Recommend a dehumidifier for drying clothes in an apartment

QuiteInterestin

Not sure if this is the right forum for this, but people on here regularly recommend getting a dehumidifier to help dry clothes in an apartment. With winter coming its getting harder to leave windows open (I live in a ground floor apartment so can only leave them open in the evenings after work) so was thinking of investing in one. Can anyone recommend a good one to get? They have some in Lidl tomorrow http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/xchg/SID-EDE81DA7-9A2F46C7/lidl_ri_ie/hs.xsl/index_34836.htm
Anyone have any experience of these ones or any other ones they've found good?

Cuddlesworth

Its a horrible idea to use a de-humidifier to dry clothes unless you have huge un-fixable damp problems. They chew through electricity.

djimi

Would they be worse on electricity than a dryer? We were considering getting the same this winter.

Cushie Butterfield

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Its a horrible idea to use a de-humidifier to dry clothes unless you have huge un-fixable damp problems. They chew through electricity.

What alternative cheaper nicer ideas/suggestions do you have for the OP that would solve their problem & prevent their clothes from shrinking in a tumble dryer, which is also expensive to run or that would prevent clothes from smelling 'musty' from being dried indoors & ending up stiff & hard due to being dried using indoor heat?

Cuddlesworth

djimi wrote: »

Would they be worse on electricity than a dryer? We were considering getting the same this winter.

Yes. A condensing dryer is a heater and dehumidifier targeted at a very specific enclosed area.

A dehumidifier tries to remove the moisture from a whole room. For it to be effective, the room needs to be at very high temperatures and high humidity.

Cuddlesworth

Cushie Butterfield wrote: »

What alternative cheaper nicer ideas/suggestions do you have for the OP that would solve their problem & prevent their clothes from shrinking in a tumble dryer, which is also expensive to run or that would prevent clothes from smelling 'musty' from being dried indoors & ending up stiff & hard due to being dried using indoor heat?

Open a window?

Cushie Butterfield

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Open a window?

QuiteInterestin wrote:

With winter coming its getting harder to leave windows open (I live in a ground floor apartment so can only leave them open in the evenings after work) so was thinking of investing in one.

The_Conductor

I use a 300W dehumidifier the whole time in the apartment. I don't necessarily have a damp problem- but drying clothes etc, does massively increase the moisture in the air- which doesn't help with chest colds etc.

You can set the humidity setting on these- its not an on/off type device, you could aim for 30% humidity, and use the timer function to use night-time electricity.

Mine is a 300W machine- the Lidl one is 400W- its not running constantly irrespective of how you use it- so its actually quite reasonable electricity wise.

Perhaps a condenser combo washer/dryer might be a neater idea- I was warned off the combo machine by a few different people when buying my Indesit a few years ago- apparently they are more prone to trouble/breakdowns (so I was told)- and even after you dry your clothes, you're still going to want to air them anyway- so the dehumidifier just assists with air drying.

I'd have no hesitation in recommending the Lidl machine- I know its 140 quid- its not cheap- but it is a good investment, and in my opinion a household appliance that you will actually have good use for.

bluecherry74

Would one of these be any good? I've been thinking of getting one as the tumble dryer is so expensive to use.

http://www.jmldirect.com/eu/laundry/dri-buddi/invt/d04db10100000001/

Argos stock them as well:

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8501147.htm

The_Conductor

It looks quite bulky. I'm more inclined to suggest the dehumidifier- its a much smaller neater machine, easily moved to different rooms, and multipurpose- aka its not just for assistance with drying clothes- if you have a humidity issue, its the whole place that needs help- not just your laundry.

QuiteInterestin

Thanks for all the replies.Thankfully I have no mould/damp issues and I'd like to keep it that way. Have a washer/dryer in the apartment but found the dryer part pretty useless, though now that I think of it, I didn't give it much of a chance. Think I'll start using it again and see how I get on with. I did consider buying a condenser dryer as I felt I'd get more for my money €140+ on a dehumidifier v ~€250 for a dryer but don't think I have the space for it (as it is the washer/dryer is in the hotpress in front of the water tank so putting it on top isn't an option).

Idbatterim

why not just get a clothes horse and put an oil filled radiator under it? that will dry the clothes and heat the room... do you not have any air vents?

Toulouse

I bought one of these last year http://www.harveynorman.ie/dimplex-dehumidifier.html

Best thing I ever did.

We're in an apartment with no dryer. This dries a full clothes horse overnight and the increase in the ESB bill isn't worth mentioning - about an extra €7.50 a month.

Zulu

QuiteInterestin wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies.Thankfully I have no mould/damp issues and I'd like to keep it that way. Have a washer/dryer in the apartment but found the dryer part pretty useless,.

