Please please help me!! Re damp, mould and condensation....

**purpleprincess**

Quick update!!

Bought a dehumdifier yesterday afternoon and it arrived this morning!! I ended up buying the one from 4air and it is really good, got it on at the moment. And it has a setting where it is sooooo quiet!! So big thumbs up so far!!

Will update when I've had it for a while!!

Thank you all for your help and advice

Ystrad_Lad

Well done and I'm glad it's quiet!

Leave it on all the time for a week. You will find that it will fill up and switch itself off several times a day. If you can, try to keep a record of how long it takes to fill up. As the flat dries out it will take longer and longer.

After about a week turn the humidistat down to an acceptable level, say 50% humidity then just empty it when it fills up.

You will find the air becomes more pleasant and comfortable.

Clairee_4

I covered the walls in one bedroom in PVA watered down 1 -5 then when that was dry 1 - 3 parts water. It has helped try that and it is cheap.

tawnyowls

Ystrad_Lad wrote:

Well done and I'm glad it's quiet!

Leave it on all the time for a week. You will find that it will fill up and switch itself off several times a day. If you can, try to keep a record of how long it takes to fill up. As the flat dries out it will take longer and longer.

After about a week turn the humidistat down to an acceptable level, say 50% humidity then just empty it when it fills up.

You will find the air becomes more pleasant and comfortable.

You could try a low-tech version to reduce the leccy bills too - buy yourself a couple of kgs of silica gel (fairly easy to find online) and put bowls of it all round the flat. It'll suck the moisture out of the air - if possible, try to get one that changes colour when it's 'full'. Dry it out in the oven whenever you're using the oven for cooking.

alanobrien

tawnyowls wrote:

You could try a low-tech version to reduce the leccy bills too - buy yourself a couple of kgs of silica gel (fairly easy to find online) and put bowls of it all round the flat. It'll suck the moisture out of the air - if possible, try to get one that changes colour when it's 'full'. Dry it out in the oven whenever you're using the oven for cooking.

I have thought about doing this in the past. I like the idea because its "power neutral" i.e. your not loosing heat to the outside via vents and your not using up power with a dehumidifier. But that power neutral thinking does rely on drying it out in the oven while cooking. This is the bit that always made me a bit twitchy having it near food and all that. Ever tried this method yourself ?

I guess you could put them in the hot oven after cooking dont know if that would dry them out enough though ?

Incidentally the old blue self indicating versions generally used cobalt for colouring and so are a mite toxic to humans. The new self indicating and clear stuff is ok though. more here;

http://www.geejaychemicals.co.uk/faq.htm

never_enough

alanobrien wrote:

I have thought about doing this in the past. I like the idea because its "power neutral" i.e. your not loosing heat to the outside via vents and your not using up power with a dehumidifier. But that power neutral thinking does rely on drying it out in the oven while cooking. This is the bit that always made me a bit twitchy having it near food and all that. Ever tried this method yourself ?

I guess you could put them in the hot oven after cooking dont know if that would dry them out enough though ?

Incidentally the old blue self indicating versions generally used cobalt for colouring and so are a mite toxic to humans. The new self indicating and clear stuff is ok though. more here;

http://www.geejaychemicals.co.uk/faq.htm

This may be a silly question, but when it dries out in the oven doesn't the moisture just evaporate back into the air? Or is that just me being silly?

bishy_2

Hi All - This thread has inspired me to go and buy a dehumidifier as I've also had problems with a damp smell and lots of condensation. I am a little confused though as I'm supposed to set the humidity level for the room.

What should the humidity level be? At the moment it's between 50-60% which seems far too high. Also I was expecting more than 3.5 litres extraction per day but does that seem like a normal amount.

Many thanks, Bishy

tim158

Hi all,

What a intresting thread, this seems to be the solution i need to remove the moisture in my 3 bed house,

Just a quicky

where would you say is best to situate the dehumidifer eg bottom of stairs or the top?

Thanks

Tim