Essential purchase. Real world Dehumidifier test - Desiccant vs Compressor - Ecoair vs Meaco
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 พ.ย. 2021
- Moisture extraction, noise and power usage compared.
The test I wish I'd watched before buying one.
Desiccant dehumidifiers work differently and it can be hard to choose which model is best for your needs.
Having tried my portable AC units in dehumidify mode and found they didn't work and noticing very high levels of humidity in parts of our house, a dehumidifier seems like a sensible thing to invest in to reduce condensation and avoid mould and bacteria.
My thoughts initially are the lower wattage of compressor models is attractive as they're more likely to be used with excess solar or run for longer on storage battery power. Desiccant models are attractive as the heat output assists drying and provides a secondary benefit. Heat.
But which works best?
How much liquid can be extracted like for like.
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This test isn’t accurate because the dessicant dehumidifier gives off heat whilst it runs, therefore it actually raises the room temperature and helps the compressor dehumidifier to extract because they work better in warmer conditions. A true test would be to run each dehumidifier separately without the other working but with the exact same environmental conditions i.e. position in room and exactly the same room temperature.
There are a lot of problems with this test. From strict performance comparison it is next to useless. Compressor dehumidifier will extract 1L of water from the air at 20 C degrees at the cheapest price, which the test shows.
@@pavel9652 Well, getting the air to 20 degrees may not be very cheap. Also the laundry test was at almost 90% RH and compressor types work more efficiently the higher the humidity.
In the winter I keep my house between 14-16c, sometimes down to 13.5c. Used to be 17-17.5c but then 'U-crane' destroyed a pipeline and heating prices are more than double now. I've calculated that heating my house to 15-16c costs about £10-15 in gas *per week* so heating up to 20c to drop the humidity for 4 hours a day would probably double, or triple that cost. Increasing temperature also decreases relative humidity, making the compressor types even less effective.
Downstairs temperature was never mentioned.
The results are mostly accurate, though having a heater run alongside a compressor dehumidifier does improve the efficacy of the compressor type. I'll probably get a compressor for the summer months if I need one, but for winter months desiccant seem better. Meaco claim their 20 and 25L models do even better (in terms of water extracted to KWh) than their desiccant ones at 15c, though I'm skeptical of this, desiccant dehumidifiers last much longer so selling compressor models (no pressurized refrigerant, just a heater and some motors to run the fans and turn the drum) so selling something that'll be replaced in 5-7 years because the refrigerant leaked out, or ice broke the condenser makes more money long term than something that runs until the bearings wear out completely, which may be an easy fix.
Though now everything has a microcontroller in it, faults may happen sooner than expected, in both types, though again, replacing desiccant control circuitry to make it into a simple "on/off high/low" model will be easier than a compressor.
@@daviddavidson2357 It is such a disappointing comment. Epiphany of bias and lack of understanding. 1) Prices went up because Gazprom is effectively part of Russian armed forces and was used, and had been used in the past, to put political pressure on Europe Union. That is the real price. Sorry that u crane fighting for survival causes minor incontinence. I am pretty sure your prices went up immediately after invasion. Did you rise your concerts with Russians? 2) Compressor dehumidifier last longer, as long as fridge. My still works after 15 years. I am pretty sure Meaco makes even better compressors than the one I got. Absorption DH requie zeolite disk change after few years. 3) Compressor DH Is the cheapest way to extract water at 20C, but it doesn't mean it doesn't work when is colder. It will condense less water than in optimum conditions. 4) Absorption DH extracts twice the amount of water in colder conditions but at the expense of almost twice the energy. So it is almost always more expensive, but in the lowest temperatures compressors DH won't be able to ever catch up, so there is no real choice. Compressor won't be able to drive humidity to low levels, although it might be sufficient. I ran compressor DH in cold flat for many years and had humidity under control. Now I am trying to dehumidify unheated storage container and struggle when temp is about 5C, but it works at circa 10C. My problem is lack of solar power in winter, because it is off-grid and I don't want to run petrol power generator for too long.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO TALK NONSENSE
Oh dear 🙄
Sorry
OH DEAR🤦
I live in a ground floor apartment in a well sealed and well insulated, new build block. I have a problem with damp. I purchased a Delonghi compressor type dehumidifier. It was effective-ish, but very noisy. When after a few years, it gave up the ghost, I replaced it with the Meaco 25 litre compressor type dehumidifier. I can unequivocally state it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
When I first installed it, it was extracting 15 litres a day. Now, that has dropped to 5 litres a day. I guess the apartment has thoroughly dried out.
I don’t have a garden or access to any type of private outdoor area. I have no choice, but to dry my laundry in a condenser tumble dryer. Not any more. I can hang a full 10KG load on an airer, stand it in front of my Meaco and in less than 2.5 hours the laundry is. bone dry! I leave the unit running 24/7. Yes, it uses a bit of electricity, but far less than a tumble dryer. The unit runs at around 31db normally and 38db in laundry mode, which is quieter than a domestic fridge freezer!
I did not see you set the desired humidity level on your Meaco. You may not have had it set low enough. When the Meaco achieves the desirable humidity level, it switches into standby mode and then restarts after a given period. I suspect that this is what was happening in your bedroom which would explain why in that scenario it didn’t out perform it’s desiccant competitor.
