Which Dehumidifier?

[Doug71]

I am just looking at buying a dehumidifier for my mothers house and noticed @Sideways mentioned one he uses in another thread so I thought why not ask for recommendations on here.

Bit of background, it's an old 2 bedroom place with a few damp issues, probably not helped by the fact that my mother doesn't put the heating on enough.

I see there are two types, desiccant and compressor. After a bit of Googling my thoughts are since the house is never that warm and she has economy 7 electric I was thinking of getting the desiccant type, in fact the one Sideways mentioned sounds ideal. Might be slightly oversized but can't see that being a problem?

Anybody got any thoughts or other recommendations?

Thanks, Doug

 

[Sideways]

Theres a bloke called fixmyroof on youtube who uploaded tests of several machines.
I liked one he spoke well of by a brand called Toyotomi (tdz110).
These aren't available but it turns out Ecoair in the UK designed these, made in China, and a popular model in Japan where they are into these sort of appliances. That Toyotomi is identical to one of their older models.
I figured a manufacturer who could "sell coal to Newcastle" might be worth a punt

 

[artie]

Here's the one I bought over a year ago.

https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/...zJw9g5WpDq5FdR9pSMHFfO19_fkdPLJ8aApJ9EALw_wcB
But I'm not recommending it.

It runs upstairs 24/7 and removes usually less than 2.5 litres per day.

If I was buying again I would get something more powerful like sideways has.

 

[artie]

But I'm not recommending it.

I'm having second thoughts, I just did a little comparison.

Meaco is rated at 12l per day sideways at 10.5

meaco uses 165w sideways 420 w

meaco used at 60 or less RH sideways 70 - 90 RH

So they may be close in performance if used at the same RH.

I don't like that mine doesn't ever switch off, but maybe I'm too optimistic setting at 55

 

[Ollie78]

Meaco Zambezi. Its a dessicant type so heats the room a bit as well. Works very well but in the end for our house I fitted a PIV in the loft which is working better.

Ollie

 

[Jacob]

I'd look at getting her to turn up the heating and/or ventilation. You don't get anything for nothing (except ventilation!) and a bit of damp may be easier to ignore if the rooms are a bit warmer.

 

[Sideways]

Meaco are a big brand.
Dessicants are very simple and most use the same zeolite absorber, a fan, a heater and something to spin the drying wheel.
I'd expect v similar performance at any age and power.
So as long as you have a humidity display, some choice of speed and a timer, the rest is crossed fingers and hoping they last.

 

[Cabinetman]

Hi Doug, best of luck with your mother, not the easiest things to try and control in my experience. lol
Just checked this is the one I have, the first one lasted probably eight years so this is the second one, Eco-air DD/S black edition, God knows why cause it’s all white, up to 7 L per day on the high setting which is 580 W and the low setting is 300 W so not ever so cheap to run but what is I suppose, and probably half of that is given off as heat. Ian

 

[Doug71]

I'd look at getting her to turn up the heating and/or ventilation. You don't get anything for nothing (except ventilation!) and a bit of damp may be easier to ignore if the rooms are a bit warmer.

Totally agree but I'm sure you know what old folks are like, why turn up the heating when you can just walk around the house wearing 2 fleeces instead

 

[Doug71]

Hi Doug, best of luck with your mother, not the easiest things to try and control in my experience. lol
Just checked this is the one I have, the first one lasted probably eight years so this is the second one, Eco-air DD/S black edition, God knows why cause it’s all white, up to 7 L per day on the high setting which is 580 W and the low setting is 300 W so not ever so cheap to run but what is I suppose, and probably half of that is given off as heat. Ian

That sounds like the type I'm after, as said she has economy 7 so it can run at night on cheap electric and if it gives off a bit of heat that is a bonus.

 

[Dlyxover]

For drying cloths I use a dehumidifier in my flat, use one we got from screw fix, runs 2-3 days a week and has done for the last 4 years.

not complaints with it

Blyss WDH-316DB 16Ltr Dehumidifier

 

[Dave Moore]

Theres a bloke called fixmyroof on youtube who uploaded tests of several machines.
I liked one he spoke well of by a brand called Toyotomi (tdz110).
These aren't available but it turns out Ecoair in the UK designed these, made in China, and a popular model in Japan where they are into these sort of appliances. That Toyotomi is identical to one of their older models.
I figured a manufacturer who could "sell coal to Newcastle" might be worth a punt

Ebac make one, made in uk. If they are as good as their washing machines they should be good. Made in the North East.

 

[tomlt]

Hi Doug,

I definitely would NOT recommend Meaco, I've had DDL7 and now a DDL8 Zambezi. Both are dessicant type and were used 24/7 in my workshop. Despite regular maintenance and good dust control, they failed on average every 6months and had to go back to Meaco repair (cambs). They were very good on their warranty, but the DDL7 died out of warranty for a 5th time. My DDL8 has now been repaired/replaced twice and has just died again over Xmas. 2yrs warranty as standard, but some retailers offer 3yrs. I'll be sending it back again to be fixed/replaced but I've just bought an ecoair classic (140quid)- time to try a different brand with a more simple control system.

Tom.

 

[Glitch]

I have this one Meaco Arete 25l It is not a desiccant type.

I'm disappointed with it. It has reduced overall humidity in the house and made it feel warmer and noticeably drier air. Unfortunately, it hasn't cured the condensation on the bedroom windows (single glazed wood framed). It ran for two weeks solid, now rarely comes on. Comes in useful to speed up drying laundry and when the carpets and sofa were cleaned.

Wife hates the noise of it on the landing so no chance of getting it in the bedroom at night when it's needed. I tell her she needs to stop breathing

The logic seems flawed. Just this morning I've set it to 45% to stir it into action and it sits there at 47% doing nothing. Part of the problem is colder weather means lower humidity.

I had an Ebac one years ago and it seemed to do a better job. Packed up soon after the warranty expired.

Interesting to read the Ebac website which clearly has an issue with Which? testing criteria. Ebac claim to have a smarter algorithm to deal with British weather.
John Lewis no longer sell Ebac dehumidifiers but sell a lot of Meaco.

I need to have a chat with Meaco Customer Support.

Might be worth trying an Ebac one on 30 day free trial. I wish I had.

 

[billgiles]

I run a dehumidifier in my workshop, it is an older Curry’s generic one. I take about 5L a week out of the air and maintain about 60% humidity. It saves my tools from rust.

 

[Phil winks]

I am just looking at buying a dehumidifier for my mothers house and noticed @Sideways mentioned one he uses in another thread so I thought why not ask for recommendations on here.

Bit of background, it's an old 2 bedroom place with a few damp issues, probably not helped by the fact that my mother doesn't put the heating on enough.

I see there are two types, desiccant and compressor. After a bit of Googling my thoughts are since the house is never that warm and she has economy 7 electric I was thinking of getting the desiccant type, in fact the one Sideways mentioned sounds ideal. Might be slightly oversized but can't see that being a problem?

Anybody got any thoughts or other recommendations?

Thanks, Doug

Personally I’d steer clear of the desiccant ones those I’ve seen in use might as well have been in another postcode, on the domestic compressor ones I’ve used the best by far are sold by Screwfix in two sizes apart from the collection tank size the main difference is one has a continuous drain facility making it a set and forget item. That one would be my preference here.

 

[Ollie78]

I think it important to get the right tool for the job here. We found the dehumidifier good for one room at a time but could not cope with an entire house. Also they are fairly heavy on the electricity.
So this is why I got the Positive input ventilation system. It is not perfect and on really cold days we do get a tiny bit of condensation. But before it was dripping on to the window sills like puddles.
It works by constantly adding clean dry air from outside ( in the loft in my case) which results in the moisture carrying capacity of the air being kept higher so it is less likely to condense on cold surfaces. It's effectively diluting the moist air with dry air.
For the same money as a good dehumidifier it is far superior and much cheaper to run.
I went for a vent axia one, shop around I got mine £150 cheaper than some people were charging for the same exact machine.

Ollie

 

[MARK.B.]

could you give a rough figure cost wise please Ollie

 

[Ollie78]

could you give a rough figure cost wise please Ollie

I think I paid about £250 but this was 18 months or so ago. The one I have is this one PureAir Home with heater | Vent-Axia

I don't have it on the legs I hung it on a string.

They do various models, I got the one with the heater which takes the edge off the cold air as it comes through. Also I upgraded to the Hepa filters which I bought on ebay separately.
I need to get some more actually as they are quite dirty now as I noted when shoving Christmas nonsense back on the loft.

As a small positive side effect is my daughter used to get "itchy" skin quite often.
After we had installed the unit she never mentioned it again. Perhaps she was allergic to mould growing in the damp or something, or the filter is catching whatever was bothering her.

Ollie

 

[Cabinetman]

I think I paid about £250 but this was 18 months or so ago. The one I have is this one PureAir Home with heater | Vent-Axia

I don't have it on the legs I hung it on a string.

They do various models, I got the one with the heater which takes the edge off the cold air as it comes through. Also I upgraded to the Hepa filters which I bought on ebay separately.
I need to get some more actually as they are quite dirty now as I noted when shoving Christmas nonsense back on the loft.

As a small positive side effect is my daughter used to get "itchy" skin quite often.
After we had installed the unit she never mentioned it again. Perhaps she was allergic to mould growing in the damp or something, or the filter is catching whatever was bothering her.

Ollie

I must say Ollie that I wish I’d known about one of these years ago, it seems a very clever solution to a problem that many people have, yes mould could have been affecting your daughter so that was a good move, I would just say that if you experience chest problems in your family it may be that the air is too dry.
I know never happy lol.