A Question About Dehumidifiers -

[Bobbieo]

I know in AZ it is supposed to be a dry heat – but not during the monsoon season – mid July to mid- Sept. I suffer from blood pressure problems and this summer found myself having to change clothing 4 to 5 times a day from the humidity. I finally got a dehumidifier from the Internet and hope it is working properly.

The humidity in the house was 65 percent which is low but still was most uncomfortable, for me. I got the humidity down to 55 percent and the sweats pretty well under control now – what a relief. The machine is no longer sucking up the water and I can live comfortably with the AC set at 84 degrees. I have the humidity level set at “dry” and the power level at “High”.

Hope I am doing right by this machine as it is the first one I have ever owned and it is really doing well by me.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Sounds as though you're doing it right...

We used to use one too...

Our downstairs was very damp. Our machine allowed you to pour out the water, and I kept some of it. Not for drinking, but for use in my steam iron. I used to sew a lot. It's good for plants too.

:hi:

[Bobbieo]

6. Dear Peggy - I hope I am doing right by this machine as it has been a God send.

There was not one dehumifier in the city of Yuma and luckily was able to get one from the Internet in 3 days. I was beginning to wonder if this machine was a figment of my imagination.

I use any water for patio plants.

[marybourg]

2. They cost almost as much to run as an a.c. They use a compressor to dry the air.

You might be better off lowering the a.c. temp to 79 or 80 when it's humid. The humidity doesn't last very long most years.

[Kaleva]

5. If the A/C is too large, it won't work well as a dehumidier

[Kaleva]

3. If you are comfortable, then it's set right.

[Warpy]

4. Most of them will reliably do one room at a time

and they work exactly the same way AC does, only when the compressed fluid is sent through the coils of the dehumidifier, ambient humidity condenses on them indoors and is sent to the tray, something you're probably emptying frequently. The best setup for a basement is having the tube going not to the tray but to a dry well in the floor.

The dehumidifier will also add to the cooling in the room as well as wringing some of the water out of the air. A 10% decrease in relative humidity indoors is nothing to look down at.

I'm next door in NM and we're drying out for a few days. Good thing, I only use a swamp cooler here, making a humid 85 much more miserable than a dry 95.

[Bobbieo]

7. This is the first year I have suffered from the humidity as I was able to get in and out of

the pool by myself but no longer, so I had the pool drained this spring. I used to live in the darn thing all summer, but things happen!!!!

[rexcat]

8. We had a dehumidifier in out basement...

and on October 26, 2009 at 2:10 AM the smoke alarms went off. When I got to the basement there was one hell of a fire going. We were able to get out of the house with the kids and pets. Once the firemen arrived it only took about a minute to extinguish the flames but the insurance company spent $210,000 to get us back into the house. We had smoke damage but no structural damage.

We lived in a two room bedroom suite with kitchenette for a couple of months until the restoration company re-did the house. After the fire I had two major surgeries. Recovering in a hotel room is an absolute bitch.

We had an LG dehumidifier. LG knew there was a fire hazard with the unit but they did not recall it. Be very careful and when not at home please unplug your unit or check it daily for overheating. We just received a letter from our insurance company and they are taking LG to court to recoup the money.

[Bobbieo]

9. WOW!!! I have a Soleus Air and keep it in my bedroom. I will keep my eye on it

to be sure it does not overheat. Thanks, Rex.