Dehumidifier

What is a dehumidifier?

A dehumidifier has many names, such as dehumidifiers, building dryers, air dryers or dehumidifiers. It's a product to regulate the humidity in a room. First and foremost, this will help prevent mold while at the same time providing a more pleasant and healthier indoor climate. The functionality behind the dehumidifier is simple, but today there are different devices, which we will discuss later. Normally, the dehumidifier sucks in the air and then collects the moisture in a container. The dry air is then released back to the room. But it is also possible that the moisture is discharged directly outside. This is normal for fixed dehumidifiers. Otherwise, you will need to empty the water tank from time to time.

Why can not you do without a dehumidifier??

Of course, you should ask yourself whether you should opt for a room dehumidifier or not. First and foremost, the device is perfectly suitable for various moisture damage. Moisture is a big problem especially in older buildings. Rain can penetrate even through the smallest holes or cracks and settle in the walls. This moisture is also released to the room. Much more dangerous, however, is that the moisture advocates the growth of mold. So do not do anything against the humidity in a room, the mold starts to grow. The black spots on walls and the ceiling are not beautiful, but much more dangerous for your health. It can lead to asthma, allergies, headaches or respiratory problems. Especially children are at risk. But furniture does not benefit from the increased humidity. Wood can soften and form mold, metal starts to rust and even plastic loses quality over time. That's why you should think about a dehumidifier. But there are many more situations where a dehumidifier works wonders. Starting with construction or water damage. For example, there was a pipe burst or flood. The water is in the room and also fan heater dry the humidity only conditionally. Too quickly the moisture settles in the walls. Now a room dehumidifier can be used, which prevents exactly that. Therefore, such a device is also very popular with old and new buildings, because without great help, the dehumidifier dries every wall. Even in the basement, you should not give up the device, because just here, the moisture rises quickly. Even for drying plaster on construction sites and in houses, the air dryer is used today.

The fields of application of room humidifiers

• Drying of damp walls
• Prevention of mold
• After water damage, such as a pipe burst or flood
• Drying of plaster in houses and on construction sites
• In swimming pools or other humid areas
• In the basement, where no light enters
• For drying new and old buildings

The different types of air dryers

As already mentioned, there are different types of dehumidifiers. So that you do not get confused when buying, we want to introduce you to the different models. Of course, those come from various manufacturers, such as Lübra or Brune. The function behind it is the same, even if the optics are a bit different.

Granules dehumidifiers

The simplest and cheapest solution is a granular dehumidifier. The big advantage is that the air dryer works without electricity. So you can take it with you on holiday, for example in a camper. He is also popular for wardrobes. The function is quite simple, because the granulate dehumidifier relies on special granules or salt crystals. Those are able to bind the moisture in the air and then collect in a container under it. But there is also a small problem, because you can not set the desired dehumidification. The granular dehumidifier continues to suck air and dehumidifies it. In addition, it is only suitable for small spaces, such as your own car. But you do not have to pay much for that. In addition, there are suitable granules to buy in the trade, which is why you do not always have to resort to a new product.

Adsorption

Another form is the adsorption dryer. The latter can only be operated with electricity, but also offers a much better dehumidification performance. The sucked air is passed inside via an adsorbent, usually referred to as "silica gel". The gel dehumidifies the air. Thereafter, the air is returned to the room in the heated state. The big advantage is that you not only quickly reduce the humidity with the adsorption dryer, but the device also works independent of temperature. That means, even at freezing temperatures you can use the adsorption dryer. But there is also a small sticking point, the adsorption dryer are relatively expensive. Therefore, they are mostly used only in industry or craft.

Condensation dehumidifier

For the private household, condensation dehumidifiers are especially recommended. They are not too expensive, but still offer a good quality. Like the adsorption dryer, condensation dehumidifiers are powered by electricity. Inside the unit you will discover a compressor, a cooling element and a moisture tank. The process is almost like the adsorption dryer. That is, the moist and warm air is sucked in and then passed over the integrated cooling element. The fact that the air is warm and the cooling element cold, condenses the air. The moisture is now dripping into the water tank. This container must be emptied after a few hours. Practically you can also lay a drainage tube so that the moisture is routed out directly. This is especially useful if you want to run the condensation dehumidifier for a long time without constantly emptying the tank. But there is also a small problem: The lower the room temperature, the less efficient the unit will be. Therefore the condensation dehumidifier is only suitable for warm rooms.

