Dehumidifier assistance required please.

stu3105

Have done some searching but cannot seem to find anything to cover my query so here goes.

Have just bought the Midi dehumidifier from Aldi for the bedroom of our static caravan which seems to accumulate quite a substantial bit of dampness mainly on the bedding/mattress.

It is used most weekends and the problem persists although I have to admit it wasn't too bad during the summer. The bedroom has a wall vent where daylight can be seen, has double glazing and central heating.

My query is what are the best conditions for the dehumidifier to work in.

1) Does the bedroom need further venting
2) Should the heating in the bedroom be left on or off when the dehumidifier is switched on, do they have an optimum temperature at which they work best at.
3) Should the heating be left on for a few hours each night when we are not there.
4) Have I wasted £29.99 on this machine when a crystal moisture trap thingy could have been used.

Help
thank you all.

moob_2

Assuming you are experiencing condensation dampness, you will need to increase ventilation in the area affected. To check whether or not your machine is worthwhile, you should read the manual and find out what area of room it is considered to be effective in. You should then calculate the area of the room to compare, in m3.

alanobrien

Additional ventilation would help.

Yes, a heating the room to approx 20c will also help the dehumidifier function more efficiently - the more expensive ones actually have a heater built in.

The only caveat to this is that dry heat is better than "wet" heat and by that i mean central heating or oil filled radiators or blow heaters are better than a gas fire which just adds humidity to a room.

John_3:16

We often use a dehumidifier to dry clothes inside. I fin the best is a warm room with no vents. If you have a vent then all you are doing is drying the outside air. Possibley get a cover for the vent that can be opened and closed. Re garding crystals you unit is far better. You will find that the biggets problem is emptying the tank. Your unit will switch off when full which could be in a matter of hours.

Why not get a timer to swtich it on the day before you go that way it will be drying before you get there? Or does it have a pipe facility to drain outside some how?