Dehumidifier - Keeping the house warm?

Paul_the_Painter

The thing to remember when talking about any form of energy, is that you cannot create or destroy it - just move it about or change its form.

Some would be Heat, Gravitational Potential, Chemical potential, Sound, Electical and kinetic.

That is why heat pumps can have efficiencies of over 100%. They move heat from outside of the house to inside the house, they don't diectly heat the house.

It is also why a "standard" lightbulb is actually not nearly as bad from an energy efficiency standpoint as some would have you believe. As (nearly) all the energy eventually degrades to heat energy, so your lightbulbs are heating the house - and the heating is doing less work.

Eventually all forms of energy degrade to heat (google "heat death of the universe")

None of which helps you decide whether or not to get a dehumidifier

Doctor_green_thumb

penrhyn wrote: »

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

I agree ! Can't quite work that out !

Lizzybop

27col wrote: »

If you believe that you will believe anything. If you input some heat then the condensation problem will largely disappear and a dehumidifier will not be required. Houses that are both heated properly and well insulated rarely suffer from condensation.

But our house is well insulated and perfectly warm.
I'm at a loss to know what to do as we only experience condensation in the 2 bedrooms we use. Have got someone coming to check the windows, as I can't understand why the inside of our double glazing gets so cold - especially when the temp inside the house isn't cold!

I'm puzzled - I just don't get it

There is no prob with seals on windows as there is no condensation between the pains, possibly prob with around the frames I guess????

Welsh_Totster

Might it have something to do with you breathing? I know it sounds odd but if the problem is only in the two bedrooms that are in use, the moisture from your breath throughout the night maybe contributing to tge condensation on the inside of your windows. Just a thought.

barneygumble

I bought one recently which works very well and can recommend.
http://www.equiplogistics.com/store/index.php/rhino-mini-dehumidifier-240v.html

Lizzybop

Welsh_Totster wrote: »

Might it have something to do with you breathing? I know it sounds odd but if the problem is only in the two bedrooms that are in use, the moisture from your breath throughout the night maybe contributing to tge condensation on the inside of your windows. Just a thought.

Yes I believe this is exactly what it is - however everyone breathes at night don't they??? And not everyone ends up with rivers of water on their windows in the morning. This is my point. Why our house and our windows? I don't think we can hold our breath long enough :rotfl: We have arranged for someone to come round from the window company next week to investigate. The inside glass from the double glazing doesn't appear to be insulated properly, and is just as cold as the outside. The seals aren't compromised as there is no condensation between the panes.

This is the frustration.

If you are reading this, do you have heavy condensation on your bedroom windows in the morning - once the overnight temperatures drop to approx 6 celcius or below???? I'd love to know

27col

Welsh_Totster wrote: »

Might it have something to do with you breathing? I know it sounds odd but if the problem is only in the two bedrooms that are in use, the moisture from your breath throughout the night maybe contributing to tge condensation on the inside of your windows. Just a thought.

That will be it, it's all that pesky breathing that is causing the trouble!!

lauren1983

Hi lizzybop. I know exactly how u feel.I have the same problem but in every room at the minute . Have u had any luck finding out whatis causing ur problem? Lauren

Lizzybop

Hi Lauren,

Yes, apparently there is too much moisture in the air inside the house. This is despite using extractor fans in the bathrooms, cooker hood whenever we cook anything. Clothes are all line dried - apart from wet days when I use the conservatory and keep the door shut to the rest of the house. I regularly air the house with open windows - I don't believe the air in our house can be any wetter than anyone elses!!!

So when the temp drops overnight the glass in the windows gets colder - there isn't anything wrong with our double glazing we've had them checked. The moisture in the air is attracted to the coldest part of the room i.e. the windows at which point it condenses.

Don't think we can stop breathing at night so don't see it's possible to get rid of this problem completely.

Am thinking that we will have to invest in a dehumidifier - don't see any other way?????

I try everything I can to reduce the moisture in the air inside the house - will just have to keep going I guess.

Best of luck trying to tackle your moisture issues.
L
x

Little_Green_2

I came across this thread whilst researching this question myself. It not being new, the original op will no longer benefit from anything I offer but for all future readers I recommend perusal of the advice on a couple of sites I have come across in my search.

Check out the 'Useful Information & Advice' link at
www. dehumidifiers-direct.co.uk, very informative.

Also take a look at the advice options on this site
www. best-dehumidifier-choice.com, again well worth a read.

(sorry about the links, that you'll have to cut and paste - apparently 4 years as a forum member classes me as too new to post the real thing today!!)