We are well into the dehumidifier 'season' now and most of our phone calls tend to be from many of you with condensation problems wondering which dehumidifier will suit you best.
Choosing a home dehumidifier has got slightly more 'muddled' in the last couple of years due to the arrival of the new ' Dessicant' or 'Adsorption' dehumidifiers which claim to be greener and more efficient than the conventional compressor type units that we have all been used for the past umpteen years.
Whats the Difference?
Standard compressor dehumidifiers utilise a compressor and refrigerant to collect the moisture. This type of arrangement is also used in fridges and air conditioners and is very effective.
The new Dessicant Dehumidifiers utilise a moisture adsorbing gel instead of refrigerant and compressor. The gel inside the dehumidifier gets laden with the moisture from the room and this then gets passed over a small heater element which re-dries the gel thus releasing the collected moisture into the water tank for you to empty when it fills up.
Benefits? Drawbacks?
Compressor dehumidifiers collect most of their moisture when the room is warm. The colder your room gets, the less moisture the compressor type dehumidifier collects.
The dessicant dehumidifiers continue to collect the same amount of moisture from the air regardless of the room temperature. This means as well as being great for your home, they are especially ideal for use in places which are often unattended ( and unheated ), such as garages, workshops, caravans, boats. holiday homes etc.
Dessicant dehumidifiers tend to be much lighter too, around half the weight of a comparable compressor type unit.
Ok, thats the benefits, but what about the drawbacks?, well the main trade off is in the power consumption. You can find that some dessicant units use almost twice as much power as their compressor counterparts. However, their increased efficiency ( they are on full power less often because they do their job more efficiently ) usually offsets this. Also dessicant units tend to re-introduce much warmer air back into the room than other types and therefore your normal household heating is not having to be on as much!
Best Ones?
The best value dessicant dehumidifier is probably the X-Dry which is a fantastic machine, but tests show the DD122Mk111 is every bit as good and costs less too!
The following page has a great list of dehumidifiers of both types and don't forget, you only have to call for good impartial advice.
View all Dehumidifiers
Thursday 13 November 2008
Tuesday 2 September 2008
Dehumidifiers Already?
Well it seems the summer has been and gone already, if ever there is a sure sign that the sunny part of the year is behind us it is when customers are calling us to talk about damp and mould problems in their homes.
This year that point in the season has arrived early and so if you are one of the millions of people who's home suffers from excess moisture now is proabably a good time to get a few tips on choosing the right dehumidifier for you.
A well chosen dehumidifier can definitely be the quickest way of removing the excess moisture from your house ( or garage, caravan, shed etc) and you needn't pay through the nose to get a good machine - if your careful.
If you search the internet you will soon become amazed at the sheer number of different machines that have flooded the UK market already and many of them seem to be very cheap. With dehumidifiers though, you really do get what you pay for.
Most sub £150 dehumidifiers ( and some more expensive ones too ) tend to be 'here today gone tomorrow' models which are bought in by retailers as a stack 'em high sell 'em cheap product. On the face of it, you the consumer would seem to benefit from the initial cheap prices, but the difficulties come later.
Usually these machines will last for around a year at most ( just about as long as your warranty ) and then when they do eventually go 'pop' you are left high and 'dry' - pardon the pun, with no way of getting a replacement or spares because that was 'last years model' and is no longer manufactured!
This year that point in the season has arrived early and so if you are one of the millions of people who's home suffers from excess moisture now is proabably a good time to get a few tips on choosing the right dehumidifier for you.
A well chosen dehumidifier can definitely be the quickest way of removing the excess moisture from your house ( or garage, caravan, shed etc) and you needn't pay through the nose to get a good machine - if your careful.
If you search the internet you will soon become amazed at the sheer number of different machines that have flooded the UK market already and many of them seem to be very cheap. With dehumidifiers though, you really do get what you pay for.
Most sub £150 dehumidifiers ( and some more expensive ones too ) tend to be 'here today gone tomorrow' models which are bought in by retailers as a stack 'em high sell 'em cheap product. On the face of it, you the consumer would seem to benefit from the initial cheap prices, but the difficulties come later.
Usually these machines will last for around a year at most ( just about as long as your warranty ) and then when they do eventually go 'pop' you are left high and 'dry' - pardon the pun, with no way of getting a replacement or spares because that was 'last years model' and is no longer manufactured!