I purchased my unit directly from Meaco. They were very proffessional and couldn’t have been more helpful. I’ve had to replace the water tank on one occasion because my youngest son decided to use the origina as a climbing frame and cracked it. Meaco’s afye sales service equaled their point of sale service. They even supplied me with a replacement filter at no extra charge. I’ve recommended the unit to friends, colleagues and family all of whom are pleased with their purchase. No, I have no affiliation with the company, neither have I earned any commissions. I’m just a satisfied consumer. An unexpected benefit of a dehumidifier is that in a dryer environment, any other electrical or electronic equipment in your household, will run more efficiently. A dry environment is also easier and cheaper to heat.
Oddly, everybody misses this, a desiccant dehumidifier heats up the air a lot, actually killing germs and spores in the process - not only heating the space it sits in. Also: desiccant dehumidifiers actually work while off, as the desiccant drum takes on quite a bit of moisture even when it's not running - it releases that in the 1st few minutes while running.
Think it's so negligible no one cares
@@EVPuzzle simply untrue, it makes quite a difference, espically if the house temperature regularly drops below 20C and/or the house has a mold problem. A few short tests done in a day may not show this, but in the long run it makes a massive difference. great video btw
That beeping at 11:35 really caught me off guard, thought it was in my house lol
Thanks Nigel, very timely and interesting. I have a meaco compressor and it's been very reliable over many years, albeit more noisy now as it rattles alot more than it did originally. I have been looking for a 2nd unit for upstairs and was comparing the meaco ABC against the desicant dd8l.
You’re supposed to take the plastic lid off the Ecoair collection box. It pours out easily then. That’s why the water is not coming out properly and is splashing on the worktop.
The Meaco (pronounced meeco as you would pronounce speak) is no good in cooler rooms or rooms you’re not heating all day long. You’d be spending money on heating your room to get the meaco one to dehumidify properly. So, if you’re out at work with the heating off, the meaco is not efficient and would cost more to run. This scenario would apply to a lot of people who’d like the dehumidifer to be running in the winter (when humidity is more of a problem) either while they’re out and the heating isn’t on, or it will be in a cooler conservatory, or less well insulated room. Plus, I tried out a meaco once and returned it because the cold air it blows out is unbearably cold. I had it in my studio flat and I was shivering from the chilly air it was blowing out. It’d be great as a cooling air conditioner in a summer heatwave but that’s when I don’t need a dehumidifier, as the weather is drier, so the meaco is useless, except in consistently hot countries and when drying laundry in a naturally warm room where you don’t mind cold air blowing you. In the UK in the winter the meaco is useless. So the meaco isn’t so efficient as you say and it’s not appropriate for use in the cooler winter in the UK, which is when we need a dehumidifier. We need to stop the mould growth we get on our cold walls in our cold climate where we can’t dry our laundry outside because it’s raining so much, so have to dry our laundry indoors creating humidity, which causes mould growth on our cold walls.
I tried the desiccant Ecoair you have here and it’s brilliant so I’ve kept it for years now. It does the job plus it lets out warm air which is a bonus. I can leave it running in my bathroom and toilet after bathing and hanging out washing while I’m out and the heating isn’t on, it’s below 15 degrees in there as I don’t waste money on heating the bathroom and toilet while I’m out. The bathroom and toilet walls have uninsulated external walls so I keep heating to a minimum. I have different hygrometers and sensor push humidity detectors which all show that the Ecoair desiccant dehumidifies very well and has done consistently for many years and it’s on everyday (more so in the wet winters and less so in the drier summers of course). I’ve got the one with the dial instead of the digital one (more can go wrong on a digital panel so the old style dial is your best bet for longevity).
So hands down the Ecoair desiccant is the best dehumidifer if you’re in the UK where it’s cooler and wetter.
If you’re in a hot country which doesn’t get cold and damp in the winter and you have a consistently naturally warm house you don’t need to spend money on heating and you don’t mind cold air blowing out at you making you chilly and you’re only using it for drying laundry in an already warm or heated room, then the meaco is suitable but that’s not many people it’s suitable for in the UK. So getting this meaco would be a disappointing for a lot of people.
So the Ecoair desiccant is best and most effective and most efficient dehumidifier for most people in the UK.
Also, I have my Ecoair desiccant on a continuous drains so I don’t have to empty it. It’s just runs by itself.
I use ThermoPro TP hyrgrometers to check humidity levels in the rooms. I also use sensor push which sends data to the SensorPush app on my phone so I can see a graph showing current and historical humidity levels the room going back years now.
In the summer I use a single room heat recovery ventilation unit made by Kair which is better than an extractor fan (they only suck out the hot air you’ve spent money on heating which isn’t efficient) which brings in fresh air from outside which is heated on the way in as it passes the fan so doesn’t waste money on heating. This brings down humidity but not high leaves of humidity. Also, you can’t use this on wet rainy days as it brings in wet humid air so it’s only for dry days (not so many of those in the UK). So the HRVU is great in dry summers for low humidity but the dehumidifer is essential for the wet days outside and for higher humidity caused by bathing and wet laundry.
