Do you have a dehumidifier?

[DehumidifierQuestions]

If so, I have some questions for you!

We have just bought a dehumidifier as we have a house with a lot of damp/mould.

We have one particular room where anything fabric in it is growing mould (though it’s not on the walls - I think it’s from drying washing in there but we’ve stopped that now).

So do you leave the door open or closed while it’s on? Heating on or off? If on, high or low? Windows open or closed?

Any other tips for products we could use or things we could do to help?

How will we know when the problem is fixed? If the dehumidifier stops collecting water will that room be “fixed”?

Thanks!

Close the door and close the windows - otherwise it will be trying to dehumidify the whole world! They work better the warmer it is which I think it annoying as the reason places are damp is often that they're not very warm. When the dehumidifier isn't on do air the room though. If it was the washing causing the damp then not drying the washing in there should stop it being damp. The dehumidifier won't stop collecting water as there is always some moisture in the air as far as I'm aware.

Clean all the mould with mould killer and keep the house well heated and ventilated, use the dehumidifier when drying washing or in rooms where people sleep with the windows shut to help keep them damp free. We live in a damp house and these things really help.

Always windows closed, otherwise you will be taking moisture from outside as well. I close the door if I am drying washing as it speeds things up, otherwise doors open as it will remove moisture from the whole house/floor. When we first used ours, it would fill up very quickly, about once a day for a few weeks. Then it slowed down, so you know you have removed a lot of the moisture. During the summer, our heating isn't on but we still use it.

Windows closed. Door closed whilst the dehumidifier deals with the worst of the damp.

Once you’ve sorted the mould problem you could have the door open a bit to circulate air better. On warm and dry days when not using the dehumidifier open the windows to circulate new air.

Good advice given, just wanted to say we love ours and are amazed how much moisture it collect in the room where we dry our washing! Madness! It switches off automatically when full which is good.

Thank you so much everyone! Really helpful 😊

Presumably the dehumidifier will stop anything else fabric in that room going mouldy?

I’m scared to put anything else in that room now 😬

All windows closed.
Heating on if you want it to be - doesn't need to be.
I would first put it in the damp room with door closed to concentrate on drying your worst room. Regularly empty the water container.
When you are happy that room has had a good go then maybe use it in the hallway for the whole house?
Once you try a few things you will figure it out.
Apparently moisture comes from:
breathing (!) cooking, showers and drying washing. So everything you need to live!
Try to shut the bathroom and kitchen doors and leave fan on/ open those windows to clear major steam from those rooms.

White vinegar can be used on some fabric products to kill any existing mould. Google it for more info.

We use the moisture collection boxes in our wardrobes and get refill from Amazon.
We have never completely got rid of our mould. I'm constantly cleaning it in the winter and use hg mould spray which I try not to breathe in.
People will tell you to open your windows each morning to let fresh air circulate too but it doesn't seem to solve it for us.

Thank you! We have a baby and a toddler so am worried about what mould spray/chemicals to use that would be effective but safe for them to breathe in.

Maybe stick to the white vinegar for now and see how you go.

I should have added, in one of our bedrooms the wardrobes were unusable due to damp/mould even with the dehumidifier. We bought a small tubular heater that plugs in and placed it in the bottom of the wardrobe. We bought it from Screwfix and you can use them in caravans/cupboards/sheds etc. They are a very low level heat but we keep it on all the time. No more mould.

Mine has been a godsend for the last five years. No more wet windows either!