Hi All,
I've got what seems a really stupid question. I've just purchased a De Longhi DCN60 dehumidifier for my basement, but there's nothing in the user guide on best practices in terms of usage. Do i leave the dehumidifier permanently on? Do i leave it on for a few days a week? Do
i leave it on for a couple of hours a week?
Thanks,
Steve.
There are no stupid questions. Set the unit to achieve the desired humidy level you want and leave it. It will run and turn off by itself
Yeah, it's supposed to be on a lot - enough to dry out the basement anyway. You have to empty the water, or you can run it into a floor drain if you have a floor drain.
Remember, a dehumidifier has a compressor in it similar to an air conditioner. If running constantly not only will you run up a tremendous electric bill but the coils will freeze up. Set the thermostat to a mid position and go from there. If you need more dehumifying turn it up a little at a time till you're satisfied. When I had a basement I started it at a lower point and raised it slightly till I had the humidity level where I wanted it.
"Manufacturer's Description Weighing only 5.5kg, and only 17cm wide, the DNC60 is the lightest dehumidifier in the market and amongst the most compact. Unlike most dehumidifiers the DNC60 does not use a compressor, making it very quiet in operation and also environmentally friendly, as no refrigerant gases are required. The built-in ionizer fills the air with healthy negative icons. Furthermore, the anti-bacterial filter cleans the air of dust and bacteria. Other features include: # Pull-up carry handle # Electronic auto shut off timer (up to 8 hrs) # 2 litre capacity tank # Swing function: oscillating louvers to optimize the air distribution # 3 power settings # Electronic anti-freeze setting Box Contents # 1x Full Product instructions."
this unit may be discontinued or out of stock at amazon uk.
this unit appears to be a compact ionizer as opposed to a conventional dehumidifier.
why is the basement damp? some of these larger units you turn > Hi All,
imho:
No very good question. This is what I was told.
If you are not already confused, let me try to add a little.
As indicated it needs to run enough to reduce the humidity to the desired level.
Most (all?) have a humidistat (not a thermostat) that is adjustable. Most just have marks or if they have percentages, they are almost certainly inaccurate. You will need to do some trial and error to find a good setting for your situation. Likely you will want it as high as possible and still control the humidity.
Most authorities (and myself who is not an authority) will suggest trying to keep it between 40 - 60%. Below 40% you start getting static and dry throat and above 60% mold likes to grow.
When you first turn it on, it may take several days or even a week or more to bring the humidity down. Right now you likely have a lot of moisture in the walls, floors furniture etc and that will need to be reduced before things equalize. Also during the heating season, the process of heating along with the cold air outside reduces the inside humidity so it may not run as much during the winter as it will during the summer. Local conditions can reverse that.
Good Luck
Excellent points. A window a/c, whether it is sitting smack dab in the middle of the room or properly mounted in a window, is a dehumidifier. As are Amana-type portables, etc. The diff. is, I think, the coils in a dehumidifiers won't freeze up as quick as in a regular A/C. Also, on a really humid day, a real dehumidifier/A/C can crank out 5 gals of water in 12 hours!! nearly pure water, as well. As Buffalo pointed out, yours is not a "real" dehumidifier, and I would seriously doubt it will do a good de-moisturizing job, esp. where damp walls, furniture, joists, etc. might be involved. If you have an old A/C lying around, or a window a/c you could take out for the winter, finagle a drip pan w/ the A/C sitting on a milk crate, and compare the two.
I'd be more concerned with if it even would work in a basement. Most dehumidifiers won't.
Why not?
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