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We have a dehum for the washing. It works really, really well, and is a lot more energy efficient than using the tumble dryer, esp as you can just have it on for a bit
does it make much difference is it expensive to run how long do u need it on for sorry for all ??? got a chance of getting one on freecycle but don't want it if it is going to be no good
Cannot tell you how green it is - although you could check the Energy Eff Rating, but ours does speed up the drying a treat (and stops our very damp house getting worse, into the bargain). It also handily heats the air in the rooms up a few degrees so saves on heating in the winter
Depends what sort of dehumidifier it is, as to how much energy it uses.
An industrial strength one would definately use more energy (and be farking noisy too) An old one would most likely use more energy, but you really need to know what make and model so you can check the Energy Efficiency Rating (ok so i'm assuming dehums have one?) online or something.
Anyway you slice it, you have to factor that the specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J/kgK, and the specific latent heat of vaporisation is 2.26MJ/kg.
oh right haven't a clue how old it is sounds old cos it has got brown plastic casing dunno weather to get it or not i'm fed up of waiting days for my washing to dry but it does dry eventually
no, seriously I am interested, cos I live in Southern Portugal where it is damp and chilly in the winter but not so cold that you really need loads of CH. We use a dehumidifier and the house def feels drier, warmer and more comfortable.
Ok i've quickly tried to find out if they have EERs and i couldn't find any. It sounds like a fairly old model, but having said that my mum has one with wooden casing on it, and it still does the biz. I am not and never have claimed to be particularly eco-friendly though!
They take much less electricty to than a tumble drier an is therefore a lot more economical to run. They have cooling agent, so it suck damp air in, cool it down so the water goes into a container, and air is let back out without humidity or any water content. My parents have one in the laundry room, it dries laundry quicly. Hang in the morning, dry by evening.
We found ours a complete waste of £100 odd, tumble dryer much better - actually dries the washing, not eco friendly but if the heating isnt on the washing does at least dry!
Yes, they definitely help it to dry quicker (best in a small room) and are cheaper than a tumble drier to run. You do have them on for longer than a tumble drier though.
Really, there is no such thing as a free lunch. If you are going ot do anything other than dry outside, you have to pay in some way for the cost of heating water and evaporating it.
Except, Squeaky, that you aren't heating the water up or evaporating it with a dehum - it collects in the bottom of the machine and you use it to water the garden/houseplants etc.
You are not heating water to evaporate. There is a fan that sucks the air in, this runs on electricty. the cooling agent converts humid air to water and dry air. We cant dry outside where i live, we have 6-7 months of snow.
It is not magic. It is science. I can ask my father, he has been selling and repairing such units for large parts of his adult life, or my sister who is a refridgeration engineer, if you must know the exact details.
It depends on the unit. And the age of the unit. You find similar coolants in fridges and freezers.
I would be hesitant to use a very old unit, as the coolant may be old, and it is not great if there is a leak. Some of the older coolants are best kept in a sealed environment. They are not as friendly to the environment as the more modern ones.
Erm, it does, yes Squeaky, have a heating coil in it - but only to heat the air back to it's original temperature. The water collects in the bucket at the bottom because it condenses inside the machine.
The condensation principle: The humid air passes through an evaporator, where the water vapour condenses on a cold surface and drops into the water container. The cooled air passes through the condenser leaving the return air drier and several degrees warmer.
LOL - Squeaky...i thought you were having a dig at my obviously inferior intelligence (you weren't, were you? Paranoia again). (Or is it paranoia if it's true?).
I used to hang my washing out in London. But this is not really possible across the artic circle, except for July and August maybe. I need a solution for year round drying, and I want a solution that is better for the environment than a tumble drier.
You need an Owl. It measures the energy being used in your house.
So you dry a load in the dryer and record the time and increase in power usage. Then you dry a similar load in the small room with the dehumidifier. and see the difference.
We have found our dryer is actually less expensive to run than turning up the heating. It suprised me quite alot.
Warning - this gadget is addictive and makes you iron at superspeed
