When it comes to dehumidifiers, a lot of experts will run through concepts like relative humidity and continuous drainage at break-neck speed. This can be confusing and disorienting without mentioning how it may negatively impact someone simply looking to get issues like damp, mould and excess moisture under control. By bogging down people who are new to the dehumidifier world with lists of features, there are many who turn to a dehumidifier solution far too late or not at all. In this article, we cover all of the basics you need to know about your dehumidifier, from the beginner level all the way up to some expert tips and tricks that can really help you get the most out of your dehumidifier.
What is Relative Humidity?
Perhaps one of the most blatantly tossed around pair of words when it comes to modern dehumidifiers. Relative humidity is very simple and straightforward but, there's an essential step that must be done before you decode it's meaning. Replace the word "relative" with the word "ambient." This should tip you off that, in reality, relative humidity basically just means: how humid a room is. For reference:
The Higher the Percentage- the more Humidity is in a room
This is an essential thing to understanding relative humidity when it comes to dehumidifiers. Relative humidity (often shortened to RH) is often expressed as a percentage- and the higher THAT percentage is: the higher the humidity levels in a room. If your dehumidifier has an option to "set" a preferred relative humidity, then the higher the percentage you set is how much humidity you want in your room. Hopefully this has burst the bubble when it comes to the confusing cross-speak of relative humidity, however if you need a quick guide to refer back to, then I highly encourage you check out our article on Frequently Asked Questions about Dehumidifiers.
Continuous Drainage Dehumidifiers
Another feature that is inherently linked to the dehumidifier world but one that is perhaps lesser known. Continuous drainage is exactly what it sounds like but may confuse people who are about to begin their own dehumidifier journey- because what it sounds like is EXACTLY what it is; and what it sounds like is incredibly straightforward. Continuous drainage is nothing more than an operation mode (or just a "mode" if you prefer) that comes as standard in most dehumidifiers. Personally, I don't mind calling it continuous drainage, but am willing to admit that it's a fairly convoluted name for what it is.
If your dehumidifier has continuous drainage however; I would very much like to recommend making the most of it. Particularly if your home is suffering from the effects of damp such as mould or dust. Continuous drainage does away with a lot of home comfort in exchange for home protection. Instead of setting your dehumidifier to maintain a certain level of humidity for your comfort, continuous drainage constantly extracts water from the air, walls, ceilings or even clothes until the water tank is full- greatly enhancing your home's defence against mould forming. From there, it's up to you to empty the water tank and then your dehumidifier is ready to continue it's non-stop drainage. In our article Banishing Mould with Senelux Dehumidifiers, we take a deeper look into how your dehumidifier is perfect for helping you regain control of your home and keep your home protected from the chilling effects of damp weather. Continuous drainage is a huge factor in reducing the amount of damp that is collecting in walls, ceilings and furniture and is a must-have feature for anyone buying a dehumidifier for that reason.
Dehumidifiers For Laundry
As good as a dehumidifier may sound for all of the reasons above, a sweeping sensation is sweeping throughout the UK that has caught on to the rest of the world. Because dehumidifiers can extract moisture from places where mould grows (walls- for example,) it hasn't taken too long before people have started to put two and two together and realize that dehumidifiers can also be used to greatly speed up the drying time of laundry. Dehumidifiers for laundry may seem like a pretty straightforward thing to look for, however the truth is much, much easier to explain.
Any dehumidifier can be used for drying laundry
Dehumidifiers serve one purpose and one purpose only. To extract moisture from the surrounding environment. No ifs, ands or buts. Every other benefit- from protecting your home, improving your comfort- comes secondary. Realistically, you can use any kind of dehumidifier for your laundry drying. Whether you want to go for a compact, mini dehumidifier or a large dehumidifier; the choice here really is yours. Personally, I'm a firm believer that if you're using a dehumidifier for laundry, you can't go wrong with a smaller model. Compact and more portable types of dehumidifier are exceptionally easy to set up in the kitchen or living room and often don't over complicate matters with various settings. Simply hanging up your wet laundry and plugging in the dehumidifier will be enough to start transforming your damp, dripping, water-logged clothes into dry and comfy clothes once more. If you're doing laundry for your family though, it may be worth shopping around to find a medium or even a large dehumidifier to get the laundry done quicker and easier in larger loads.
Dehumidifiers for Home
At the end of the day- dehumidifiers (in some strange ways) are meant to be another member of the family. One that is capable of ensuring that mould is never a problem in your home. One that can expand the comfort of your home by combatting dust mites and other allergens allowing you to rest in superior comfort in your home. One that even helps with the wet laundry! As much advice as I can give there's one thing that can't be forced...
You have to decide the right dehumidifier for your home
Regardless of specifications, how the dehumidifier looks or where in your home you're looking to put your dehumidifier, you know your home better than anyone and as a result; you have the final say on the dehumidifiers for your home. Whether you have various small dehumidifiers for your bedroom, basement, living room or kitchen or one large dehumidifier for your entire home (trust me, it's possible,) that's for you to decide. If you'd like some insight into some of the best, most modern forms of dehumidifier on the current UK market, I'd highly advise visiting our Dehumidifier Department. Believe me when I say, once you've tried living with a dehumidifier at home, you'll wonder how you ever lived without.
