Dehumidifier prevents mold, which is the best?

More and more people are lowering the temperature of their homes to save gas. It is fine up to about 15 degrees, below there are problems with humidity. Can a dehumidifier solve these problems?

Lower temperatures mean more humidity

The colder the air, the less water vapor it can hold and the sooner the dew point, i.e. 100% humidity, is reached. So: the lower the indoor temperature is compared to the outside, the more humid it becomes. This is also the reason why you see fog so often in the morning. The air temperature has already dropped so much that the dew point is reached and the water vapor becomes liquid in the form of small water droplets.

Moisture causes mold problems

A damp room doesn’t make us very happy, but fungi like mildew do. At temperatures below 15 degrees, the humidity in cold places often exceeds 80%. The condition in which mushrooms can grow optimally. This is why you often see condensation on windows and frames.

Mold has unpleasant consequences. Not only do you see ugly black spots, but mold spores are also released that can make you allergic. The fungus also affects wood and other materials. In short, you want to avoid these mold problems at all costs. This can be done with a dehumidifier, for example.

What types of dehumidifiers are there?

He simplest type dehumidifier consists of a container with granules of a moisture-absorbing agent. Silica gel is usually used for this. A maximum of about 700 g of water is absorbed per kilo of silica gel. The big advantage of silica gel is that you can dry grains full of moisture again. Naturally, drying costs energy, unless you can do it in the sun. Another advantage is that no electricity is needed.

The most common type of dehumidifier works by strongly cooling the air with a compressor with a refrigerant such as propane. You can think of it as a fridge, but then as a cooling unit with no cabinet around it. Damp air cools, moisture rushes out and drips into a catch pan. It is basically pure distilled water. You can keep it or just throw it away.

The disadvantage of this type is that it is somewhat noisy. After all, it works with a pump. Of course, the process costs energy, depending on the size between 100 and 500 watts. This current is converted into heat. Heat is also released as the water vapor is converted to liquid.

A less efficient, but much quieter type works with a Peltier element. It is an electronic component which, if you pass current through it, becomes very cold on one side and very hot on the other. Since this type has no moving parts, it makes no noise other than the occasional dripping.

The last two types often have a moisture meter and control electronics. For example, the dehumidifier stops when the desired humidity level, for example 40% or 60%, is reached. This is very convenient, because this way it won’t get too dry and it won’t cost you unnecessary energy either.

What type of dehumidifier is the best?

To answer this question, you need to know a few things. How big is the room you want to dehumidify, is it a problem if the dehumidifier makes a lot of noise, are energy costs a major issue and do you want to be able to precisely control the humidity level?

If it is a very small space, such as a closet, you may consider using silica gel.

In all other cases, it is better to opt for one of the electronic variants.

Do you find noise annoying, for example in a bedroom? In this case, it is better to choose a specimen with a Peltier element. The downside is that dehumidifiers with a Peltier element have a bit lower capacity and are a bit more expensive per liter of moisture removed in terms of energy consumption.

Dehumidifier with compressor for large spaces

Want to make large spaces moisture-free? In this case, it is better to opt for a dehumidifier with a compressor. Usually each dehumidifier model indicates how many square meters it can handle. Choose a type that can handle the same number of square meters or slightly more than the room you want to dehumidify. If the room with humidity problems becomes very cold, it is wise to buy a type that also works well in low temperatures.

It is better to buy a model that has 4-5 stars in the product rating on a website such as bol.com or Amazon. Also consider power consumption. This can be important, especially with larger models. Consider that a 1000 W per hour device uses one kilowatt hour of power. So if you reach your goal with a lower wattage, choose the more energy-efficient device.