Not being smart, but are you sure you were using it correctly? A common mistake people make is turning it on straight after a wash (with a full load). More often than not, you're supposed to remove half the load first.
And a little pro-tip: only dry half loads, and add a clean dry bath towel ino with all the wet clothes. This will soak up some wet and result in a quicker drying time!

QuiteInterestin

Idbatterim wrote: »

do you not have any air vents?

There's no air vents in the walls, though there are in the window frames.

Zulu wrote: »

Not being smart, but are you sure you were using it correctly? A common mistake people make is turning it on straight after a wash (with a full load). More often than not, you're supposed to remove half the load first.
And a little pro-tip: only dry half loads, and add a clean dry bath towel ino with all the wet clothes. This will soak up some wet and result in a quicker drying time!

Thanks, pretty sure I was using it correctly. In fairness I only used it once or twice and probably didn't give it a chance. It seemed to heat the clothes without removing the moisture and seemed to take ages to dry. Had a vented or condenser dryer in other places I lived so was comparing it to that. Thanks for the tip on the towel, never heard of that before. Going to start using the dryer part again for the next few weeks and see how I get on with it before resorting to dehumidifiers. Thanks for all the advice

The_Conductor

QuiteInterestin wrote: »

There's no air vents in the walls, though there are in the window frames.

Quite standard- and was in compliance with building regulations, up to recently. Unfortunately- it doesn't help with humidity much

dearg lady

I posted before with a similiar issue. I'm ground floor but leave windows open during the day. We have a dehumidifier and lots of vents. As the Conductor says the dehumidifier isn't on constantly. Ours is a bit noisy but does a grand job. I usually do smaller washes, take out the few bits that can't go in the dryer, put the rest in the dryer for a short while then hang everything on the clothes horse. No damp problems so far, and apparently our apartment had previously been prone to damp so I'm very conscious

Gandhi

QuiteInterestin wrote: »

There's no air vents in the walls, though there are in the window frames.



Thanks, pretty sure I was using it correctly. In fairness I only used it once or twice and probably didn't give it a chance. It seemed to heat the clothes without removing the moisture and seemed to take ages to dry. Had a vented or condenser dryer in other places I lived so was comparing it to that. Thanks for the tip on the towel, never heard of that before. Going to start using the dryer part again for the next few weeks and see how I get on with it before resorting to dehumidifiers. Thanks for all the advice

Have you checked that the dryer's exhaust vent is blocked? They can sometimes get blocked up with the fluff that comes out, and the result is clothes that get hot and wet instead of dry. I've found that just reaching my hand in from outside the house and pulling the fluff out gets it clear enough to work.

ETA: Sorry, just noticed you said it was an unvented dryer. Never mind.

whatnext

Have a 200w one from Argos, had it about 5 years now. One of the Best buys I've ever made. It will dry jeans and sweaters over night. Up in the morning and the water container is full. Never really noticed it on the elec bill. It cuts in and out as the humidity rises / falls.

Also have a washer dryer. The dryer is absolutely pants. It doesn't dry clothes it boils them!! Thought it was a fault, but a little google search said it is the appliance. Unfortunately it was one of the most popular models installed in apartments.

athtrasna

We have one of these. It works http://www.harveynorman.ie/dimplex-airdryer.html

ronan45

athtrasna wrote: »

We have one of these. It works http://www.harveynorman.ie/dimplex-airdryer.html

Do they definitly improve drying time? I have seen mixed reports on these and also a lot of them for sale second hand on adverts etc!

Piliger

Toulouse wrote: »

I bought one of these last year http://www.harveynorman.ie/dimplex-dehumidifier.html

Best thing I ever did.

We're in an apartment with no dryer. This dries a full clothes horse overnight and the increase in the ESB bill isn't worth mentioning - about an extra €7.50 a month.

How is this for noise ? I am concerned about how noisy some dehumidifiers I have encountered in friend's houses have been.

I have the same problems in my apartment in the winter. Can't open windows because of the cold, or because it't wetter out than in. Outside walls are freezing and constant mould issues. Drying clothes for two people takes three days even after a go in the washer drier. I use a tall clothes horse and would put a heater under it if I could find a low flat heater

I note the above suggestion about a big dry towel ... but then won't I end up with a damp big towel to dry too ?

The_Conductor

Don't use a heater- you'll dry your clothes ok- but you'll just drive the moisture elsewhere in your apartment. A dehumidifier actually removes the water from the air- which is an entirely different proposition.

It can be quite noisy- yes- but you won't it on constantly- a couple of hours use would normally dry a clothes horse.

