Dehumidifier - Keeping the house warm?

ias76

Since I moved into my house 2 years ago I have been on a mission to make it warmer. Since then I have draughtproofed, put in loft insulation and I am currently insulationing under the floorboards, carpeted the hall where draughty floorboards once were.

Operation heat is going well. However someone was telling me I should buy a dehumidifier and use it during the winter as it dries the air making it quicker to heat the house using central heating plus the house retain the heat for longer.

I should say my house is a old tradiotional one- high ceilings etc.

So dehumidifier huh? Do they work ? Where can I get one cheap?

penrhyn

Sounds like a good way of wasting money.
Why not buy a humidity meter and see if you have a problem first?

Bossyboots

We certainly found our house warmer last year when we bought a dehumidifer but we do have a humidity problem so for us it has been excellent. I am not sure how effective they would be with high ceilings.

You can get them from Argos and Homebase. Or Delonghi and Ebac both have websites.

alanobrien

Yes they do help to increase the rate at which the house will heat up but you only need one if you have a humidity problem which can make the place feel damp.

Keep in mind a humidifier uses electricity - mine uses up to 325 watts depending on what setting you use so they are not necessarily that cheap to run.

In short get one only if you really need one.

Mr_Meanie

We have had a dehumidifier for a few years now and it really helps with reducing the condensation in the winter months, yes effectively it is ‘free’ to run, for every 1kw of energy you put in you get about 1kw of warm air out BUT because it reduces the humidity you actually feel a bit cooler!
You will find that the fan noise is quite high at night especially when you are trying to get to sleep, so we put ours on a time switch to come on in the morning and turn off late in the evening.
If you do buy one beware of turning the setting up too high, your walls and ceiling will start to show cracks and if your doors and windows are made of wood they will shrink, some considerably so.
Personally I would say unless your house suffers from a lot of condensation you don’t need one.

alanobrien

Mr_Meanie wrote:

effectively it is ‘free’ to run, for every 1kw of energy you put in you get about 1kw of warm air out

Sorry but i don't think so, your implying that the machine is 100% efficient and i do not know of any machine or device on the planet that currently is.

Although i do agree dehumidifiers are superb bits of kit for homes with humidity problems.

John_3:16

We have de humidifier. Mainly to dry clothes on a clothes horse rather than use the tumble drier. The air does feel warmer and no they do not give 1kw of heat out for 1Kw in most of the energy goes into the gas in the matrix, trying to freeze the moisture in the air. They do put some warmth out though.
If damp is a problem you will know as you will get wet walls and windows. wait and see to how nuch you have seeled things up with your insulation.

My feeling is that it is possibly the same to run a de humidifier as aposed to a tumble drier. but you get the benifit of warm air into the house.

Mr_Meanie

alanobrien Sorry but i don't think so, your implying that the machine is 100% efficient and i do not know of any machine or device on the planet that currently is.

Yes I have to admit it I was wrong, actually I under estimated it, for 1 kw of energy in you get 2.5kw of heat out! (even I don't belive that one)

"Typically, for every 1kW of Electrical energy that a dehumidifier consumes, it will give out 2.5kW of heat energy"

http://www.calorex.com/company/indus02a.htm

I hear they are working on a Perpetual Motion machine next!

alanobrien

Mr_Meanie wrote:

alanobrien Sorry but i don't think so, your implying that the machine is 100% efficient and i do not know of any machine or device on the planet that currently is.

Yes I have to admit it I was wrong, actually I under estimated it, for 1 kw of energy in you get 2.5kw of heat out! (even I don't belive that one)

"Typically, for every 1kW of Electrical energy that a dehumidifier consumes, it will give out 2.5kW of heat energy"

http://www.calorex.com/company/indus02a.htm

I hear they are working on a Perpetual Motiom machine next!

i want one

kaya

deumidifiers raise the air temp going through them by about 1deg C, my one consumes about 1kw per hour, thet are not economicly viable as a heating aid, plus Central heating is bad enough already, it strips the moisture from the air(ask an asthmatic),its not healthy to breathe dry air in an enclosed space either

janthemum

Ive just bought my son a Challenge Dehumidifier (from ARgos: I got it half price £49.99 from £99.99 and think it has 12L water tank)

First we got this little thing for about £3 that checks humidity from amazon, and it was amazing how it went up and down from lowish to higher than what it should be over a week despite not bthinking it was a particulary damp room and there is double glazing.

He needs it a constant humidity as he has a piano in his room and it effects its tuning etc...

We havnt found it too noisy at all he sleeps through it fine but was used to having a fan on in the hot weather. I cant believe how much water comes out. It also really does warm the room up and it always feels nice and cosy now.

So I have nothing but good to say about them.:j