I feel like I really dodged a bullet. I wanted to buy a Meaco compressor dehumidifier (Arete One to be specific), but the exact model is out of stock everywhere, so I ended up buying the Meaco DD8L desiccant dehumidifier. The room temperature I need it to work in is generally 15-18 C, and also some additional heat is a welcome side effect, so I managed to buy the right type of machine, even though I was ignorant of the exact differences.
@@kosztaz87 I think you've made a mistake there. I've owned desiccants and compressors. The desiccants are only really worth it for really cold spaces, boats, caravans or unheated rooms. Modern compressors (like the Meaco Arete) are so much cheaper to run and work perfectly in UK winters.
@@pumpkineater23 I know in ideal 20+ degree they are much more efficient. But would there still be such a big difference in a 15 C degree room regarding power consumption? I would have bought the Meaco Arete, but that thing is out in the whole country, I have checked every online shop in existence. And I wasn't in the position to wait, as mould started to develop very badly.
@@kosztaz87 should be able to buy one from appliances direct? If not then the Meaco ABC is also a great compressor.
@@pumpkineater23 Yeah I checked that site too, it says delivery from 5 weeks, so quite a long wait. It's ok, I have spent £200 on the Meaco dd8l already, so will just keep using it. I still think I didn't make a too bad choice, as I can use this to dry my washing and my towel after shower (I have had to keep throwing away my towels after a few months of use, as they never dried out, and smelled quite bad even after washing).
A very useful video. It’s taken away the mystery of dehumidifiers for me 👍
Thank you so much for the Positive comment. This is why I post my experience in the hope it helps others make sense of it.
Great video! We have been using our EcoAir DD122 (620w) for about 5-6 years now. We have been very happy with it so decided to get a second one. But thanks to your video is no brainer to spend the extra buck and get the 3 - 4 times more efficient Compressor dehumidifier.
Fantastic real world video...just what I was looking for. Much appreciated!
Thanks Nigel, very informative. I've got the same Ecoair model in a cold north-facing damp conservetory and a new Inventor EVA ION PRO Wi-Fi 20L Dehumidifier, for indoors, but I will now try switching them around.😀
Great video and one I have been waiting for someone to do for a while. Two points I think would be handy to know. 1. the additional energy from the desiccant dehumidifier can help to evaporate moisture so that it can be recaptured by the desiccant, aiding drying . 2. when water is condensed you effectively recover the latent heat from its gas form. This is also additional heat that everybody tends to ignore. Energy cannot just disappear so this is blown back into the room heating it further. I'm not sure I did the calculations correctly but for your last test it is equivalent to 60 watts for the compressor and 90 watts for the desiccant drum.
Hi. Live in a 2 bedroom maisonette which is usually 15-17 Celsius, which one should I go for? Desiccant or compressor? Thanks
@@Elusive12 Compressor 12L/day minimum, Any smaller is a waste of money.
@@Neilukukwhat is I only want to dehumidify one room?
@@shomshomni2314 I just think the smaller ones you see for around £25-£50 don't definitely solve the problem. If it's just around window or in one bit of the room, you could be ok with a cheaper one. I made the mistake of getting a small one and ended up wasting money as it didn't solve the mold and had to pay more to get one that worked. I got a deal on a new ITvanila 12L for £80 that has "WiFi Control Dehumidifier + Air Purifier, LED Display With Automatic Shut-Off Tumble Drying Continuous Drain Ideal For Removing Damp, Mould, Moisture In Home" I don't have mold or damp anymore and it's good for drying clothes when it's cold outside.
Thanks for the upload! Really nice how you have done the comparison between the two. 👍🏼
My pleasure!
I did a similar comparison between the EcoAir DD1 Simple you have there and a very simple and very old (20+ years?) compressor dehumidifier that cost me £5 off Gumtree. In a coolish (15 degrees?) house in winter I found them both to extract about the same mount of moisture per kW hour, but the EcoAir Desiccant Dehumidifier (DD) unit as well as using twice the energy also removed twice the amount of water.
At cooler temperatures (below about 12 degrees C) the compressor model worked very poorly indeed, whereas the desiccant model still worked very well.
I am prepared to believe that newer, more modern compressor models may work a bit better in low temperatures, but the fundamental problem is insurmountable, in that the compressor type works by making a bit of metal colder than the air in the room so moisture will condense onto it. If the room temperature is already low then that bit of metal cannot be made cold enough without the water that condenses onto it freezing into a block of ice, thus stopping the thing from working. Desiccant machines do not have this problem at all, so will work fine right down to just above freezing point.
But desiccant dehumidifiers don't last as long. It is quite common for them to fail within a few years, often within a two-year warranty period in fact. Again, I am prepared to believe that newer, more modern ones may last a bit longer, but their life is inherently limited due to the nature of the zeolite desiccant used in them. Compressor types are functionally very similar to fridges and can last for decades. And then desiccant-type dehumidifiers smell. A lot when brand new, and then much less as time goes on, but they always smell a little bit, whereas compressor ones don't smell.
My conclusion is that if the space is cold (less than about 12 degrees C?) then you have no real choice and must use a desiccant machine, but otherwise a compressor machine will probably use less energy and last longer.