So it pays to call and ask the retailer for advice as to which units are suitable for your specific problem and at the same time ask them to confirm that spares/repairs will be available for that model in the years to come.
We have purposely put together a small selection of home dehumidifiers this year which are all proven for reliability and offer a sensible choice at good value for money.
Top Dog?
The top dogs of the dehumidifier world are generally recognised as being either of the two Mitsubishi models. These have rock solid relaibility and are very quiet in operation.
Best Value?
The PDEH202o is a powerful home dehumidifier with proven reliability over the last 3 years and is as good as you will get for this kind of outlay.
Smallest?
All the dehumidifiers are fairly small, but the tiniest has to be the Little Gem which is perfect for cupboards and drawers etc.
Click here to view all our home dehumidifiers or call 01207 507444 for some good old fashioned 'person to person' advice!
Good Luck.
Wednesday 20 August 2008
Air Purifiers and Allergens
Air Purifiers and Allergens
There are a multitude of websites who are only too willing to sell the desperate Allergy sufferer an Air Purifier which will supposedly 'remove over 99%' of airborne allergens including the above mentioned mould spores.
On the face of it you can see how such a sweeping statement can seem like the answer to all of an allergy sufferers prayers. And of course with units costing as little as £40.00 you can see why it is a popular avenue to take. However care needs to be taken when choosing as things are not always as cut and dried as they seem.
One of the most popular types of air purifiers are called 'Hepa' ( High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter' ), These units usually claim to remove over 99% of airborne allergens etc. However this does not necessarily guarantee that the unit you purchase will actually give you this kind of performance.
You see, it is not the air purifier as a whole which guarantees 99% efficiency , it is only the HEPA filter itself inside the machine which has been stringently tested to ensure that it catches 99% of the air passing through it.
The point made here is that once the actual filter has been fitted into the machine and then switched on, how do you know how much of the air going through the machine is actually passing through the Hepa Filter itself? Air will always take the path of least resistance - and that means if dirty air can find a way around the filter it will.
The biggest difference between top of the range Hepa Air Purifiers like the Blueair 402 and a less expensive model like the Prem-I-Air PJ152 is the quality of the casing, the fan (which is of immense importance for longevity and for keeping the noise down) and the care that has been taken to ensure the best possible 'seal' between filter and machine so that all the dirty air drawn into the machine is passed through the filter with none of the above mentioned by-pass.
So for Hepa filter type air purifers, choose a machine with a good quality fan (less noise, good airflow) and try to talk to the retailer to make sure the unit you are considering has a good seal between the filter and the rest of the housing to minimise unfiltered air by-pass.
For the pinnacle of air filtration in the home or office, then you may want to consider an Airfree machine. These units ( P60, P80 and P125 ) clean the air to a higher degree than any of the Hepa type units and also destroy all viruses and bacteria. Completely independent testing from renowned testing houses and Universities worldwide substantiate these claims making them as safe a bet as you are likely to make. However this kind of air purification comes at a price and you can spend up to £199 for the stand alone P125 or as much as £239.00 for the Stainless Steel Wall mounted WM120.
There are a multitude of websites who are only too willing to sell the desperate Allergy sufferer an Air Purifier which will supposedly 'remove over 99%' of airborne allergens including the above mentioned mould spores.
On the face of it you can see how such a sweeping statement can seem like the answer to all of an allergy sufferers prayers. And of course with units costing as little as £40.00 you can see why it is a popular avenue to take. However care needs to be taken when choosing as things are not always as cut and dried as they seem.
One of the most popular types of air purifiers are called 'Hepa' ( High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter' ), These units usually claim to remove over 99% of airborne allergens etc. However this does not necessarily guarantee that the unit you purchase will actually give you this kind of performance.
You see, it is not the air purifier as a whole which guarantees 99% efficiency , it is only the HEPA filter itself inside the machine which has been stringently tested to ensure that it catches 99% of the air passing through it.
The point made here is that once the actual filter has been fitted into the machine and then switched on, how do you know how much of the air going through the machine is actually passing through the Hepa Filter itself? Air will always take the path of least resistance - and that means if dirty air can find a way around the filter it will.
