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Thread ID: 137259 2014-06-12 08:28:00 Anyone have a dehumidifier in the house? Strommer (42) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1377041 2014-06-12 08:28:00 The humidity in our living area is consistently 60%.
Apparently in the winter it should be 25 - 40%. From what I read on various sites, a high humidity will feel colder.
Even with a big heat pump it sometimes will feel cold unless we really crank the heat up.
I am wondering if anyone has a dehumidifier and has found that with less humidity
it feels warmer? BTW we do not have problems with mould or weeping wet windows.

Thanks.
Strommer (42)
1377042 2014-06-12 08:35:00 There's a heat pump here, but the hose going from outside to inside is worn out. So we dont use it. And the useless landlord wont fix it. Last time we did use it the power bill jumped to over $200 ! Probably because of that Speedy Gonzales (78)
1377043 2014-06-12 08:49:00 60% is fine.
i use a dehumidifier a fair bit because humidity is 80%+ and house is closed up all day and ventilation systems are not much good if humidity outside is as bad as it is inside.
tweak'e (69)
1377044 2014-06-12 08:55:00 Yep, got one that works well but does it chew power. :eek:

If you were to leave it running you could expect an increase of $200 a month for power but you'd be staggered at the amount of water they can wring out of the atmosphere.

I don't know that i feel any warmer but I do feel more comfortable.
B.M. (505)
1377045 2014-06-12 10:24:00 I've been investigating the whole dvs/hsv deal. So what I have discovered is that their are bloody expensive. System that do the same are available from electrical wholesales for around quater of the price. Once I have ditched the halogens and put LEDs in and redone the insulation this is the route I will be taking. There is even someone selling the smartvent systems on trademe for under half the cost of the franchise holder and not much more then a dehumidifier And as long as you are a DIY person install is not an issue bar electrical part. plod (107)
1377046 2014-06-12 21:00:00 The humidity in our living area is consistently 60%.
Apparently in the winter it should be 25 - 40%. From what I read on various sites, a high humidity will feel colder.


Really? Auckland is known for humidity, especially summer. Then it feels like the sauna from hell. It has been so humid, my son thought the dash in the car was on fire - it was just the condensation coming out the vents.....windscreens mist over with the water in the air... Nasty.

The last two years it's been very dry, and thus, low or no humidity, it's lovely, able to sleep all night, comfortable when indoors etc....
When it rains here, like Tuesdays storm, it's warmer...not colder.

The coldest mornings are the fine and clear ones.
pctek (84)
1377047 2014-06-12 21:57:00 'The process of sweating is your body's attempt to keep cool and maintain its current temperature. If the air is at 100-percent relative humidity, sweat will not evaporate into the air. As a result, we feel much hotter than the actual temperature when the relative humidity is high. If the relative humidity is low, we can feel much cooler than the actual temperature because our sweat evaporates easily, cooling *us off.'

From science.howstuffworks.com

So you are wrong I'm afraid, the higher the humidity the warmer you'll feel.
KarameaDave (15222)
1377048 2014-06-12 22:30:00 Unless you have a definite issue with damp & mold, I wouldnt bother . Leaving a window or 2 open during the day helps a lot.

I have 2 dehumidifiers in 2 of the bedrooms only. They are allways on during winter, never used in summer.
I put my camera & any other stuff I dont want ruined by mold or damp in these 2 rooms
My house can get quite damp after heavy rain, & is often wet under the house in winter. Just an issue with where I live. Neighbors houses are the same

If you buy a dehumidifier, do some research. Some are far superior to others, and thats not allways reflected in the price.
1101 (13337)
1377049 2014-06-12 23:30:00 Thanks for all the replies. I have just read 8 websites about this matter and most state that
people will most comfortable at around 25-30% humidity. However these are USA websites
with reference to the very cold winters there, and the problem is that the homes can be
too dry, not too humid. Higher humidity is not recommended as it can cause mould and an
increase in allergens such as dust mites.

So it seems our 60% humidity is no problem regarding feeling warm/cold. We don't have problems
with mould or weeping windows so I can see no need for a dehumidifier (especially with the high
running cost).
Strommer (42)
1377050 2014-06-13 09:00:00 Americans are a whole different breed, and I wouldn't base a Kiwi's needs on the demands of what an over priveleged yank on a continent thinks. NZ being entirely coastal has a whole different environment.

Dehumidifiers work best in cold conditions.

I find I get good results running them in unheated rooms, ideally starting before the temps plummet.

Running it overnight once a week in this fashion gives good results.

Running it more often yeilds less water for every extr kW of power used.This will vary however depending on use of showers, dryers, number of occupants, method of heating (ie gas introduces loads of moisture), local geography, etc.
Paul.Cov (425)
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