It is worth noting that a dehumidifier will act as a super-efficient room heater, putting out more heat than a normal heater of the same wattage. (Something to do with physics - the latent heat of evaporation, etc. Kind of like a condensing boiler.) Also, dry air FEELS warmer than damp air, so a dehumidifier can in practice be a very effective space heater.
fair point on the reliability of desiccant, i wont buy anything that lasts only for the warranty period - thats outrageous
It's not really that bad. Desiccant dehumidifiers CAN last a longish time, especially if they are looked after properly, the filters cleaned regularly as per instructions. And when they eventually fail they can be repaired, at a cost. But they are inherently less long-lived because they use a zeolite disc which will inevitably degrade over time, whereas a compressor dehumidifier has no such parts which inevitably degrade over time. Compressor dehumidifiers work very much like fridges, and have similar parts, so you can expect them to last as long as a fridge.
The point though, is that if you have a space which is both damp and cold (which in the UK climate is generally the problem people are trying to address) then you have no choice, because compressor-type dehumidifiers simply will not work below about 10 degrees C, whereas desiccant-types will work well right down to 3 degrees or so.
Thanks for the info.
@@paulmackilligin1754I've noticed the same thing most people fail to mention, A compressor type dehumidifier really heats the room, great in the bathroom at the steam contains a lot of energy, as soon as the steam hic the cold heat exchange inside the dehumidifier that energy is transfered into slightly multiplied dry heat, you don't even need to towel dry yourself. Warning be careful with extension leads with wet hands, do at tie own risk, not advice for fools or children.. I enjoy steam in great it plus a dry bathroom actually I use a large portable air con unit in dehumidify mode. Wonderful! great to d dry clothes out tie hair, I don't need a hair dryer. No mold problems like most people get from trying to dry clothes obey radiators (crazy people don't understand the moisture had to go someplace) I used to be crazy because it took me a while to work that all out.
Thank you very much for your hard work. While it was interesting to see that you can get quite effective dehumidification from a compressor machine running at just 160 watts, you really need to tell us the room TEMPERATURE when comparing desiccant v compressor dehumidifiers! You actually touched upon the reason for this when you said [at 4:45] "Everything I've read says that desiccant models are better [than compressor models] in lower temperatures". While you did mention the temp in the final upstairs bedroom test [15.8°C], you didn't tell us the temperature for either of the tests downstairs.
Generally, you won't get effective dehumidification from compressor models during the winter months in unheated rooms. And it costs a ton to heat an empty room just for the purpose of making your dehumidifier work properly! Conversely, a desiccant model will not only work quite efficiently in cold rooms (down to about 1°C), they have the additional benefit of warming the room!
So, when considering what kind of dehumidifier best suits your conditions, a good general rule to remember is that compressor models work best in warmer weather, while desiccant models are just superb in colder regions ... or for those cold wintry months. Living in Sydney, we have been prone to dreadful wet humid weather this year, leading the (already bad) mould problem to spiral out of control. We initially bought the highly recommended Ausclimate 20L compressor model, but found it tended to become significantly less effective under around 16°C. So we added the Ausclimate 10L desiccant model to our range - and have never looked back! We use this one in the kitchen, bedroom, and living room - wherever we may be. Not only is it super quiet and effective, we save on energy bills as it generally obviates the need for a heater: and this is mid-winter in a Victorian era house!
Anyway, the lesson is clear: research the type of dehumidifier/s best suited to your conditions. Watch great comparison videos like this definitely, but if possible also seek and speak to industry experts able to advise you regarding your particular circumstances.
18:40 This is here.
Agree with Keyyyzzzz. No mention of laundry room temp at any point.
Hi. Live in a 2 bedroom maisonette which is usually 15-17 Celsius, which one should I go for? Desiccant or compressor? Thanks
@@Elusive12 in a colder room like yours, the desiccant type dehumidifies while it also adds some warmth to the space. The compressor type provides less dehumidification than a desiccant type in cooler rooms.
Aussies are so funny. 16c cold!
To us pomms that's unbearably hot!
I was drawn in by the two jugs - and then found a fantastic comparison video.
Lol, jugs are good
Thank you, this was helpful to me as I'm going to build an airing cupboard and i was looking at the ecoair until I saw this.
Useful video regarding which one to purchase for my home. I ended up buying the Ecoair Desiccant as per model shown. It is in the hallway downstairs which has no radiator in a 140 year old cottage. I find it works well and extract plenty of moisture. By the way, if you lift the lid off the water container prior to emptying it make life easier! Thank you for the time taken making this video.
Hi. Live in a 2 bedroom maisonette which is usually 15-17 Celsius, which one should I go for? Desiccant or compressor? Thanks
@@Elusive12 I got the desiccant as I felt that was most suitable for my needs i.e. a cold hallway but I would suggest you get in touch with Customer Services of the company of the model you may wish to buy first. They will suggest the most suitable for your needs. Hope this is of help to you.
Thank you.
Ash from Scotland 🏴
Thank you for the video and the analysis.. it was really helpful 👌🏽
Hi, I have two similar units and did much the same test. Condenser was 1.63kW per litre, desiccant 2.2kW per litre. As other comments point out, the desiccant, although less efficient, is the only tech that will dehumidify cold spaces without freezing up with the advantage of heating them slightly as well. I bought mine for an unheated garage to stop my motorcycles from rusting over winter. My Electriq condenser unit fan packed up after a year and I’m waiting on a replacement motor on a slow boat from China 🙄
Desiccants work better in lower temps. Compressor versions can freeze up when the temp gets cooler. Trying to clean the compressor fins is a pain.
