Damp and dehumidifiers

If she does not open the windows and dried her clothes inside then, along with cooking ... thats a lot of water going into the flat. She could leave the bathroom light on, along with the extractor fan for a bit after bathing/showering etc.

Anyway , yes, just buy an active compressor dehumidifier, they're awesome...and.. if noise is an issue get an anti-Vibration Pad or mat to put it on.
 
Yep go active.

I would suggest she uses it whilst cooking and drying clothes, taking showers and leave it for a couple of hours after.
Then just run it briefly if not doing those things any particular day.

One other thing to consider is making sure the air is circulating so a small fan also used to move the air around. When I used to work in hire they always went out with a fan (eg a carpet blower) to anyone who knew what they were doing.
Dehums can only extract from the air thats passing them, will take a lot longer to reduce the water in an area without good airflow. She can just get a small fan heater and run it in fan only mode.

One of the considerations to contra the cost of the unit itself is that the higher the humidity the more energy you need to heat it, because you need to heat the moisture. As you lower the humidity the area should heat faster.
It will feel like it cools faster as well though as there is less heat retained in the air.
 
dowie said:
I know damp is causing the (mould) problem, they go hand in hand, I'm asking about the underlying problem - what is causing the damp (and in turn the mould)?

namely is there a structural issue as mentioned in the previous post - it isn't necessarily the Landlord's probably otherwise
Click to expand...

This has already been answered, but doesnt look like it was spotted::

stockhausen said:
there is no extractor fan in the kitchen and the bathroom extractor fan switches off as soon as the light is switched off! She uses a washing machine and hangs clothes on a drier in the flat.

The landlord may well be responsibel b
Click to expand...

The landlord probably wont be responsible, as this is down to tenant lifestyle. As you say its hard to get many landlords to act quickly, doubly so with damp (as its usually a tenant lifestyle issue).

Few things she can do to help:
Open windows when cooking.
Dont dry clothes inside (where do you think the moisture goes?). This is hard in a flat as I am guessing no outdoor space.
Open windows to vent position and then lock on vent position when leaving for work to allow flat to ventilate.
Bathroom extractor should really run on a humidistat (so it extracts when humidity is high).

A dehumidifier will make quite a difference, but dont buy the cheap ones. needs to be a proper one (~ £150). Not expensive to run, and as part of the benefit it will reduce heating costs (as it pushes out warm air, and dry air heats up quicker than humid air).
 
We used to use one of these in our flat:
https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p_dd122fw-simple_ecoair-dd122fwsimple-dehumidifier/version.asp

With the bathroom having no window, drying clothes indoors, and there being no extractor in the kitchenette, there was loads of moisture building up on the windows in winter.

Started to run one of these and it works a treat, and quieter than compressor types.

Yes, they cost leccy to run, but as it pushes out hot air (great for drying washing) it meant I could turn down the central heating, so the net running cost was the same as before, just drier.
 
Murphy said:
Personally I'd recommend the Meaco DD8L Junior for a small flat (at least based on what i bought a couple of years ago) but if you need something larger this review site does a fairly good independent review.
Click to expand...

another vote for the meaco dd8L. great piece of kit use daily in my 2 bed maisonette.
Its lighteight and easy to move around...... run it in the kitchen when cooking & bathroom when bathing. Also to dry my laundry.
 
The £200 Meaco DD8L is a desiccant dehumidifier and can work well in lower temperatures.
The £160 MeacoDry "ABC" 12L Compressor Dehumidifier works best in temperatures above 20°C, it is clamied to be quieter and very economical to run.

I'm not quite sure how warm she keeps her flat (I will ask) or whether this info will help her decide but perhaps the Dehumidifier Buyer's Guide website (LINK) will help?
 
Might consider dehumidifiers also think want three.. one in outhouse 2mx2m one upstairs 2 bed and one down stairs for large living/dining and kitchen.

Would three passive units be ok?
 