What you have to pay attention to when buying?

Before you choose Lübra, Brune or any other brand, you need to know what's important in your purchase. Therefore, there are not only different types, but the many subtleties decide whether you have opted for the right air dryer. We show you what is important when buying.

Rom size

Determining the size of the room should be the first step before buying a dehumidifier. After all, not every device is suitable for a large or small room. Therefore, measure your room and calculate the square footage. Most manufacturers specify when buying, for how many square meters the device is intended. Always choose a dehumidifier that is suitable for larger rooms. Why? As a result, the device does not have to run as long in smaller rooms, but still offers good results. If you only have a very small space, opt for a granular dehumidifier. It does not offer so much power, but is a cheap alternative. From a room size of 20 square meters, you should buy a stronger dehumidifier.

Drying capacity

After you have dealt with the room size, look at the drying performance. Also, that is stated by the manufacturer, usually in liters per day or liters per 24 hours. This information indicates how many liters of moisture the device will remove from the room within 24 hours. How high the performance should be depends on your room. For example, in humid cellars, you need a powerful device, because here you have to extract significantly more moisture from the air. But use the dehumidifier only in the living room or bedroom, where the humidity is not so high, a low power is appropriate. Most devices are between 10 and 30 liters per day. That's enough for most of the rooms. Building dryers offer even more power, about 50 liters per day. That's why they are also used on construction sites.

Temperature

Many people forget that the room temperature plays an important role in the purchase. After all, not every dehumidifier can work at any temperature. Most devices work between 8 and 30 degrees Celsius. Some are also suitable for unheated basements or garages. So if you want to dehumidify cold rooms, opt for an adsorption dryer. That acts independently of the outside temperature. The situation is different with a condensation dryer. The reason is very simple because there is no condensation inside the unit when the outside air is already cold. It is good if the dehumidifier brings a so-called defrost mode. In such a case, the unit automatically shuts off when the minimum temperature is reached. As soon as the temperature rises again, the dehumidifier will switch on again.

Tank

The water tank has a simple job catching the deprived water. It is important that you look at the size of the water tank. If the water tank is too small, you will need to replace and empty it much more frequently. Mini dehumidifiers have a capacity of 500 milliliters. This is sufficient for small spaces where the humidity is kept within limits. But if you want to dehumidify a large room, which is also very humid, opt for a large water tank of up to four liters. Many models have the option of connecting a drainage tube. It will lead the water out directly so you do not have to empty a tank. Especially in continuous operation is recommended. This will save you the constant emptying of the tank.

Volume

If you want an air dryer in your own home, the volume is not negligible. On the other hand, if you want to install the dehumidifier in the basement or in the garage, the volume is of secondary importance. So it depends on where you use the device. Again, the manufacturers will help you, because usually indicates how high the volume fails. For most devices this is between 40 and 50 decibels. To compare with the fridge sound. If the dehumidifier does not make any noise, you can only opt for a granular dehumidifier. He is not powered by electricity, which makes him no sound. But the performance is not that good.

Energy

If you opt for a powered dehumidifier, you must keep an eye on energy consumption. Energy consumption determines how much the dehumidifier costs per day. Of course, the consumption depends on the performance of the device. In other words, the more the air dryer delivers, the more you have to pay. The dehumidifiers on the market are between 170 and 670 watts.

The dehumidifiers, which are designed for continuous operation, usually consume less energy. Depending on the provider, the average is less than 0.25 kWh. If you do not want to spend a cent on electricity, you only have the granulate dryer. He does not need a power source.

Operation

Operation is just as important. It's good if the product comes with a remote control, so you can remotely adjust the device. A small display shows what you have just set. Typical settings are the dehumidification performance or an automatic shutdown. For some devices, you can also specify a target humidity. As soon as it has been reached, the device switches itself off. If the target humidity is exceeded, the dehumidifier will start working again. However, it is up to you which settings you want.

Price

Finally, you have to deal with the price. The more power your device brings, the lower you usually have to put in your pocket. Therefore, think in advance exactly what services and options are desired. We recommend that you first look at the other aspects and then the price. This will give you the best product.