Unless you are running in totally unheated spaces like cellars, compressor are usually more efficient at extracting water. I regret buying a compressor type though (I didn't know better at the time). We only use the DH in the winter and our heating levels are low. We are not getting max efficiency from the compressor type and I think a dessicant would not only work better/faster but the heat output would be a nice bonus and not wasted either. As it is when we have to dry the bathroom we use the DH in combo with a small heater to boost efficiency (and make the bathroom more comfortable). A dessicant type would have been a better option I think but until the compressor breaks it doesn't make sense to replace it for a marginal gain.
I really value your comment, thank you
Exactly, I use desiccant dehumidifier for both heating in our ensuite bathroom and dehumidification in one hit. Also have a compressor based one we use in summer in ensuite and laundry drying in main bathroom come laundry room. In winter rainy days also use compressor dehumidifier to lower background RH which reduces the amount of central heating effort to maintain a comfortable temperature
@@BarryHaegerSalesCoach Best of both worlds there Barry.
Hi. Live in a 2 bedroom maisonette which is usually 15-17 Celsius, which one should I go for? Desiccant or compressor? Thanks
@@Elusive12 Right on the border there for efficiency. What kind of central heating do you have? Electric or gas?
Great test Nigel
Many thanks. Impromptu but really wanted to do it and understand the differences.
Thanks, interesting. Using the dessicant machine will heat up the room and give the compressor the advantage.
The dessicant machine wins in lower temperatures, ideally suited to empty second homes, boats, caravans ,garages etc.
You pays your money you get your choice.
I use mine in a cold part of the house, very pleased with my Meaco dessicant Zambezi, also has the distinct advantage of timed operation, so comes on every night at the cheap Octopus rate.It pulls out about 1 litre in the 4 hours, set at max fan speed, 20p/night.
Excellent, thanks for making this!
very interesting, thanks for taking the time to do this and sharing it.
The lid, yes, peel back the lid and the water will pour out easily. While on the subject of reading the manual, it really IS important to keep the dust filter clean on desiccant dehumidifiers, and generally keep the dust level down in that area of the house. Bad things happen to desiccant dehumidifiers if much dust gets inside them.
That is super helpful as I live in an RV on a farm so there is dust everywhere all the time! That’s my choice made then!
Interesting test. I also have both types and use them in similar settings. It's worth noting that the extraction water volume in the specs are generally stated for Compressor models at over 30°C and over 80% or 90% RH. Whereas Desiccant dehumidifiers the extraction specs are often at lower ambient temperature and therefore more suited to UK homes particular in winter.
We use our desiccant machine for its combination of dehumidification and heating in winter months in our ensuite but it is excessively warm in summer months when we switch over to the compressor dehumidifier as the warmth from it is recovered heat only.
In winter months I will run the Compressor dehumidifier on the landing set to 50% RH since at that lower RH the heating energy required for a comfortable home is significantly less than when RH is at say 75-78%. This more than pays for the running of a 165 watt dehumidifier.
Horses for courses.
Hi. Live in a 2 bedroom maisonette which is usually 15-17 Celsius, which one should I go for? Desiccant or compressor? Thanks
@@Elusive12 A desiccant dehumidifier would be the better choice because they work from much lower temperatures, aka from 1C upwards.
He didn't ask what to buy to dehumidify a room at 1C, but what to buy for a 2x bedrooms at 15-17C. Compressor will outperform absorber and will do it cheaper in a such regime. A good unit will match result of absorber even at 10C. To dehumidify a room at 20C compressor is the cheapest option by far.
Great review, for the power difference/cost to run, the compressor wins hands down
Very helpful video, thank you!
I think you should have done the following:
1. Weigh the containers empty and full for a more accurate reading
2. Measure the power consumption at the wall ... I don't think that desiccant dehumidifiers operates at full power constantly, just in the heating phase, the rest of the time it's just a fan.
3. Measure the starting temperature in the room
4. Test them separately ... the desiccant humidifier will raise the temperature which both lowers relative humidity and makes the refrigerant model more efficient.
The difference in volume was obvious and easy to measure as volume. The accuracy of weighing the water is over the top and harder to relate to as a viewer. The power consumption was measured at the wall, see @17:26 although its true that the desiccant would raise the room temperature over a 1 hour test they're not throwing out that much heat to be too significant over a 1hr period.
Great video, super helpful so glad I found this. Thank you so much.
You very welcome and welcome to the channel👋
Interesting comparison, thank you. We've tried both types & coincidentally with an Eco Air dessicant and Meaco compressor types. We bought the Eco Air specifically for the unheated conservatory having researched that the dessicant type works at low temperature. The mechanism failed whilst under warranty and was repaired by Eco Air free of charge. We moved to a house without conservatory so used it indoors instead. It failed a 2nd time, but was then out of warranty. We replaced it with the Meaco low energy 12L model because of the running costs. Although we didn't have both units at the same time so couldn't conduct a direct comparison, my feeling is that both units extracted about the same moisture each day.
