Cost of running a Dehumidifier

kats53

We are thinking of investing in a dehumidifier. We live in a 4 bedroom victorian terrace house and as anyone who lives in one can tell you there are always issues with condensation in one place or another. We also have a caravan which would benefit greatly from one.
However just like everyone else at this time we are concerned about our finances and have been reading all the reviews we could find.
Our main concern is running costs although by what I have read some units are not too heavy on the electricity bills. But what about the cost of filters? How often do you have to replace them and what about the cost of them?
I will be grateful for any advice given.
Thanks Jen

savemoney

They use around 200w-300w but it depends on what setting you have it on for humidity and how much your energy is

They dont run 24/7 usually even assuming they are it would costs @ 300w 10p-16p roughly for 3 hours this is a rough figure.

A.Penny.Saved

My Ebac Hi Dri uses 240 Watts. I would confirm that using my plug in electricity monitor if the Ebac was working but it currently isn't.....I must see if I can fix it.

There is a foam filter which doesn't really require replacing, I used to vacuum it occasionally. I did replace it once and that was because something hit it and punched a hole in it. It cost about £9. Otherwise there are no costs except the leccy.

kats53

Thanks guy's, I've been looking at the ebac ones...they seem to be good but had it in my head you had to keep replacing the filters!
Jen

savemoney

I got a cheap matsui one around 15 years ago. I doesn't use filters at all just annual wipe over at the back

sorry about typo phone is near keyboard and it effects it when typing

brig001

You have to remember that from you energy input, you will also get heat out. Some of this is just losses from the dehumidifier itself, but you also recover the latent heat of evaporation back from the water that you condense, and this is recovered (typically) with a COP of more than 1 (i.e. more than 100% efficient, because it is a heat pump). I don't know exactly how big a difference this makes, but you definitely get more for your electricity than just a dry house. I am planning an experiment with ours to see how much we get back in terms of heat, so will post back when I get it done.
HTH, Brian.

kats53

Thats a good point Brian. It will be intersting to see the results of your experiment! Thanks.
Jen

ariba10

If you have a condensation problem (a lot of homes do) you need to think of what it will ultimately cost you if you do not run one.

savemoney

well the best way is obviously not to try and get condensation in the first place which isnt easy in houses with our modern lifestyle and our desire to cut drafts etc

Try using a extractor fan for cooking and bathing, insulate wheer possible. Open windows to ventilate or have air bricks fitted. Dont dry washing on rads all help but is almost impossible to eliminate it every where

energysavingexp

savemoney wrote: »

Try using a extractor fan for cooking and bathing,

I prefer using a pan for cooking and a luffa for bathing:rotfl:

dont forget we also breath out a lot of moisture!

vaio

brig001 wrote: »

You have to remember that from you energy input, you will also get heat out. Some of this is just losses from the dehumidifier itself, but you also recover the latent heat of evaporation back from the water that you condense, and this is recovered (typically) with a COP of more than 1 (i.e. more than 100% efficient, because it is a heat pump). I don't know exactly how big a difference this makes, but you definitely get more for your electricity than just a dry house. I am planning an experiment with ours to see how much we get back in terms of heat, so will post back when I get it done.
HTH, Brian.

Doesn't sound quite right but i can't quite say why. Following your logic a dehumidifier would be more efficient heater than an electric fire.

All a dehumidifer does is move liquid from a messy pool on the window cill into the dehumidifier water container, I don't see where any extra energy comes from to exceed the 100% efficiency mark