The biggest difference between top of the range Hepa Air Purifiers like the Blueair 402 and a less expensive model like the Prem-I-Air PJ152 is the quality of the casing, the fan (which is of immense importance for longevity and for keeping the noise down) and the care that has been taken to ensure the best possible 'seal' between filter and machine so that all the dirty air drawn into the machine is passed through the filter with none of the above mentioned by-pass.
So for Hepa filter type air purifers, choose a machine with a good quality fan (less noise, good airflow) and try to talk to the retailer to make sure the unit you are considering has a good seal between the filter and the rest of the housing to minimise unfiltered air by-pass.
For the pinnacle of air filtration in the home or office, then you may want to consider an Airfree machine. These units ( P60, P80 and P125 ) clean the air to a higher degree than any of the Hepa type units and also destroy all viruses and bacteria. Completely independent testing from renowned testing houses and Universities worldwide substantiate these claims making them as safe a bet as you are likely to make. However this kind of air purification comes at a price and you can spend up to £199 for the stand alone P125 or as much as £239.00 for the Stainless Steel Wall mounted WM120.
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Asthma and Breathing Disorders Triggered By Mould?
There are many airborne contaminants which are credited to 'triggering' an allergic reaction such as an Asthma attack, none get quite such bad press as the humble mould spore, but perhaps it's not as humble as you think....... read on.
Molds - The Hidden Danger.
Editor's note: Autumn means moulds are out in full force. Outdoor moulds thrive in gutters, soil, rotten wood and fallen leaves. Damp weather promotes indoor mould growth as well. Check bathrooms, kitchens, basements, carpets and houseplants for mould growth. Allergic reactions may be heightened by the airborne spores moulds produce.
Moulds, mildew and fungi are present everywhere...inside and outside. Furniture, carpet, books, even the air we breathe is full of spores. Humid, dark places with little air circulation promote the rapid growth of these fungi.
Hidden Dangers
Eating, relaxing and sleeping in a home full of allergy antagonists like mould, mildew and fungus presents your body with additional challenges which may lead to a worsening of your symptoms. Over 50 moulds are considered problematic, including Stachybotrys, more commonly known as "black mould". Pulmonary hemosiderosis has been linked to toxic mould exposure by the CDC. Mould can grow behind walls and even dead moulds can make you sick. Mould can be found in homes, hospitals, schools and office buildings and may not be easily noticeable. All parts of the country are affected by mould and areas where moisture or heavy rain prevails, are more susceptible to mould, mildew and fungal growth.
Hidden Mold Growth - Behind walls (drywall).
Mould Causes and Symptoms.
Moulds typically grow in buildings affected by water damage and are a potential cause of many health problems including asthma, sinusitis, and infections. People sensitive to moulds are particularly uncomfortable on cloudy, rainy, damp days. Moulds may also play a major role in cases of sick building syndrome and related illnesses. Allergic reactions can be caused by moulds. The most reliable physical findings of mould allergy are dyshidrotic eczema, accompanied by tiny blisters on the palms of the hands. Other symptoms are nummular eczema that looks like ringworm.
EPA estimates indicate 50 to 100 common indoor mould types have the potential for creating health problems.
Mold Types
EPA estimates indicate 50 to 100 common indoor mould types have the potential for creating health problems. Common allergenic moulds include Cladosporium and Alternaria. Moulds that produce mycotoxins, such as Stachybotrys and Trichoderma, can pose a serious health hazard.
Mold Prevention Tips
Important: Always follow instructions of commercial cleaning products and wear an approved mask if you are sensitive to chemicals.
Use a dehumidifier in damp areas (above 50% humidity) of your home. Change the water frequently in the dehumidifier and disinfect to prevent mold from forming.
Peform diligent housekeeping, clean with a solution of hot soapy water and 20 Mule Team Borax or bleach (if the item is colorfast). Use gloves and wear a mask to limit your exposure to chemicals.
Dry and/or replace water damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mould growth.
Look for mould or mildew in attics, basements, closets, bathrooms, dirty clothes, hampers, garbage cans and children's soiled stuffed toys.
Check the insides of shoes for mould and scrub and dry thoroughly in the sun if possible.
Try to improve air circulation in the attic, basement, closets and bathroom.