I have seen a lot of comments about failures. Not the most robust units but then I guess theyre budget brands. Fingers crossed for a couple of years service
It depends on the temperature. I heard a good compressor dehumidifier will perform at similar level in 10 C degrees as the absorber. Lower than that and it might struggle. At 20 C degrees even mediocre units will outperform absorbers.
I think weighing the containers empty and with water would be a better way to check amounts. :) Good test though. I found the desiccant versions are better than the compressor versions. They stay cleaner as well.
Now why didn't I think of that🤦♂️
Desiccant seems more effective but for half the power and quieter Compressor makes a sensible choice.
@@EVPuzzle Really making hard work of pouring that out. Lift the plastic cover slightly;)
No body appears to have mentioned the smell from the desiccant model! (Not pleasant). My first desiccant model failed inside warranty, and it’s replacement latest 18 months before it died. Did not replace, but spent £ on heat pump condensing tumble drier and plumbed it in to drain automatically. VERY pleased with it.
Don't get a smell from this one and I've got a very sensitive nose for smells
Thanks for the very informative video, I had wondered about the differences and was looking at a Meaco unit already so this just confirms that it is the right choice for my requirements.
I've been using both and I tend to use the lower power meaco more but when there's excess solar I sometimes whack the ecoair on top. The heat output is really handy when drying laundry
@@EVPuzzle In the end I went for the Meaco DD8L desiccant unit as we tend to have a fair bit of laundry to dry and it's done a fantastic job of reducing our humidity, no more windows fogged up even in the kids' rooms and our unit is placed downstairs in our hallway. Added bonus of an ioniser too means less dust and dirt in the air (but with the increased sweeping needed on the laminate floors). Really glad we have one now.
Great Stuff! Thank you.
I'm surprised how well that Meaco 10L performs, especially when compared to my previous Meaco 20 LE dehumidifier. This is probably due to the change of refrigerant to R290, which I recall somewhere mentioning is supposed to improve their energy efficiency. From my own past testing using it to dry laundry, it collected just over 300ml in an hour and the room was around 20C, so I was surprised to see that 10L get about 250ml. My current Logik 20L got about 470ml in an hour with a similar test run (room about 22C), drawing about 230W continuously. From what I recall, the Meaco consumed about 250W, but used the older R134a refrigerant.
By using electric heating, technically the efficiency of the dehumidifier does not really mater, as long as both are able to reach the desired target level. Whatever energy the machine consumes will be released as heat into the room, which offsets what the electric heater would have used anyway. During damp humid days where heating is not required (often the case here near the NW cost of Ireland), the compressor model does have the advantage of removing the stickiness feeling without making the room too warm.
Thanks Seán, think I'm glad to have both now, Ive tried the compressor one a few times and miss the heat output of the desiccant but for laundry I'm not fussed about heat. Worth a couple of hundred pounds to have them.
Spot on!
Not much of a comparison. The humidity is very high, having both running both running raises the room temperature and increases the air circulation both benefitting the compressor model with the lower fan speed.
Thanks for making this video
I have a Meaco Zambezzi and it's amazing, going to get a small compressor as its cheaper to run..Would like to buy the MeacoDry ABC 10L but seems to be sold out everywhere..
Thank you for this report.
I too have a Meaaco which is a few years old now.
It is used in the bedroom and it has been reliable and works as we wish it.
I personally would recommend a compressor refrigerator over a desiccant purely on the grounds of energy consumption. 160W is virtually half the power of the desiccant dehumidifier. The only deciding factor in this case might be the speed with which moisture is removed from the room. This is very rarely a deciding factor in a home environment where generally humidity changes quite slowly.
If speed is really a factor needing attention then one might use a fan to blow over a damp item of clothing and use the dehumidifier to help extract the moisture evaporated from the clothing.
This is perfect!
Try lifting the handle on the water collector then remove plastic lid (like a tupperwear container) then pour water out. Meaco does not work in my cold home so sent it back bought dd128 ecoair takes out 4-5 litres a day on low setting and throws out heat.
Mine too meaco needs warmer room
As an extension to the bedroom test, I would love to see a test where you're bringing the humidity down to more like 40% like you'd want in a house in cold enviroments in the winter. It's been my expereince that compressor dehumidifiers are essentially worthless below 50%, running and running and extracting essentially nothing, and as I understand it dessicant units can take you all the way down to 0% if you so desire.
Thanks for amazing test video. We all need more of them real life tests. I have the Eco Air and its working fine extracting a lot of water in my utility room but after a year it still produces specific smell. Do you experience the same? Instruction mentions this but it says it would go away in few days. Mine didn't, not a big issue but I'm just curious.
Yes there's a smell but it's reduced from new, just faint. Room smells better overall though, fresher
Does anyone know why compressors always seem to have much better controls on them vs desiccants, or why desiccants never seem to have a digital display like compressors usually do?
I'm guessing there may be some exceptions but I've not seen any.
I don't know about that particular model, but we've had meaco, delonghi and ecoair compressor dehumidifiers (the meaco was £250😢) and all packed in after a couple of years. However, our ecoair mini is still going strong after nearly 11 years, so maybe save a few pence per hour, but it doesn't work for us in the long run when you add up the cost. Ps good video and helpful review that pal 👍
Take the lid off the ecoair water tray when emptying it, you wasted half of it trying to pour it into the jug lol
That's exactly what I'm thinking, both would've measured the same done properly 🙄.