The latest models are only 60Watt- so even leaving it on during the saytime isn't going to use much electricity.

MicktheMan

This

Piliger wrote: »

I have the same problems in my apartment in the winter. Can't open windows because of the cold, or because it't wetter out than in.

and this

Piliger wrote: »

Drying clothes for two people takes three days even after a go in the washer drier. I use a tall clothes horse and would put a heater under it if I could find a low flat heater

results in this

Piliger wrote: »

Outside walls ... constant mould issues.

MicktheMan

Piliger wrote: »

I have the same problems in my apartment in the winter. Can't open windows because of the cold, or because it't wetter out than in.

In the winter, the outside air is rarely if ever "wetter" than warmer internal air. This is why opening windows and/or ventilating is very important. It is even more important when adding moisture internally by, for instance, drying clothes on a rad or clothes horse.

A dehumidifier, while not ideal, is better than nothing.

Piliger

MicktheMan wrote: »

This


and this



results in this

And me arriving here ...

mikom

The_Conductor wrote: »

The latest models are only 60Watt- so even leaving it on during the saytime isn't going to use much electricity.

60 watt?

athtrasna

ronan45 wrote: »

Do they definitly improve drying time? I have seen mixed reports on these and also a lot of them for sale second hand on adverts etc!

Yes. I tend to use it overnight and jeans put on at midnight are bone dry by the time I get up. Left to dry alone they wouldn't be.

Piliger

athtrasna wrote: »

Yes. I tend to use it overnight and jeans put on at midnight are bone dry by the time I get up. Left to dry alone they wouldn't be.

That's a fascinating piece of equipment.

It seems very expensive though ! a little 25w heater and 6 little fans !

Edit: I am also guessing ... but though this will do the clothes thing, this will actually increase the moisture content in the rooms ... so making the need for a dehumidifier possibly even higher ....

The_Conductor

Piliger wrote: »

It seems very expensive though ! a little 25w heater and 6 little fans !

Its not a heater. The air out of it may even be cooler than room temperature. It removes moisture from the air- it doesn't necessarily heat (or cool). Some dehumidifiers have heaters- however this is *not* their principle function.

cnocbui

I can recommend Mitsubishi dehumidifiers. I have a 280w one that was bought 12 years ago and is still going strong. It will get a load of washing dry overnight.

K.Flyer

We used to get a lot of calls from management companies and apartment owners asking us to check out the reasons for mould on the inside walls of the apartments / houses suspecting there would be a leak somewhere.
Most of the time the mould was caused by people drying clothes on radiators or on clothes horses with some other form of air directed at them. Because buildings are becoming more and more air tight the moisture has nowhere to go, so it gets absorbed into the plaster and causes very unhealthy mould problems.
In our own home we used to have an old tumble dryer with the open ven and it was quite expensive to use. When it broke we got a new B rated condensor dryer and its much cheaper to run and all the moisture is contained in a tank to be emptied out.
The machine has a multitude of settings for so many types of clothes and they are now washed, dried and folded in less than a few hours and they are never shrunk or damaged if used correctly.
For all of that my recommendation is a good quality condensor dryer.

metroburgers

Anyone have a simple but effective D.I.Y. dehumidifier (wardrobe type) solution I could make e.g. 2 litre/silica gel combo that actually works?

Gatling

Has anyone found the dehumidifier's ease chronic lung condition's such as asthma when using one

The_Conductor

Gatling wrote: »

Has anyone found the dehumidifier's ease chronic lung condition's such as asthma when using one

It depends on the dehumidifier- and whether you're using the filter associated with a particular model or not, but yes, it can help- providing you use it properly. Obviously different models may work differently. My one has a Heppa 9 filter system (don't ask me what this means).

Piliger

So we have a recommendation for a Dimplex Dehumidifier and a Mitsubishi.

Does anyone else have a recommendation for a good desiccant model that is quiet ?

The_Conductor

Another compressor based unit- this time from Aldi.
On sale this Sunday (the 6th of October)

Link here

This one has a special setting for drying clothes on a clothes horse.

Tails142

I use a delonghi one, works fine. Bought it in argos so probably paid over the odds for it. Originally bought it to deal with damp issues (old building) but now use it to dry clothes too

Piliger

Hi guys after doing a bit of research it seems to me that with an apartment like mine, that is rarely warm in the winter, a normal compresor dehumidifier would not work at it's best. It needs a much warmer room to work right.

However there is such a thing as a Desiccant Dehumidifier which does not use a compressor. It uses a water absorbing material that is rotated and it absorbes and then is 'cleaned' of the water as it circulates. Hence it is also much quieter. This kind of device works independent of the temperature and in my apartment where it is usually 12 degrees or so through the winter, that seems a better choice.