Looking at Which? reports (which I have done), I get the impression that passive units are next to useless - unfortunately.
Having said that, one may well be OK in a 2m x 2m outhouse?
 
I watched my mates ecoair dc literally suck the water out of the air. In under a day the tank was full of water.

Im surprised he hasn't got webbed feet or a fear of seagulls.
 
I'd recommend not buying a dehumidifier.

Our house had bad condensation - windows running with water in the mornings, sometimes overflowing off the sill on to the floor. Mould behind the furniture, terrible. Bought a dehumidifer (20litre Dimplex), ran it 24/7 and cost a clean fortune - like £200 a quarter extra on the electricity bill over the winter. Used about 600W. Still had wet windows in the mornings.

Gave up a fitted a Nuaire Drimaster PIV machine - it's a small fan that blows air in from the attic 24/7, uses 5W. All the damp and condensation was gone within a week, even the black mould in the shower is gone. Had it three years now, and it's been brilliant. No draught from it (2 storey 1200ft2 house, fan is on level 2 out of 8, you can feel a slight breeze on the landing if you stand still long enough). I got the version with the heater in it, which I never have switched on unless it gets below -10C outside (so only for a few days in the 3 years we've had it).

The Drimaster has saved us about £1k in electricity in 3 years, and no damp issues at all now. Very, very highly recommended.

https://www.nuaire.co.uk/residential/positive-input-ventilation
 
stockhausen said:
Thanks for that; the FlatMaster (LINK) is a REALLY good idea, I will get her to put it to the Landlord - very many thanks!
Click to expand...

Yeah, they work well, Dad got two Flatmasters fitted at his church (huge stone walled building with 30 foot open ceiling roof that used ot have water running down the walls). Within a month the place is dry as a bone. It's easier to heat as well as you're not heating the damp air...
 
I appreciate you trying to help your niece but it must be said that in all my years I am yet to see more that a couple of genuinely dry basement flats - and I’ve seen many.

They just aren’t practical places to live unless the walls are tanked properly, a sump is in place and an active air flow system too - it is also vital to have proper kitchen and bathroom extraction and to completely adjust your lifestyle to suit the unfavourable living situation.

You often find such places are rented out - many people buy them as they are in good locations such as your typical London Victorian street whereby someone has converted the old coal cellar.

Sadly people don’t actually realise the cost of properly damp proofing these places and only find out when it’s too late.

Landlords are particularly naughty here and will often, and perhaps understandably avoid actually fixing the issue for as long as possible due to the cost of doing it properly.

At the end of every tenancy they will get someone in to decorate and cover up as much as possible and bingo - the next victim comes along.

The landlord will be fully aware of the issue, probably has been for some time and has probably had complaints from previous tenants but sure as hell wouldn’t admit that.

Getting a dehumidifier is something that will help but, moving to a ground or first floor flat will ultimately be the best option. I fully appreciate this may not be practical but it needs to be her focus on my opinion.
 
fastwunz said:
I appreciate you trying to help your niece but it must be said that in all my years I am yet to see more that a couple of genuinely dry basement flats - and I’ve seen many.

They just aren’t practical places to live unless the walls are tanked properly, a sump is in place and an active air flow system too - it is also vital to have proper kitchen and bathroom extraction and to completely adjust your lifestyle to suit the unfavourable living situation.

You often find such places are rented out - many people buy them as they are in good locations such as your typical London Victorian street whereby someone has converted the old coal cellar.

Sadly people don’t actually realise the cost of properly damp proofing these places and only find out when it’s too late.

Landlords are particularly naughty here and will often, and perhaps understandably avoid actually fixing the issue for as long as possible due to the cost of doing it properly.

At the end of every tenancy they will get someone in to decorate and cover up as much as possible and bingo - the next victim comes along.

The landlord will be fully aware of the issue, probably has been for some time and has probably had complaints from previous tenants but sure as hell wouldn’t admit that.