Wipe down the refrigerator and freezer door seals. Clean the refigerator often throwing away left-overs and old produce.
Dry damp areas in the kitchen, laundry room, under the kitchen sink and under the lid of the washing machine.
Clean the lint filter after each load in the dryer.
Clean and/or replace air conditioner filters periodically.
Clean ceiling fans once per month.
If closets are damp, keep the light on to prevent the growth of mould and mildew.
Wash pillows and blankets often. Note: Feather pillows are not recommended for feather-allergic individuals! Hypo-allergenic pillows are available.
Outside, have fallen leaves, decaying plants and compost heaps removed.
Mould Information Resources
More information on molds may be found at EPA's website, Indoor Air - Molds
Molds - The Hidden Danger.
Editor's note: Autumn means moulds are out in full force. Outdoor moulds thrive in gutters, soil, rotten wood and fallen leaves. Damp weather promotes indoor mould growth as well. Check bathrooms, kitchens, basements, carpets and houseplants for mould growth. Allergic reactions may be heightened by the airborne spores moulds produce.
Moulds, mildew and fungi are present everywhere...inside and outside. Furniture, carpet, books, even the air we breathe is full of spores. Humid, dark places with little air circulation promote the rapid growth of these fungi.
Hidden Dangers
Eating, relaxing and sleeping in a home full of allergy antagonists like mould, mildew and fungus presents your body with additional challenges which may lead to a worsening of your symptoms. Over 50 moulds are considered problematic, including Stachybotrys, more commonly known as "black mould". Pulmonary hemosiderosis has been linked to toxic mould exposure by the CDC. Mould can grow behind walls and even dead moulds can make you sick. Mould can be found in homes, hospitals, schools and office buildings and may not be easily noticeable. All parts of the country are affected by mould and areas where moisture or heavy rain prevails, are more susceptible to mould, mildew and fungal growth.
Hidden Mold Growth - Behind walls (drywall).
Mould Causes and Symptoms.
Moulds typically grow in buildings affected by water damage and are a potential cause of many health problems including asthma, sinusitis, and infections. People sensitive to moulds are particularly uncomfortable on cloudy, rainy, damp days. Moulds may also play a major role in cases of sick building syndrome and related illnesses. Allergic reactions can be caused by moulds. The most reliable physical findings of mould allergy are dyshidrotic eczema, accompanied by tiny blisters on the palms of the hands. Other symptoms are nummular eczema that looks like ringworm.
EPA estimates indicate 50 to 100 common indoor mould types have the potential for creating health problems.
Mold Types
EPA estimates indicate 50 to 100 common indoor mould types have the potential for creating health problems. Common allergenic moulds include Cladosporium and Alternaria. Moulds that produce mycotoxins, such as Stachybotrys and Trichoderma, can pose a serious health hazard.
Mold Prevention Tips
Important: Always follow instructions of commercial cleaning products and wear an approved mask if you are sensitive to chemicals.
Use a dehumidifier in damp areas (above 50% humidity) of your home. Change the water frequently in the dehumidifier and disinfect to prevent mold from forming.
Peform diligent housekeeping, clean with a solution of hot soapy water and 20 Mule Team Borax or bleach (if the item is colorfast). Use gloves and wear a mask to limit your exposure to chemicals.
Dry and/or replace water damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mould growth.
Look for mould or mildew in attics, basements, closets, bathrooms, dirty clothes, hampers, garbage cans and children's soiled stuffed toys.
Check the insides of shoes for mould and scrub and dry thoroughly in the sun if possible.
Try to improve air circulation in the attic, basement, closets and bathroom.
Wipe down the refrigerator and freezer door seals. Clean the refigerator often throwing away left-overs and old produce.
Dry damp areas in the kitchen, laundry room, under the kitchen sink and under the lid of the washing machine.
Clean the lint filter after each load in the dryer.
Clean and/or replace air conditioner filters periodically.
Clean ceiling fans once per month.
If closets are damp, keep the light on to prevent the growth of mould and mildew.
Wash pillows and blankets often. Note: Feather pillows are not recommended for feather-allergic individuals! Hypo-allergenic pillows are available.
Outside, have fallen leaves, decaying plants and compost heaps removed.
Mould Information Resources
More information on molds may be found at EPA's website, Indoor Air - Molds
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