Using a Dehumidifier in Portland's wet winter? (apartment, lease)

[philwithbeard]

Do many here use a home dehumidifier during winter months?

I know its just December, but the windows are always blocked by condensation, and the rooms just feel "tropical" moisture intense air and mold growing environment.

And if you use a dehumidifier, any brands / stores that anyone recommends? I am not a fan of Sears nor Kenmore appliances any more.

BTW: I have spent 60 some years living where I had to ADD moisture to the air with a humidifier during Winter. Dehumidifiers were used in summer. This just seems wrong to need a dehumidifier in winter.

Phil

[sayulita]

I think it may be something about your house. My house is 25 years old and I don't have any of those problems. Not sure what it could be but you might want to talk to a heating and air conditioning expert. I've never heard anybody here in Porland complain about high humidity inside their home. Good luck!

[davefr]

A dehumidifier will simply mask the symptoms vs. solving the problem. It sounds like your home is generating lots of humidity and once it hits uninsulated windows then it's condensing and causing a mold/mildew problem.

You need to look at your home:

1. Are family members taking long hot showers and is the bathroom properly vented. If not then your loading up the home with moisture.

2. Is your cloths dryer inside the home and is it properly vented? Laundry will also dump tons of humidity into a home. (cooking too)

3. Are your outside gutters effective and diverting rain water well outside the foundation walls away from the home.

4. Try insulating your windows with film or drapes. That won't solve the humidity problem but it will help prevent condensation.

[karlsch]

Unless you want to adopt a low humidity emitting lifestyle, a dehumidifier is your most economical solution. Here is what Consumer Recommends:

Large Capacity
GE AHK65LK
Kenmore (Sears) 54701

Medium Capacity
LG LHD45EL
Kenmore (Sears) 54501

Small Capacity
Haier HD306
Bionaire BDQ25-UC

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by davefr

A dehumidifier will simply mask the symptoms vs. solving the problem. It sounds like your home is generating lots of humidity and once it hits uninsulated windows then it's condensing and causing a mold/mildew problem.

You need to look at your home:

1. Are family members taking long hot showers and is the bathroom properly vented. If not then your loading up the home with moisture.

2. Is your cloths dryer inside the home and is it properly vented? Laundry will also dump tons of humidity into a home. (cooking too)

3. Are your outside gutters effective and diverting rain water well outside the foundation walls away from the home.

4. Try insulating your windows with film or drapes. That won't solve the humidity problem but it will help prevent condensation.

It is a very modest sized one bedroom apartment, and there is no washer / dryer in apartment. Not even a stove (kitchen) or bathroom vent. Cooking odors lingers for a couple of days.

Gutters are not my problem, multi-story building. Building maybe built mid-70's. Doubt it was built after mid-80's.

Long showers are not a problem.

Heat is only by electric base board heating. No circulating forced air.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by philwithbeard

It is a very modest sized one bedroom apartment, and there is no washer / dryer in apartment. Not even a stove (kitchen) or bathroom vent. Cooking odors lingers for a couple of days.

Gutters are not my problem, multi-story building. Building maybe built mid-70's. Doubt it was built after mid-80's.

Long showers are not a problem.

Heat is only by electric base board heating. No circulating forced air.

That sounds almost exactly like my old apartment when I lived downtown. It was terrible. The shower was moldy, it was always humid, the baseboard heat did nothing to help it... The bathroom had no ventilation basically. Totally illegal and against building code I thought, but maybe not.

I can't offer any solutions though because I simply moved (mold/humidity among the least of my issues at the time or with the apartment).

Maybe a dehumidifier would be helpful though since it's a smaller space. I did a quick google and couldn't really turn anything up. Good luck...

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by karlsch

Unless you want to adopt a low humidity emitting lifestyle, a dehumidifier is your most economical solution. Here is what Consumer Recommends:

Large Capacity
GE AHK65LK
Kenmore (Sears) 54701

Medium Capacity
LG LHD45EL
Kenmore (Sears) 54501

Small Capacity
Haier HD306
Bionaire BDQ25-UC

karlsch:

Thanks so much for the referrals. I finally got around to checking out the LG and the Haier models. (Now I just need to find a vendor, as Web store shipping $$ would be a killer.) You are correct, those models are highly rated but where to buy? The Kenmore (Sears) models are, as expected, poorly customer reviewed for having long life, lots of breakdowns; typical of Kenmore these days.

Backdrifter:
Thanks for searching the Internet.

And now that you mention it, bathroom mold.... Shower tile grout mold... Oh, ugh. Or is it E-Ewww now days?

Phil

[sayulita]

If you have mold, this is something your landlord needs to address. It can be a health issue and could be a reason to break your lease and move somewhere healthier.

[Sprightly]

Phil, check Dehumidifiers | Shop for Basement, Mini, Room, and Space Dehumidifier Units these out. I bought my portlable A/C's from air-n-water and was very happy with the service. I agree with everyone else that there is a problem is your apartment is that humid - my apartment is bone dry with how much I'm running the heat right now. I'm running a humidifier all the time.

[Leisesturm]

Humidity is one of those things people think they can gauge by the seat of their pants but I think not. Condensation on windows... I have that. I am not about to shell out for a dehumidifier because as the o.p. already alluded... humidity is good for people in winter and in most places they are paying good money for humidifiers to create it. In summer there may be some places where a denumidifier is worth the money and they are cheaper to own and run than A/C but I hope the o.p. will believe me when I say I do not think that a dehumidifier is the solution. What is? Well... lowered indoor temps... 67F is what the greenies recommend.

H