Dehumidifiers

[Moose1]

hi, dunno if this has been asked before, but does anyone use one of these? Does it help and where's the best place to look?

Thanks

Christine

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i have a great air purifer which you fill with water and can add drops to. it is electirc and works by the principal of centifugal force. (oh my physics teaher would have been so proud :-)) i add eucalyptus as it helps with the breathing. i got mine from lakeside.

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Hi Christine,

Here's some info that I posted on the old boards (last year) which may be of some interest plus a link to a website where you can purchase dehumidifiers.

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.....Some advice that may help you get a good nights sleep.

The effect of relative humidity (RH) on asthmatics should not be under estimated.

The recommended ideal conditions for the indoor environment is somewhere between 40% - 70% RH (as a rough guide, 100% RH is wet and 0% RH being uncomfortably bone dry).

It is well recognised by those studying sick building syndrome that when RH falls to the lower end of the recommended levels, the air is dry and this has an irritant effect on the bronchial airways. Asthmatic will almost certainly be affected. This has lead to complaints in some modern (sealed) office buildings fitted with aircon, that the air is too dry.

At the opposite end of the recommended limits, it is recognised that this can create the ideal conditions for dust mites (above 60% RH), dampness, moulds and mildew, etc. The higher the RH, the more likely asthmatics will be affected by dust mites and moulds, etc. In modern office buildings high RH does not happen very often, and if it does it is normally remedied swiftly to minimise damage to the building fabric and finishes.

It is noteworthy, that the internal RH in buildings/houses with openable windows (for free ventilation) will fluctuate in-line with the RH measured externally, this is to be expected. However, it is widely recognised that buildings/houses fitted with double glazing rarely meet the correct ventilation rates and therefore the occupants can experience respiratory problems created by poorly ventilated rooms which can either be very dry (low RH) or very damp (high RH). This is not a design problem, the poor ventilation rates are caused primarily by householders cutting out draughts and keeping windows and vents firmly closed to maximise energy efficiency.

The simplest advice is to ensure that that all rooms are well ventilated and always (where practicable) leave the trickle vents open on the double glazed units. Better still, leave some windows open. But please do not compromised your security in doing so, and never leave windows open when the house is unoccupied.

Some asthmatics may benefit from purchasing a domestic humidifier to place in the bedroom which will ensure that the RH within the room is optimised to suit the individual’s comfort level/respiratory problems. Likewise, if the bedroom is found to be damp, then a dehumidier might be the answer. I believe many are designed for bedroom use and therefore operate with very little noise.

I am not suggesting a cure, but this may improve the quality of life for some.

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....I think there could be something positive in what your GP says about taking a holiday in a drier climate. ...I think if you were to make the air in your bedroom drier, this may relieve the coughing and tight chest during the night.

A dehumidifier might just be the answer to your problems. I know they are not cheap, but certainly cheaper than going to Spain.

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web link for dehumidifiers airandwatercentre.com

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Take care,

Derek

[Moose1]

Thanks for that info deek. I must confess that now i'm a little confused. It was last night that i 1st thought that perhaps it was the house being too humid that was causing a problem, particularly in the evening where i am in my bedroom and can go from feeling fine to suddenly feeling tight chested and start to cough. Last night this happened when i got home from work, when i walked into the kitchen it was like someone had put their hand over my mouth. My parents have a thermometer that shows the temperature and the humidity, when i looked at it last night it was showing 60%. I have brought it upstairs into my room tonight and at this moment it's showing 50% and my chest is feeling a bit off, i did have my window shut cus i got a bit cold but have opened it again.

What's confused me is according to the info you've posted, I should be ok up to 70%, so now i'm wondering if it isn't the humidity after all?

If it's isn't the humidity then i'm back to square 1 of not really knowing what's going on. I'm mostly fine during the day and then when it gets to late evening or early morning (i don't go to bed very early) it all goes a bit down hill. I thought it was that the humidity was rising in my room maybe but not so sure now :o/

One confuddled moose!

Christine