dehumidifier/air purifier

[janedivney]

Just bought one of these to help prevent dampness & mould growth (I have ABPA as a complication of asthma) electriq.co.uk/p/cd20le/ele...

We had a mould specialist in to treat the whole house (had to move out for several days) and he recommended we keep the machine running 24/7 in autumn and winter. It’s set to 55% humidity.

Does anyone have any views on this? I’m not really worried about the cost, my lungs are the priority. It’s just that I’m always a bit nervous about leaving appliances running when we’re asleep or out!

[Mandevilla]

I'm fairly paranoid about leaving anything running when I'm not around to keep an eye on it, but I do make an exception for dehumidifiers since they're designed to be run for long periods of time while unattended. My asthma is very sensitive to damp weather, and in winter, often the only way I can sleep is to be in a room with a dehumidifier that's running during the night. We have an electriq one in our bedroom (slightly different model) and I love it - it's so quiet and so effective. Within minutes of switching it on, I feel better.

[janedivney in reply to Mandevilla]

Thanks Mandevilla. I used to work for a firm of loss adjusters, investigating fire & water damage claims, so I’m paranoid too!

The mould specialist said this single dehumidifier, placed centrally in the hall, will treat the whole house (3 bed detached) if we leave the doors open. Which model do have in your bedroom? I’m thinking of getting another one. I’ve worked out that if I leave this one on 24/7 it’ll cost £49 pcm to run, but needs must. ABPA is really bad for the lungs 😳

[peege]

I think modern appliances can be relied on jd, I wouldn't trust very cheap ones or things advertised on social media . In recent flood via roof the first thing I did between emptying buckets, pots and baling out big plastic boxes 20th 24th September monsoon in Gloucestershire was order 2 dehumidifiers with 2 litre reservoirs. I knew it was vital to dry out the carpets in the 6 soaked rooms. 3 storey old town house. Basement bedroom carpet I cut up & threw out. Plus all the sopping roof insulation.

A daughter sent me a third one, the roofers lent me an old 4th one and all three were on 24/7 & one day Nellie brought theirs from Cambs for one day so 5 on. For 6 weeks I was emptying 6 litres per day out of each of the modern new ones.

Horrendous but omg I had no idea how brilliant they are. They've also kept me safe (severe allergy to ordinary mould) in your case it'll be a brilliant addition. My girls use them for their mountains of washing rather than using dryers too, so very much cheaper and now know, healthier. Son lives in a warm dry place so no need.

As an add on, yesterday (wearing the right glasses) I noticed the outside of a filter was covered in dirty looking dust so shook that off outside & vacuumed it.

Good move jd. They switch off when full &/or overheating.

(Soz for waffling, brain fog atm 🙃) runcyclexcski knows a bit about humidity levels, hopefully he'll read yr post to answer that question. ×××× P

[Karenjaninaz]

I have asthma and scoliotic restrictive lung disease on oxygen 24 seven. I do use dehumidifiers, especially in the summer, but not necessarily in the winter unless stormy when the house is very humid. However, I buy a dehumidifier either with a drain directly to a sink or one with a long tube that goes to a sink or a drain to save our backs.

I have two fireplaces in my home which only had a screen spark arrestor in front of them ever since I bought the house in 1987. I realize now that the dampers in the chimneys are not airtight and I am getting old soot downdraft into the house. I can smell it from one of my fireplaces. Just recently I had fireplace doors put on both of them to make them almost totally airtight. I noticed the house smells much cleaner, and I don’t have the mold from the outside coming down the chimney. Regarding air cleaners: it’s important to research the brands. They require maintenance meaning the HEPA filter has to be changed on a certain schedule and the pre-filter might have to be washed or changed. My problem is I bought three different air cleaners from the same company and they all have different filters and one of them crapped out and I can’t use that filter for the others. That’s ridiculous. Nothing is easy with respiratory problems, but I do breathe much better in the home.

[Jamesd1234]

sounds like a good idea. I’ve got an ebac one I bought in 2016 to help with a damp flat we were living in back then. I now mostly use it in our utility room to help dry clothes , but can set the dial back to the humidity and it will turn itself on if it needs to. Never had any issues with this but it’s a bit noisy and will obviously turn itself off when full. I think you should be ok with yours and if went wrong it would likely just cut out…. I can relate to worrying about appliances , but as long as it’s not the oven or my wife’s hair straighteners , it should be ok …. But if we wanted to go a step further, could use a smart plug or a plug timer to make sure it’s off when going out etc