Do You Use A Dehumidifier For Your Living Space? (Sherwood: condo, floor)

[Sherwoody]

We have a 1,200 sf north facing 1st floor condo built in the late 90's. Now that its too cold to keep the windows open we are seeing mold around the window and door frames. We try to keep the temperature between 62 and 68 degrees and my indoor weather station says the humidity is as high as 75% to as low as 65%. Just wondering how many of you wise folks use these in the winter. Thanks!

[Leisesturm]

I don't. Back in NYC I paid good money for HUMIDIFIERS in a vain effort to keep my mucous membranes moist and my houseplants happy. I spent the weekends scrubbing the mold out of the water tanks of these tempermental beasts. I would have killed for 65% humidity. It is likely against TOS for me to describe what I would have done in order to achieve 75% humidity in wintertime. There is also this: the technology of humidification requires relatively little electrical energy. Similar to the technology of heating. De-humidification OTOH works similar to air-conditioning with similar efficiencies... which is to say, similar lack of efficiency. Talk about a double hit. So.... no. We just say no to de-humidification and call it very good.

H

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by Sherwoody

We have a 1,200 sf north facing 1st floor condo built in the late 90's. Now that its too cold to keep the windows open we are seeing mold around the window and door frames. We try to keep the temperature between 62 and 68 degrees and my indoor weather station says the humidity is as high as 75% to as low as 65%. Just wondering how many of you wise folks use these in the winter. Thanks!

That doesn't seem right. I run 40% most of the time and have gone to 60% Max.

You will get mold at those numbers. Not a good thing.