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Best option for bathroom dehumidifier with limited external access

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  • 25-04-2021 4:41pm
    #1
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭


    Does anybody know what the best solution is for dehumidifying an en suite without any form of external external wall or roof penetration?
    We have no real access to an external wall and the roof above the en suite is asbestos slates - while it is something we intend replacing in the next 5-10 years, we want to renovate our en suite first.
    Is there any "bathroom dehumidifiers" which we could install? At the moment, we have a dehumidifier in the corner which is far away from any splashing water, etc. Not ideal but all we can do for now.


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    #2
    Lenar3556
    Registered Users Posts: 1,387 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    PhilOssophy wrote: »
    Does anybody know what the best solution is for dehumidifying an en suite without any form of external external wall or roof penetration?
    We have no real access to an external wall and the roof above the en suite is asbestos slates - while it is something we intend replacing in the next 5-10 years, we want to renovate our en suite first.
    Is there any "bathroom dehumidifiers" which we could install? At the moment, we have a dehumidifier in the corner which is far away from any splashing water, etc. Not ideal but all we can do for now.

    Is there an attic space above before you meet with the asbestos roof?

    How feasible would it be to install a 4” pipe from the bathroom to an external point? This could possibly be within an attic space perhaps running to a gable wall maybe? A suitably sized in-line fan could be fitted to this pipe to provide extract ventilation.


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    #3
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    Lenar3556 wrote: »
    Is there an attic space above before you meet with the asbestos roof?

    How feasible would it be to install a 4” pipe from the bathroom to an external point? This could possibly be within an attic space perhaps running to a gable wall maybe? A suitably sized in-line fan could be fitted to this pipe to provide extract ventilation.

    Thanks for the reply. There is attic space above the en suite. It'd be a long pipe, and a lot of bother, to avoid the asbestos roof. It'd probably involve installing scaffolding of significant height. Terrace period house so no gable wall.
    And the 4 inch pipe with a couple of bends to get there. It'd be a serious undertaking and I'd probably struggle to get anyone to do it.

    The only possible option would be to get the pipe to discharge out just at the roof ridge, but that'd probably be a 3-4m vertical climb with a bend or two to get there.

    My ideal solution would be a proper dehumidifier, connected in to the outlet from the sink for example. But are there any bathroom "standard" dehumidifiers if that makes any sense?

    I'm wondering how an apartment which has an en suite not connected to an external wall solves this problem?


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    #4
    Lenar3556
    Registered Users Posts: 1,387 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    PhilOssophy wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply. There is attic space above the en suite. It'd be a long pipe, and a lot of bother, to avoid the asbestos roof. It'd probably involve installing scaffolding of significant height. Terrace period house so no gable wall.
    And the 4 inch pipe with a couple of bends to get there. It'd be a serious undertaking and I'd probably struggle to get anyone to do it.

    The only possible option would be to get the pipe to discharge out just at the roof ridge, but that'd probably be a 3-4m vertical climb with a bend or two to get there.

    My ideal solution would be a proper dehumidifier, connected in to the outlet from the sink for example. But are there any bathroom "standard" dehumidifiers if that makes any sense?

    I'm wondering how an apartment which has an en suite not connected to an external wall solves this problem?

    The problem with a dehumidifier, other than electrical safety considerations, is that it’s not providing fresh air ventilation. Yes, with extended running it’s going to remove excess moisture from the air, but that’s only half the battle.

    If it was me, I would be getting a pipe to an external point one way or the other and fitting a high performance extract fan - it makes a huge difference.

    Apartments will almost always have what I have described above. Some more modern installations may be connected to the outside via a heat recovery ventilation system, but you still have a fresh air connection.


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    #5
    monseiur
    Registered Users Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭monseiur


    Fit an extractor fan in ceiling, connect a 4 inch (100mm) flexible duct pipe, run along attic to nearest external soffit, drill 4'' hole in soffit, fit grid, job done


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    #6
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    Lenar3556 wrote: »
    The problem with a dehumidifier, other than electrical safety considerations, is that it’s not providing fresh air ventilation. Yes, with extended running it’s going to remove excess moisture from the air, but that’s only half the battle.

    If it was me, I would be getting a pipe to an external point one way or the other and fitting a high performance extract fan - it makes a huge difference.

    Apartments will almost always have what I have described above. Some more modern installations may be connected to the outside via a heat recovery ventilation system, but you still have a fresh air connection.

    Yeah, at the moment we've just been leaving dehumidifier on and then once the humidity is improved, opening the window in the bedroom and leaving the door open. It is working OK but we want a more permanent solution as part of our upgrade.
    monseiur wrote: »
    Fit an extractor fan in ceiling, connect a 4 inch (100mm) flexible duct pipe, run along attic to nearest external soffit, drill 4'' hole in soffit, fit grid, job done

    Its a period house with very little/no soffit so that's not an option.


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    #7
    monseiur
    Registered Users Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭monseiur


    PhilOssophy wrote: »
    Yeah, at the moment we've just been leaving dehumidifier on and then once the humidity is improved, opening the window in the bedroom and leaving the door open. It is working OK but we want a more permanent solution as part of our upgrade.



    Its a period house with very little/no soffit so that's not an option.

    As it's a period house I assume that it has one or more chimmneys that are no longer in use so you may be able to feed the duct from extractor into one of them and put a cowl on top.


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    #8
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    monseiur wrote: »
    As it's a period house I assume that it has one or more chimmneys that are no longer in use so you may be able to feed the duct from extractor into one of them and put a cowl on top.

    Thanks for your reply. I did consider that and yes that is the only realistic option, but then the chimney stack is shared with a neighbour and I don't know if I could do that safely?

    I'm still thinking mechanical solution until we replace roof if we can.


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    #9
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,786 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    I did find this unit. https://www.dehumidifiersuk.com/eco-air-dcw10-simple-ipx4-rated-wall-mountable-bathroom-dehumidifier.html

    It is not cheap of course, and it is going to be noisy. I wouldn't fancy it myself.

    I think it would be hard to find a builder prepared to cut into your chimney at a high point, without an engineer's assessment. The builder will be concerned that there are too many things that might go wrong.

    It will end up cheaper and easier to find a suitable qualified contractor who will be able to tell you if it is possible to put a duct safely through the roof without disturbing the asbestos too much.


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