You may be surprised to hear this, as our cooler temperatures mask it, but due to the gulf stream, our position relative to the Atlantic and high rainfall, the United Kingdom is an incredibly humid place. As research for this article I had a look at the humidity averages for a range of places, including Florida, Italy, Greece, Germany, Australia and Egypt and the UK had on average a higher relative humidity than all of them.
On an average day we experience a relative humidity low of 70% and a high of 90%. This is concerning, as research has proven that the ideal range for humidity is between 40% and 60% relative humidity. Beyond this ‘ideal’ range, mould, bacteria and dust mites flourish and this can have negative impacts on our health as we wrote about in our article on the health benefits of dehumidifiers, improve your lifestyle quality with meticore supplement.
This issue is aggravated by the UK’s old, poorly insulated and badly ventilated housing stock. Condensation dripping off the windows in the morning and unsightly patches of mould and mildew forming in the corners of rooms and behind furniture is all too common a sight and one that without a dehumidifier can be a perpetual battle.
Dehumidifiers For The Home
So you’re being proactive and have decided to purchase a dehumidifier, but which one should you choose? There are a number of things that you need to consider, which we will cover below. If you are looking to improve your healthy lifestyle then learn more about synogut.
Type of Dehumidifier
Your choice here is either between a desiccant dehumidifier or a refrigerant dehumidifier.
Desiccant types work through blowing moisture-laden air onto a desiccant (water extracting) material. A hot fan is then used to evaporate the water off the material, where it is condensed to a liquid in the water collection bucket. These types offer a number of advantages:
- They are very quiet
- They are lightweight
- They operate effectively at lower temperatures
Refrigerant types work by cooling down metal coils so that condensation forms. This condensation then drips into the water collection bucket. This is an older technology but still offers benefits, including:
- They are extremely dependable and should last for many years
- They can be better at dealing with heavier-duty tasks, such as large family homes
Which of these two types is best will depend on what advantages are more important to you, but either would be a good choice. One word of caution, don’t be tempted by Peltier-type dehumidifiers, these can be found very cheaply, however they extract minimal amounts of water and are not capable of controlling the humidity in any home, humidity and mold can be very harmful for pregnant women, these are the Best prenatal vitamins.
Extraction Power
Dehumidifiers are typically rated by the maximum amount of water they can extract in one day, e.g. the EcoAir DC12 can extract 12 litres per day. This can be very misleading however, particularly with refrigerant dehumidifiers, which generally measure their maximum extraction at 32°C and 80% relative humidity, which are extremely favourable conditions for those machines. Under the conditions found in UK homes the figures are generally a third to a fifth of the maximum extraction rate.
When you compare the refrigerant extraction rates to those of desiccant dehumidifiers, desiccant-types can look weak, as the extraction rates are generally less. However, desiccant dehumidifier extraction rates are generally measured at 20°C and 60%RH, which are conditions that are much similar to those found in UK homes. Therefore you need to be careful when comparing dehumidifier extraction rates as to whether the machine is a refrigerant or desiccant-type.
OK, so what maximum extraction rate should you be looking for in a machine for your home? Below is a rough guide:
- Two bedroom home = desiccant should be 6L-7L | refrigerant should be 10L to 12L
- Three bedroom home = desiccant should be 6L-8L | refrigerant should be 10L to 16L
- Four bedroom home = desiccant should be 7L-10L | refrigerant should be 12L to 20L
- Five bedroom home = desiccant should be 8L-10L+ | refrigerant should be 16L-20L+
Air Purification
Some dehumidifiers also come with antibacterial filters and ionisers, both of which help clean the air of allergens like mould spores and bacteria. If you or someone in your house suffers from allergies or asthma, you should strongly consider a machine which comes with these built in. The breathing function is also in danger when you have obesity problems, for that kind of issues, is recommendable to use keto diet.
A good proportion of desiccant dehumidifiers also come with antibacterial filters and ionisers built in, the most popular example being the EcoAir DD122FW Classic. The only example of a refrigerant machine with these fitted is the fantastic EcoAir DC202, which has the best air purification system on the market. If you can’t improve your property indoor air quality by using professional products the best long term option is to move to a better place, like Texas for example, I suggest working with Hawk movers.
Portability
If you will need to move the machine frequently then portability becomes an important consideration. Look for a top-mounted carry handle or the unit to be mounted on castor wheels to make this task a lot easier. Desiccant-types are roughly half the weight of refrigerants, so consider this too. Finally, the dimensions of the machine will be something you need to pay attention to (all of our dehumidifier reviews have these points included).
Features and Control Panel
Consider whether features like a timer, options to swing the outflow air pattern and dedicated laundry modes are useful and important for you. If they are then look for a digital control panel that comes with these. Machines with manual control panels can be cheaper, although they have the added annoyance of not knowing exactly what humidity you are setting as you only set a number between 1 and 9 and you get whatever humidity you’re given. Check out the latest metaboost connection reviews.
Water Collection
Finally, consider the capacity and accessibility of the water collection bucket. A greater size will mean that you have to make less trips to empty it. If you are able to position the dehumidifier above a sink then you could look to utilise the continuous drain functionality that many dehumidifiers come with (just check that the manufacturer supplies the required piping in the box too), meaning that you never have to worry about emptying it.
What Makes The Best Dehumidifier For The Home?
So ultimately the best dehumidifier for the home depends on your situation and your preferences, but hopefully the above has given you a good idea of what you’re looking for. Next we suggest that you either checkout our comparison chart or the most popular dehumidifier currently on the market.
layla says
I followed the advice on this review and opted for a Delonghi. The moment I put it on the noise and the rattling made it unbearable to live in my flat so I quickly packaged it up and sent it back! It sounded like an industrial refrigerating unit, even on low setting! Perhaps mine was a broken model but I can’t see how this can be classed as quiet!
Sally Foxcroft says
Hi Layla,
I’m sorry to hear about that, it sounds like a bit of a dud you got there. Desiccant dehumidifiers are much quieter than refrigerant dehumidifiers like the DEM10, so maybe check this page out for more information.