Very interesting, I have a 20l Meaco and notice several things, it is quiet at low speed, after 5 years noisier on full but reliable. On the efficiency side the Meaco works best in a warm environment and will shut off and flash its light if the air is too cool, defrosting?
However I have just been trying placing it near a radiator so it draws in warm air, works next to an electric oil radiator as well, then it helps distribute the air in the room and the efficiency jumps up. It seems to be a double win in this way. Of course just having a desiccant machine would also deliver more parasitic energy in the room anyway!
I've noticed the same, it's limited in colder rooms whereas desiccant works Consistently
@@EVPuzzle I keep finding these counterintuitive aspects of this transition period. Several different options and no clear winner. Often the choice or benefits are not down to the primary reason one makes the initial choice. This may just be something one should expect in a transition period after all the cost performance curves for the competing options are evolving as is our understanding and the goal space changes as things either become cost efficient or our goals evolve.
I think this is where you come back and say yes it's the EV Puzzle becoming the Energy Puzzle!
You're right it is a puzzle full of unknowns. How do we decide today on issues we have no control or understanding of.
My view is to breakdown what we do and question why. Only understanding our needs and options can we make a decision.
Personally I'm finding supplemental heater very effective even if they only reduce my oil usage. Ashp would be easier, less hassle and generally warmer solution
I would say meaco wins in all these scenarios. Watt hours per ml extracted. It doesn't really matter if the eco air can extract more in the bed room. Unless you have a leak, both are going to spend a significant amount of the day switched off. Theres not enough humidity to run eco mode 24/7.
Correct, the desiccant needs to be extracting double the Meaco to make it more effective, but it doesn't. 12 months on - I am from the future and we are now in a cost of living crisis so the cost to run per ml produced is most important.
Interesting test Nigel, because the desicant models put out more heat, I wonder if that assisted the compressor model? Be good to repeat the test with only one unit at a time.
Well spotted, I think it did slightly. We have a spare room that colder as no heating and drying washing in there the compressor isn't very good. In the hall where it's warm the compressor is effective so I'd guess in the kitchen where I did the test the desiccant heat did help compressor.
I was about to suggest the same thing. Under warmer conditions, compressor dehumidifiers can generally catch more moisture in one sitting than a desiccant dehumidifier can. Some "all-seasons" compressors include an inbuilt heating fan to operate efficiently in cooler temperatures, so my suspicion is that the desiccant (and the warmer air it emits) inadvertently fulfilled that role in this experiment.
Interesting video! I have just received a ProBreeze 10L Desiccant Dehumidifier (£160) and I run it for 2 hours at circa 600w during my go faster tariff and wake up to dry windows which is why I purchased it (7-8p per day for dry windows ) I am surprised how much water it is getting out of the air 🤣😂 and I like the heat generated.
I'm really surprised on the heat front, it's replaced a heater in our room. House is steadily seeing lower humidity which is noticable in comfort and feeling. Can't believe I've never had one of these before.
How do you make the ProBreeze delay the power on?
@@GoGreenAutos I don’t think you can but I’m on “go faster” which for me starts at 2130 so I just turn it on manually then choose 2 or 4 hour run time.
@@scottwills4698 I've been looking if there's a dehumidifier that has a start delay timer so I can run it during the 4 hours Octopus Go period. It seems there isn't but also seems that might be counterproductive anyway as you're just encouraging the humidity to rise during the other 18 hours. Probably best to just leave a dehumidifier left switched on and let the sensor control the machine.
@@GoGreenAutos the first few times I ran it it took out loads of water and the sensor was saying over 80% humidity. After a week or so the humidity would start at maybe 60%. For my use running it for 2 hours a few times a week keeps the humidity under 60%, I’ve started using it to dry my washing now too.
My meaco dehumidifier 10l has wheels so easy to move around.
Good to know
Do the compressor models blow out warm air? My EcoAir blows out air at 42c warming the house up.
The ecoair tank lid is a rubber seal lid so you only need to peel it back from a corner to pour it out
I know now, I am a plonker eh?
@@EVPuzzle hah, it took me ages to find it, also guilty of not reading any manual :)
I could not believe somebody cant see the lid... OMG
At what temperature was the room though? Its very dependant on room temperature as if the temp is below say 15 degrees C the Meaco will turn off wheras the Eco Air. Dessicant humidifiers work better at lower temperatures as they wont go into defrost mode and turn off.
Interesting video, thanks, but do you have much experience now the the compressor version meaco at lower temps ? Product page says down to 1C however there is very little info about its effectiveness as even 15 or 10 degrees ? Is there such a drop off at these temps ? Or are they just trying to continue selling the dececant versions which seem simpler ? Any thoughts would be appricated. What temps did you run these tests at ? Thanks
Anything under 17c seemed worse. It works but just much much slower with its defrost cycles . Desicant version more flexible just uses high power for less time
@@EVPuzzle Thanks for the reply... thats just what I wanted to hear, and had been trying to find out... as our temps are never over 17, perhaps only in summer its desicant for us :)
Hi Nigel, what I really want to know is which is the most silent, in high and low humidity. Feel free to make a video separately about this, with all the major dehumidifiers
Sure thing I'll just go out and buy them all to test
You should check out Ebac for dehumidifiers, designed and made in the UK (about 5 miles from where I am now). Their smart controls are very good, just set it and leave it to run. Think they are about 300w.
