Humidifier AND dehumidifier - in the same room?!?

[podmumlet]

Hi ladies,

I have a bit of a quandry and wondering if any one can share any tips/advice?

After the last cold snap, a lot of water has been condensing on our bedroom window sill and window pain. Worse than that, black mold has made a reappearance for the second winter in a row.

Aside from it looking ghastly, and needing a good scrub, I am very aware that there are health risks due to the spores in the air, and with our first Baby due in the next 2 weeks, we're cleaning and preparing. After some googling, it seems that a dehumidifier is the best longer term solution to preventing this from happening again (altho, I am unsure if it should be a little dehumidifier or crystals placed on the window sill or a larger one for the whole room).

BUT THEN....

I have also read that winter newborns and little babies are prone to snuffles and chesty coughs, and the best way to handle that is with a humidifier !

This conflicting requirements have addled my poor pregnant brain...

Wondering whether anyone has had a similar situation? Or whether folks have been using either humidifiers or dehumidifiers?

(Seems completely daft to have both in the same room!)

Ta :)

Wooops!

Pregnancy addled brain to new heights... I thought I had lost my original post and have reposted the same question in a slightly different way...

Aiiee... apologies for the duplication!

Oooh weird conundrum. I think that the dehumidifier is the way to go - the immediate 'problem' is the potential for damp in the room and I would be dealing with that first.

I have never heard of damp air being good to prevent colds and coughs, what you read might have meant that if you have a cough right now, then dry air might make it more irritable. So I would stick with the dehumidifier, and if your baby does at any point get a dry/tickly cough, turn it off for a few days.

I agree with you though, having both in one room is bonkers!

Re large or small dehumidifier, I think ideally I would put a large one in for a few days to see what it collects, then either keep it, or downgrade if it doesn't collect much. However, this would be dependent on being able to borrow/rent one short term before deciding on a final solution, as it doesn't make sense to spend lots of money only to find out you don't need anything that advanced.

D

If you haven't got double glazing you are more likely to get condensation - could you try putting up secondary glazing on the inside? I think you can do something with wooden frame things and plastic (DIY job) if you can't afford proper job. (never done it myself but I'm sure i've read it somewhere).
To reduce condensation have you tried opening the window a bit every morning to let overnight steaminess out? (sorry if you have tried both of these)
Using a humidifier and dehumidifier in the same room would just be a very good way of using electricity!
I think that people recommned humidifiers for babies if you have a very dry house that has effcient central heating - which can be drying. I have never used a hunmidifier... If the LO have had snuffles etc then I have very occasionally put a bowl of water near the radiator which creates a bit of humidity (but not at the same time as a dehumidifier).
You could try the crystal things first, and if that doesn't solve it, then try a machine dehumidifier... but they can be expensive - have just bought one due to burst pipe in house - and very hard to hire at the mo IME due to so many burst pipes!
Good luck!