Radiator vs dehumidifier

[theone8181]

Hi in our utility, me and the mrs have been discussing which is best for drying clothes. We currently have an electric rad, but I'm on a cheap night rate so running costs are not too bad. Would it be worth using a dehumidifying instead, the problem I see is that I'd have to either get a really dumb one and timer it, or get a really expensive smart one as most look like the timers are just from when powered up (no idea if they turn on as Spon as they get power), so just looking for people's opinions really.

 

[happy_2008]

I have a dehumidifier (Meaco dessicant low energy) that i use to dry the kids clothes in a small room during the winter. I also have it on auto setting during the winter so that it turns on/off automatically to stop condensation throughout the house once humidity reaches a specific %.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Dehumidifier for sure. Radiator will just put the moisture into the air/create damp/mold.

 

[Gammawolf]

From a usage perspective a dehumidifier is much better and cheaper than an electric rad. Saying that though if you have to buy a new dehumidifier it might be worth buying a heat pump tumble drier as its basically an enclosed compressor dehumidifier (desiccant ones operate differently). If you really want to go down the dehumidifier option then consider there are two types of dehumidifiers. Desiccant ones and compressor ones. Desiccant generally costs more and also use more energy but work a lot better at lower temps (eg colder util rooms). Compressor are cheaper and run cheaper but do not work very well at low temp or lower humidity as they basically work by passing air over a cold surface to allow water to condense off. If you are planning to use a compressor one you will need to get a bigger model to compensate for colder temps rooms 10-15c (and thus lower extraction rate vs the stated optimal which is usually quoted at 30c and 80% RH). Given the prices of both these options though (generally £200-£300) it may be worth stretching to £500 for a heat pump drier

 

[Deleted User 298457]

From a usage perspective a dehumidifier is much better and cheaper than an electric rad. Saying that though if you have to buy a new dehumidifier it might be worth buying a heat pump tumble drier as its basically an enclosed compressor dehumidifier (desiccant ones operate differently). If you really want to go down the dehumidifier option then consider there are two types of dehumidifiers. Desiccant ones and compressor ones. Desiccant generally costs more and also use more energy but work a lot better at lower temps (eg colder util rooms). Compressor are cheaper and run cheaper but do not work very well at low temp or lower humidity as they basically work by passing air over a cold surface to allow water to condense off. If you are planning to use a compressor one you will need to get a bigger model. Given the prices of both these options though (generally £200-£300) it may be worth stretching to £500 for a heat pump drier

Tell me - for a utility room that is pretty cold (no rads) - is a heat pump tumble drier silly? I am thinking of pulling the plug on one but then I considered just getting a dirt cheap second hand vented thing.

 

[Gammawolf]

Tell me - for a utility room that is pretty cold (no rads) - is a heat pump tumble drier silly? I am thinking of pulling the plug on one but then I considered just getting a dirt cheap second hand vented thing.

Disclaimer: I don't have one so can't say from personal experience but on principle i wouldn't say its silly and i'd keep using it if i had one.

In tumble driers you have to think of the system as slightly different to as aircon/ASHP heating etc in that they don't move energy from one area to another, its all moved from within the machine mostly. You have both the cooling and heating side in the same air loop so you are not extracting heat from your util room for hours on end and cooling it down. In essence it uses some power to heat the drier up, this in turn lowers the %RH of the air in the drum and allows the clothes to evaporate their moisture to the air, the air is then cycled passed the cold side of the heat pump to condense the water off. The air then passes over the hot side of the heat pump to reheat it back up now some moisture is gone and it goes around the loop again and again. If anything your util should warm up slightly as ofc the machine consumes energy which eventually gets radiated into the room through the drum/machine or through a small overheat radiator built into the system

Just as a side note heat pump driers will need very good checking/cleaning every now and then of the fin stack to make sure they are working as efficently as possible

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Disclaimer: I don't have one so can't say from personal experience but on principle i wouldn't say its silly and i'd keep using it if i had one.

In tumble driers you have to think of the system as slightly different to as aircon/ASHP heating etc in that they don't move energy from one area to another and call it a day. You have both the cooling and heating side in the same air loop so you are not extracting heat from your util room for hours on end and cooling it down. In essence it uses some power to heat the drier up, this in turn lowers the %RH of the air in the drum and allows the clothes to evaporate their moisture to the air, the air is then cycled passed the cold side of the heat pump to condense the water off. The air then passes over the hot side of the heat pump to reheat it back up now some moisture is gone and it goes around the loop again and again.

Just as a side note heat pump driers will need very good checking/cleaning every now and then of the fin stack to make sure they are working as efficently as possible

And do you think the cost is offset by the fact these things need to run 5x as long?

 

[Gammawolf]

And do you think the cost is offset by the fact these things need to run 5x as long?

Absolutely yes, although 5x longer seems a bit long? My vented one can still take 2 hours for a full load (not that i use it anymore and its banned from being turned on now because it costs an arm and a leg to run). The energy use is much lower overall vs vented but also you benefit from the heat ending up in your home rather than being piped outside so it’s a double win

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Absolutely yes, although 5x longer seems a bit long? My vented one can still take 2 hours for a full load (not that i use it anymore and its banned from being turned on now because it costs an arm and a leg to run). The energy use is much lower overall vs vented but also you benefit from the heat ending up in your home rather than being piped outside so it’s a double win

Ah snap... 600 quid it is then...

