet, a bit like a fan on high but I'd rather have a bit of noise for a few hours a day than black spots of mould!

PatsyMcM

You need a good exhaust fan connected to the outside first.

firsttimebuyers_2

Thanks for the advice SimbaK2K.