Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

beanielou

I have wet wall which is fab
Love the idea of grey tiles and grey grout though. Gray is one of my favourite colours

badmemory

beanielou wrote: »

I have wet wall which is fab

Is wet wall like B & Qs splashwall. I have that & it is great. No grout to get grubby or even have to clean just needs a quick wipe over. But as my son takes 30 min showers sometimes there is still a lot of damp which obviously leads to mould. The extractor fan we had fitted just caused draughts all through the house & did my back no good at all.


If only I had thought to buy a dehumidifier BEFORE I spent a small fortune on the new bathroom. I bought it from Aldi when it was on offer. Sometimes my humidity meter (yes I even spent money on one of those it had become so worrying) reads 99%. I have decided that when this one eventually packs in I am going to really lash out & buy one that includes the ability to set the humidity reading you want it to take the room down to. I may well be going round asking for present donations in cash to pay for that but it will be worth it. Draughts to my mind are the worst but damp comes in a very close second.

[Deleted User]

badmemory wrote: »

If only I had thought to buy a dehumidifier BEFORE I spent a small fortune on the new bathroom. I bought it from Aldi when it was on offer. Sometimes my humidity meter (yes I even spent money on one of those it had become so worrying) reads 99%. I have decided that when this one eventually packs in I am going to really lash out & buy one that includes the ability to set the humidity reading you want it to take the room down to. I may well be going round asking for present donations in cash to pay for that but it will be worth it. Draughts to my mind are the worst but damp comes in a very close second.

A dehumidifier is right at the top of my 'to buy' list. DH says it's enough to just keep the house ventilated by having windows open but I know that really isn't the answer. I think by chipping away at the subject over many many months I may have won him round but he nearly had a heart attack when he saw the prices of good, heavy duty ones:rotfl:. This is a very big house (definitely not posh, just a barn of a place:() and because we don't/can't afford to heat rooms we don't use it is prone to damp. I never dry washing indoors as that only adds to the moisture levels but there are still patches of mould which I'm forever working on:(.


I want a dehumidifier with a big 'tank' and that doesn't need emptying and keeping an eye on all the time. A friend has one and although her house never seemed as clammily damp as parts of ours even before she started she was forever having to empty the water that had been collected. It's amazing how much moisture is in the air:eek:. I know there are some that have pipes to bypass the actual tank but I'm not sure that's the answer for us. Also, DH has really acute hearing which can be a nuisance for both of us. I need to find a really quietly-running machine and user reviews of even those advertised as 'quiet' haven't been too complimentary:eek:


I've also been wondering whether 2 slightly smaller ones would be the way to go so they can be strategically placed throughout the house rather than just one really heavy-duty one which might need to be placed more centrally with doors left open. Problems, problems eh?:rotfl:


When/if I eventually find just the right one I'll go ahead and buy it regardless of DH's protestations about the price. He can contribute towards the cost but I'm more than happy to pay the lion's share (says she who's now debt free at last but is in grave danger of going on a mad spending spree :eek::()


Your mention of your humidity meter made me think. Thanks for the heads up as I've never considered getting one or was even aware of them before:o. I'll check them out as knowing the exact extent of the problem is the only sensible way forward.


Any ideas most welcome. Sorry to hijack your diary, HHOD.

Good luck to all who are fighting what seems like a losing battle against the dreaded damp:beer:

beanielou

We have a dehumidifier in the food bank & I am amazed at how much water it collects.

beanielou

Bad memory. I think they are much the same.

[Deleted User]

beanielou wrote: »

We have a dehumidifier in the food bank & I am amazed at how much water it collects.

When my friend bought hers she was sure that it would be adequate as she didn't think the humidity was all that bad. She was amazed by how fast the water collecting tank filled each time. The machine had a cut out and alarm to make sure it was emptied and she wished many times that she'd bought one with a bigger capacity. We all live and learn don't we?

elizabethhull

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/how-do-i-get-rid-of-damp-and-mould/

This site has some very helpful ideas on how to get rid of mould, and also rather dire warnings about the attendant health risks.
Obviously not all the ideas are doable, but maybe something might be of use. We used to have mould round the windows in our first house and we had no idea at the time that it posed any health risks - well, we were young and didn't think about that sort of thing, just complained about the creeping black !!!

[Deleted User]

elizabethhull wrote: »

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/how-do-i-get-rid-of-damp-and-mould/

This site has some very helpful ideas on how to get rid of mould, and also rather dire warnings about the attendant health risks.
Obviously not all the ideas are doable, but maybe something might be of use. We used to have mould round the windows in our first house and we had no idea at the time that it posed any health risks - well, we were young and didn't think about that sort of thing, just complained about the creeping black !!!

Thanks very much for this:T. I'll go over there and have a good read.

We know how bad mould is where health is concerned, that's why I'm so keen to try to remedy it. Strangely, the mould was never very evident when the children still lived at home:j and now they have flown the nest and are beginning to have children of their own I'm very concerned about its effect when the grandchildren visit and stay with us.

badmemory

I've now got 3 humidity meters which also give the temps. They all read slightly differently, but the nitty gritty is the same. Yes we all know I am inclined to go a little OTT, but I haven't had to remove that black stuff from around any window frames (even the kitchen at the opposite end of the house) since I bought it. Condensation very occasionally & what should be a big no no I even run my (donated by a friend) tumble drier without putting the hose out of the window usually & that is on a completely different floor from the dehumidifier. Under £70 & people I know wonder why I like Aldi so much!

badmemory

Finally_Solvent wrote: »

Also, DH has really acute hearing which can be a nuisance for both of us. I need to find a really quietly-running machine and user reviews of even those advertised as 'quiet' haven't been too complimentary:eek:

Is his hearing acute or do certain types of noise actually hurt his ears. I am a bit deaf & have been all my life. But some noises other people don't even seem to hear actually make my ears/head hurt. A radio that isn't tuned to the station properly can have me ready to scream, the radio is fine it is the crackle in the background.



I have no issue at all with our dehumidifier, yes I can sometimes actually hear it, but it does not hurt my ears. Also there is nothing to stop you from only turning it on when you leave the house! Maybe set it on a time plug.


Sorry HHOD for really hijacking your thread.