I found this page with an interesting video. It appears it is available from "Afloat" in Dunleary. I am thining it might be the best choice for me.

Tails142

The Delonghi I have is a dessicant type model - http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/0523044/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+and+furniture%7C14417894/Trail/searchtext%3EDELONGHI.htm

Like I said, can probably find it cheaper somewhere other than Argos if you try. Like you've probably read they are more efficient and slightly heat the air which helps remove moisture.

MicktheMan

Piliger wrote: »

in my apartment where it is usually 12 degrees or so through the winter

:eek::eek:
so that's why you have mould on your walls!

Piliger

MicktheMan wrote: »

:eek::eek:
so that's why you have mould on your walls!

Yeah ... It's murder trying to stay warm with the tiny heater and two of the walls are outside and I am convinced they are not insulated.

Hugh_H

I wrote an essay about this for a thermodynamics project. Here's the google doc where I was saving my work
https://docs.google.com/a/ucdconnect.ie/document/d/1Je-qvxndKMKzYrHL6bJ0rKm-05qehls-kc7ktHDyeEY/edit
half of it is calculations which you'll probably want to gloss over. The key points are:
Using a dehumidifier requires less energy than using a tumble dryer but the tumble dryer uses so little to begin with you're only saving a few cents.
Having a small fan blowing over the clothes will reduce drying time significantly and a fan+dehumidifier will use less electricity than a dehumidifier alone but you'll need to turn the clothes around so that both sides get the fan blowing on them. Don't use a fan without a dehumidifier because the room will get too humid and drying will be slow.
Clothes will dry faster in a cold room than in a hot room because hot air holds less water vapour than cold air. Of course putting the clothes near the heat source will make them dry faster but I don't know if this will cost less.

Piliger

Hugh_H wrote: »

hot air holds less water vapour than cold air.

MicktheMan

Hugh_H wrote: »

Clothes will dry faster in a cold room than in a hot room because hot air holds less water vapour than cold air.

:eek::eek::eek:
Wrong. Plain wrong

The_Conductor

Piliger and MicktheMan- perhaps you might be interested in reading about the myths that you seem to have bought into....... A good first step would be the 'Bad Clouds' website- which attempts to debunk meteorology myths about clouds forming in cooler air- a theory which oddly enough seems to be pervasive.

MicktheMan

The_Conductor wrote: »

Piliger and MicktheMan- perhaps you might be interested in reading about the myths that you seem to have bought into....... A good first step would be the 'Bad Clouds' website- which attempts to debunk meteorology myths about clouds forming in cooler air- a theory which oddly enough seems to be pervasive.

Hugh is correct.

Hugh is not correct. He stated that "hot air holds less water vapour than cold air".

1. Air does not "hold" water vapour. Water vapour is a constituent of air. The amount of water vapour depends on the temperature of the air and the availability of moisture.

2. At a defined barometric pressure, warm air will contain more water vapour than cooler air, for example: air temp of 20 degC at its dewpoint will contain 17.3 g/m3 versus 9.4 g/m3 at 10 degC. This is fact, not myth.

Hugh_H

I said "hold" water because I am on boards.ie not physicsforums.com. It's easier for people to depict.

MicktheMan

Hugh_H wrote: »

I said "hold" water because I am on boards.ie not physicsforums.com. It's easier for people to depict.

Fair enough.
Can you explain your assertion that hot air contains less water vapour than cold air.

Hugh_H

Oh, my apologies. I looked over the calculations again and the rate of heat transfer is proportional to the difference between the vapour mass fraction just above the surface of the clothes and the vapour mass fraction in the surrounding air. Using this table http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/misc/klima.htm I calculated the vapour mass fractions and it shows that the evaporation rate does increase if the temperature of the room and clothes is increased.
What I was getting mixed up with is that if you had the clothes and the room at 20 degrees then they would dry faster than having clothes at 20 degrees and the room at 30 degrees. This is because the higher air temperature would increase the partial pressure of the gaseous water in the air and decrease the tendency for water to evaporate.
I had it correct in the essay but it got mixed up in my head since I wrote that part a week ago.
I hope the essay was helpful for OP anyway.

Piliger

The_Conductor wrote: »

Piliger and MicktheMan- perhaps you might be interested in reading about the myths that you seem to have bought into....... A good first step would be the 'Bad Clouds' website- which attempts to debunk meteorology myths about clouds forming in cooler air- a theory which oddly enough seems to be pervasive.

Hugh is correct.

No he was wrong - and an honours degree in Chemistry (organic) + a degree in physics + analytical lab experience says so.