 

[Gammawolf]

Been debating getting one myself but when you have a machine that works it becomes hard to cost justify the purchase of a new one based on savings which may take almost the life span of the machine to get back (factoring in the whole purchase price)... but its a different story if your machine is broken and you're in the market for a new one. In which case the few hundred more for a heat pump will be saved back over a couple years of ownership. Sadly, for me we're trying to use the conservatory to dry clothes as it can get warm there even in winter (was 25c yesterday) if the suns out. If that doesn’t work then i'll have to buy one too as i refused to have extra moisture in the house via drying indoors.

The other benefit of heat pumps is the overall gentler use of electric which may be incorporated better into people’s PV/battery setups/schedules for additional savings vs power from grid for them

 

[theone8181]

Yea, my thinking is 2 hours at 15p total (uses 0.5kwh per hour, cheap night rate), it's going to take me a long time to pay back considering that it's probably only on 6 months of the year.

 

[Doobedoo]

Both. Buy a low power compressor dehumidifier, use the radiator to dry the clothes and the dehumidifier to remove the moisture from the room.

Edit: Sorry just red it’ll be an electric rad. Don’t buy a rad, buy a desiccant dehumidifier and just run that.

 

[arknor]

Dehumidifier for sure. Radiator will just put the moisture into the air/create damp/mold.

unless you open a window.
Never had a problem with damp/mould and I always air dry my clothes in the front room

 

[Cadder]

Tell me - for a utility room that is pretty cold (no rads) - is a heat pump tumble drier silly? I am thinking of pulling the plug on one but then I considered just getting a dirt cheap second hand vented thing.

We have ours in what was the coldest room in the house. When the dryer has been running its climate is somewhere between tropical and a steam room. We have to open the window when it is on. It's a Candy heat pump thing.

Friends of ours have just last week sorted their house insurance issues after their heat pump dryer set on fire and caused some damage in the house. Apparently these new ones are still a liability and the fire department hates them. Knowing this I'll not be running ours while we're out and will keep it in the cold, tiled room.

 

[Megahurtz400]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but wanting to know more about desiccant dehumidifiers, first i've heard of such things!

My flat gets pretty cold in the winter and I only have a crappy washer/dryer, and hate using the dryer as it wrecks clothes so much prefer to hang dry things.

Is a dehumidifier likely to speed up the rate of drying? The last few winters i'd just switch on the electric rad where the airer sits for a few hours in the evening to try and speed things up but would rather not now for obvious reasons!

Also over the winter, do tend to get a few spots of mould around the door frames due to their aluminium construction, so they end up sopping wet no matter what the temp is inside the flat, I assume it would help with this too?

 

[Skilid]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but wanting to know more about desiccant dehumidifiers, first i've heard of such things!

My flat gets pretty cold in the winter and I only have a crappy washer/dryer, and hate using the dryer as it wrecks clothes so much prefer to hang dry things.

Is a dehumidifier likely to speed up the rate of drying? The last few winters i'd just switch on the electric rad where the airer sits for a few hours in the evening to try and speed things up but would rather not now for obvious reasons!

Also over the winter, do tend to get a few spots of mould around the door frames due to their aluminium construction, so they end up sopping wet no matter what the temp is inside the flat, I assume it would help with this too?

It sounds as though you need a dehumidifier

 

[happy_2008]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but wanting to know more about desiccant dehumidifiers, first i've heard of such things!

My flat gets pretty cold in the winter and I only have a crappy washer/dryer, and hate using the dryer as it wrecks clothes so much prefer to hang dry things.

Is a dehumidifier likely to speed up the rate of drying? The last few winters i'd just switch on the electric rad where the airer sits for a few hours in the evening to try and speed things up but would rather not now for obvious reasons!

Also over the winter, do tend to get a few spots of mould around the door frames due to their aluminium construction, so they end up sopping wet no matter what the temp is inside the flat, I assume it would help with this too?

A dehumidifier will definately help to dry your clothes quick and sort out the mould issue which is mostly likely caused by moisture in the air.

I have this one which is suppose to be low energy to dry my kids clothers and sort out condensation in my house:

Meaco DD8L Dehumidifier

Quiet & light weight 8L desiccant dehumidifier for any sized home, garage, boat or basement. High extraction rates down to 1°C. Free next day delivery. Shop now.

www.meaco.com

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but wanting to know more about desiccant dehumidifiers, first i've heard of such things!

My flat gets pretty cold in the winter and I only have a crappy washer/dryer, and hate using the dryer as it wrecks clothes so much prefer to hang dry things.

Is a dehumidifier likely to speed up the rate of drying? The last few winters i'd just switch on the electric rad where the airer sits for a few hours in the evening to try and speed things up but would rather not now for obvious reasons!

Also over the winter, do tend to get a few spots of mould around the door frames due to their aluminium construction, so they end up sopping wet no matter what the temp is inside the flat, I assume it would help with this too?

Dehumidifier for sure. Don't be cheap tho - look at least 200 quid. My one has a clothes drying mode and it literally sucks the water out of the clothes.

 

[Megahurtz400]

I take it the only maintenance with these is emptying the water and cleaning filters? They don't need the desiccant material changed every X hours/litres?

 

[Gammawolf]

I take it the only maintenance with these is emptying the water and cleaning filters? They don't need the desiccant material changed every X hours/litres?

Meaco has a decent article about which are best in various situations: https://blog.meaco.com/when-to-buy-...er-and-when-to-buy-a-compressor-dehumidifier/

No maintenance on either type is required besides what you stated. It will work much better than your electric rad but don't expect huge energy savings (expect better living conditions though and ability to keep that electric heat inside vs having to open a window and let moisture out), in laundry mode the desiccant ones will use over 600w and can heat a small room up to be quite toasty in an hour or two.