A loft dehumidifier, much like a basement dehumidifier, aids in preventing condensation, dampness, and moisture damage in your attic. Moisture that is trapped in a loft can harm stored items and result in dampness, mould and mildew, bad odours, and property damage through rot.
Keep Your Dehumidifier Away from the Walls
It's easy to assume the best place to put your dehumidifier is against the wall. But it's not! Dehumidifiers suck in and expel air using vents. Blocking any of these vents can reduce your dehumidifier's effectiveness.
If you need to lower humidity throughout your house a whole-house dehumidifier is the best option. It is easy to fit, virtually silent and is the cheapest solution for whole house control.
Seal Air Leaks
Air leaks in your attic allow warm and moist air from your living space to enter the attic, leading to condensation. Seal any gaps or cracks in your attic floor, ceiling, walls, and around vents. You also want to seal off all pipes using caulk or foam insulation.
It's best to place it somewhere central in the house, being sure to think about where your sources of moisture are. Moisture problems like damp and mould are typically likely to arise in the bathroom, where showers and baths create lots of steam. And so, it is best to position your dehumidifier on the landing.
The bigger the dehumidifier (and the higher the wattage), the more watts it'll generally use. Large ones can use up to 500 watts, while the smaller models usually only use about 22 watts. All of these factors can also impact your dehumidifier's energy use.
Should a Dehumidifier Run Constantly? No, your dehumidifier should not have to run constantly to regulate the air humidity. An optimal humidity level to shoot for is between 30 and 50 percent. Your dehumidifier should reach this in 8 to 12 hours.
Why Should You Dehumidify Your Attic? Dehumidifying your attic can lead to significant energy savings. By maintaining optimal moisture levels, insulation works more efficiently, reducing the need for heating and cooling.
Check humidity levels – If the humidity in your attic is consistently above 50%, moisture could be present and lead to mold growth.
Ventilation is Key.
Ensure that your attic has both intake and exhaust vents to allow air circulation. Ridge vents, gable vents, or soffit vents are excellent options. By expelling moist air and replacing it with drier outside air, you'll maintain a balanced humidity level and prevent condensation build-up.
Cons of Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers collect water meaning they need to be regularly emptied. They also need to be regularly cleaned otherwise black mould can start to grow on the machine , which can induce a wide range of health problems including allergic reactions, lung problems and irritation.
Leaving your dehumidifier on all the time can result in dehumidifying too much, leading to a dry indoor environment. It can cause dry air, leading to respiratory issues, dehydrated skin, and static electricity.
How Long Does It Take for a Dehumidifier to Dry Out a Room? The size of the room, the humidity level, and the extent of the water damage are some of the variables that affect how long a dehumidifier takes to dry out a room. A dehumidifier typically needs between 24 and 72 hours to completely dry out a room.
Dehumidifiers are not very effective in extremely low temperatures. This is because dehumidifier coils attract water vapor, and if the temperatures drop too low — below 42 degrees Fahrenheit for example — the vapor would freeze, damaging your machine.
The cost to have a whole-house dehumidifier installed typically ranges from $1,000 to $2,800 or more, including both the unit and professional installation. Prices vary based on the system's capacity, brand, and complexity of installation.
A dehumidifier should collect a certain amount of water each day - generally, around 10-20 pints of water per 24-hour period. This should require you to empty most dehumidifiers daily or bi-daily when in operation.
The temperature in your home
Keep doors of unheated rooms open to allow some heat into them. Ideally your home should be heated between 18 to 21 degrees Celsius, but older people, babies and people who are less mobile may need it to be warmer.
Mold in attics is very common and can usually be dealt with quickly and effectively. No need to panic and treat your home as if it's uninhabitable and beyond repair. Attic mold is caused by moisture and mildew issues.
Appropriate Ventilation
Ensure your house has enough airflow by opening doors and windows to allow a cross-breeze, installing ceiling fans, or employing exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to reduce dampness. This maintains ideal humidity levels by letting damp air escape and allowing fresh air to flow.
Great for Fall through Spring indoor use. Placed in crawlspace, attic, closets and bedrooms to absorb excess moisture in air.
Ideal Location: Below HVAC Return Air Grill
Are you wondering where to install your dehumidifier? The In Wall or On Wall dehumidifier should be installed in a central location of the home.
Yes, moisture is bad when left unchecked for a few reasons. Excess moisture leads to a mold problem, which can pose a threat to the structure of your home as well as your health. Plus, moisture will damage any remaining insulation in your attic, making the problem even worse in a short period of time.
Is is better to run a dehumidifier during the day or at night? Experienced HVAC expert Doug Flader puts it simply. 'It honestly doesn't matter,' he says. 'Ideally, a dehumidifier should run automatically based on humidity levels, regardless of the time of day.
An example dehumidifier that can extract up to 20 litres a day, with a wattage of 480W would use 0.48 kW every hour. This means that an hour's usage would cost just 12p. In comparison, an example dehumidifier that can extract up to 12 litres a day, with a wattage of 157W (0.157 kW), would cost just under 4p an hour.
The lifetime of dehumidifiers usually ranges from five to 10 years. To maximize the lifetime, it's important to care for your dehumidifier. Be sure to regularly change the air filters, clean the condensing coils and exhaust grilles, and empty and clean the water bucket.