Getting a dehumidifier is something that will help but, moving to a ground or first floor flat will ultimately be the best option. I fully appreciate this may not be practical but it needs to be her focus on my opinion.
Click to expand...

In fact shes is lucky she's renting in some ways so she can get out of it at the end of the tenancy.

A dehumidifier seems like a quick fix tbh, as normally most houses don't have them which says something..

HellDiverUK said:
I'd recommend not buying a dehumidifier.

Our house had bad condensation - windows running with water in the mornings, sometimes overflowing off the sill on to the floor. Mould behind the furniture, terrible. Bought a dehumidifer (20litre Dimplex), ran it 24/7 and cost a clean fortune - like £200 a quarter extra on the electricity bill over the winter. Used about 600W. Still had wet windows in the mornings.

Gave up a fitted a Nuaire Drimaster PIV machine - it's a small fan that blows air in from the attic 24/7, uses 5W. All the damp and condensation was gone within a week, even the black mould in the shower is gone. Had it three years now, and it's been brilliant. No draught from it (2 storey 1200ft2 house, fan is on level 2 out of 8, you can feel a slight breeze on the landing if you stand still long enough). I got the version with the heater in it, which I never have switched on unless it gets below -10C outside (so only for a few days in the 3 years we've had it).

The Drimaster has saved us about £1k in electricity in 3 years, and no damp issues at all now. Very, very highly recommended.

https://www.nuaire.co.uk/residential/positive-input-ventilation
Click to expand...

I'm a little unsure as to how blowing air from the attic/loft removed damp issue's? Unless your windows don't have vents allowing air into the property?

Speaking of ventilation I'm pretty sure my solid stone rear entire wall has been covered in some form of render causing the internal walls to be cold and damp feeling however not mouldy. Older buildings need a bit more care / planning when modifying or repairing.
 
fastwunz said:
I appreciate you trying to help your niece but it must be said that in all my years I am yet to see more that a couple of genuinely dry basement flats - and I’ve seen many.

They just aren’t practical places to live unless the walls are tanked properly, a sump is in place and an active air flow system too - it is also vital to have proper kitchen and bathroom extraction and to completely adjust your lifestyle to suit the unfavourable living situation.
[SNIP]
Click to expand...
I take your point here. However, your response is what I would describe as somewhat "Irish".

As a Junior Rep for a Pharma Company she is where she wants / needs to be. She has a private parking slot and convenient access to public transport. Finding ANY flat has not been an easy experience. She was asked to leave her previous (ground floor) flat because the Landlord was selling up - "Tenants can't be choosers"

Her Landlord is "stalling"; I have suggested that she contacts the Environmental Health Dep't of the local Council to get an "Improvement Order" imposed on the Landlord. Neither of us have any experience of doing this but suspect that dues to Government cuts and their sympathy towards Landlords, the Council will not help much if at all and that the Landlord will then give her "Notice to quit" and as you suggest, find the next victim.

Threepwood said:
I find that "It's easier to heat as well as you're not heating the damp air" is hard to believe, not the physics of heating high humidity vs low humidity, but the nature of blowing cold air into the place.
Click to expand...
I am inclined to agree with this but I do recall talking to the owner of a basement flat some years ago who said that he had sorted out a damp and mould problem by mounting a small extractor fan "backwards" in an outside wall. I didn't pay much attention at the time since I thought the whole idea was counter-intuitive - and probably "silly" - I may have been wrong?
 
I was skeptical too, but throwing money at running a dehumidifer wasn't sustainable. Plus the noise of the thing rattling away was driving Mrs mad.

For £300 the PIV was an experiment - if it didn't work, I was just going to sell it and plug the hole in the ceiling, simple. I didn't need to pay for install (here in N. Ireland we don't have Part P so DIY home wiring is fine, and I've done plenty), and the hole in the ceiling was simple to make.

Well, as I said, it worked beyond all expectations. I wouldn't recommend it if it was crap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom