Posted 17 November 2023

Help! What dehumidifier do I need?!

I live in a one-bed ground floor flat. It's in an old house converted into flats so the rooms are a good size with really high ceilings. This is my first winter in the flat and I think I need a dehumidifier but am clueless as to what to get.

I get a lot of condensation on the windows in most of the rooms.
The humidity ranges from the high 60s up to the lower 80s.
The bedroom is also incredibly cold with, what I have been told, seasonal damp on one wall.
I have also noticed that my clothes/towels smell can smell weird (not a musky smell I have found before when putting washing away that isn't fully dry, but a weird smell I can't describe and not on freshly-washed clothes rather on clothes that have been hanging up for a bit).

I do not have the heating on often due to a mix of not being at home that much and because of the cost (I can't control the heating when not in, so don't want to run it all day when I am not in).
The coldest part of the bedroom can already be as low as 8 degrees in the morning (no clue how cold it gets in the night). Even with the heating on the bedroom doesn't really warm (only one small radiator inbetween two drafty old sash windows, which have broken secondary glazing which I will get fixed).

I think I need a decent sized dehumidifier due to the high ceilings? Would a 20L be enough?

If I get a compressor (cheaper to run?) and run it in the warmer rooms will this still help the cold bedroom?
Or do I need a desiccant?
And would one with an air filter be good for my clothes problem?

I have seen lots of great things said about Meaco but still get confused as to which model would be best for me.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Adding further details:
I open the windows every day that I can (as ground floor only open them when I am in, so there is the odd day here and then when I don't).

Always open the bathroom window during and after showering until condensation has well gone.

No mould that I can see anywhere, but I guess it might not be visible.

My neighbours job is to deal with flood/fire damage and told me not to worry about the damp in the bedroom, as it is on a chimney breast. Been boarded up but has a vent. Said not worth worrying about (the chimney isn't capped as the flat above has a working fireplace).

There was also damp in the bathroom but this was due to the boiler overflow. Boiler has been sorted and I have been letting the damp dry out before redecorating.
This was has been stripped back to the plaster though, so could this be causing the weird smell?
Exposed old plaster + steam from showering?
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  1. brendanhickey's avatar
    Do you open to the windows? Because that can be the problem, humans and drying clothes etc all produce lots of damp, if the window is closed because it’s cold out it traps the damp inside and makes it seem much colder than it is. At least once a day open every single window in the flat to let fresh air in and damp air to move out and it came make the flat warmer overall just by getting rid of that stale air. My parents run a dehumidifier 24/7 and they don’t seem to costs too much to run and collect huge amounts of water. It will help stop the damp but wont fix the problem that is causing it which is probably bad ventilation.
    bob-mk2's avatar
    These are wise words.

    I suspect a huge amount of problems with mould and dampness would be solved by simply leaving the windows open for an hour each day.

    I also wonder if 'seasonal dampness' is rising damp or a water leak in the walls.
  2. gravy_davey's avatar
    From the information you’ve provided I’d go for a desiccant unit. Compressor units wont work below 10°C but their effectiveness/efficiency drops off once you start going below 18°C. Desiccant unit produce more heat, so can warm the air which in turn absorbs more moisture.
  3. AMaky's avatar
    Open windows to freshen up and you still need heating on to dry room up and warm it.
  4. buzzard's avatar
    Size just affects how often you empty it. Buy a decent brand, leave doors open and it will help in the bedroom but you might like to site it in or near the bedroom. Meaco fans are really quiet, dont know about their dehumidifiers, check the db rating.

    A karcher vac used in windows and in your shower will remove water and help a bit. Use extraction fans if you have them.
  5. thepostie's avatar
    A decent Meaco or Ebac one with at least 18lt should do you fine. We have two Ebacs, and it has pretty much eradicated the mould that used to grow on a wall upstairs.
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