Cheers. They ought to send me one to test 👍
11:15. If you take the lid off the Ecoair container before you empty it you won't spill the water everywhere....
Lol knew there had to be a better way
What was the temperature again ? As from what I am aware of the Desiccant is used for when its colder weather. So could it be a idea to test them both when its around winter time ?
No free energy from the meaco! A heat pump only moves energy from one place to another. A compressor dehumidifier chills the air to condense the moisture out of it and then rewarms it using the hot side of the coils (after the compressor). The air coming out will be slightly warmer than room air due to the heat generated by the compressor motor. The maximum heat you get out of it is the amount of electricity it consumes ie 165 watts.
Compresser dehumidifiers come with wild claims of what they'll extract in litres usually tested at 30C and near 100% humidity (eg a tropical rainforest).
Dessicant dehumidifiers cost more to run but will be more effective at lower temps. All the cheap ones seem to be the same and breakdown or leak. The old X-dry £300 ones seem to last forever (but aren't available anymore, everything now is likely a clone).
There is… latent heat of vapourisation (in reverse). It will put out quite a bit more heat than energy input due to the condensing water.
@@AdrianColes I think I'm out of my depth here but say you put the dehumidifier in a room with your wet washing, the heat you get from condensing the water vapour from the air is going to be matched by the heat lost in the process of evaporating the water in the washing. Also the water in the tank is going to absorb some heat unless you pipe it down a drain or something. More often than not, the water is warm or at least at room temperature (if the tank is next to the compressor its usually warm). So when you empty the tank, you lose that energy from the system.
I see what you are saying but I'm not sure what the yield would be. I think the energy from condensing 250ml of water in an hour would be 175 watts, equivalent to the energy in two digestive biscuits. As I say, some of this energy is going to be used up in rewarming the air and returning the liquid water to room temp (unless you pipe it away) and you can't call it free energy as you most likely put the energy into the water vapour through cooking/showering/heating. It is recovered energy though. Seeing as you mentioned it perhaps you could explain how much extra heat you would expect on top of the energy consumed by the appliance? Thanks!
@@matthewwakeham2206 It's probably not much. Well, you can calculate it as a litre of water will have a certain fixed 'latent heat of evaporation'. In fact I did calculate it once but I forgot what it is. For sure, a dehumidifier will put significantly more heat into a room than a simple heater of the same wattage. From memory I think mine uses 300watts of electricity and puts out about 370w of heat, something like that.
As you rightly say, it is not a heat pump. It is more analogous to a condensing boiler, which squeezes a bit more heat out of the damp flue gases produced by burning gas by allowing them to condense and the liquid water to be drained away. The damp gases give up that 'latent heat' at the point where they condense into liquid water. A condensing boiler is only about 10-15% more efficient than a non-condensing boiler. I suspect that a dehumidifier provides a similar, marginal though not insignificant bump in efficiency. So nothing like the doubling in efficiency that a heat pump can produce, but still worthwhile if you are heating the space anyway.
970 BTU/lb. So about 2045 BTU/L. 3.414 BTU/W = 600 W per liter
Nigel BTW I think that the lid of the Desiccant dehumidifier's water tank can be removed for easier emptying if anything like mine
It can. Doh.!
@@EVPuzzle I just lift up one corner of the flexible lid and pour the water out of that corner.
1 The correct laundry mode for desiccant is on the red area to the maximum 2 Remove the white plastic when empty the water container energy saving i will chose compressor
I have a Meaco. But the opposite to you. I went for one of their desiccant models. The DD8L. Very happy with it.
Very interesting test. Thanks for sharing.
There seems to be a lot of fog in the area of dehumidifiers.
Due to the number of variables its hard to differentiate even if it’s for a very specific task.
Temperature, so far as I understand, has a huge bearing on performance. Specifically the compressor version has to fight against freezing in lower temperatures and the desiccant version has to work harder in warmer temperatures.
How that all plays out in typical home in a particular part of the world (with local temperatures and humidity ranges) is really hard to understand for a consumer.
Can you do it again and add in temperature data and repeat for different but still normal home temperatures( cooler 17 degrees and warmer 20 degrees centigrade). Both for laundry and just room dehumidifying.
The power difference between them is really interesting too. Can you measure the actual power consumption over the time too.
It’s a tall ask. So I don’t expect it.
You already cleared a little of the fog.
Thanks again.
I think then let is to know how warm your room is you intend to place the unit in. Below 16c go desiccant 15 or above heat pump is much more efficient. For Laundry I use them both which aids air flow, temperature and time to dry
One observation: The Meaco is easier to empty if you remove the lid of the water tank before you try to empty it. My wife remarked how quiet it is compared to our dessicant type machine.
Yes, I'm grateful for all 55 comments telling me this 🤦 I'm a numpty 🫣🤭
Can you please share the Amazon link for the desiccant one
Another way to run this test could be to compare water collected after kw used instead of over time. Repeat over a range of temperatures and RH and laundry situations. Include time as a value to help draw a complete picture.
I ran a comparison like that. I found that at about 15 degrees C the compressor DH extracted less water but also used less power. At lower temperatures the desiccant DH extracted more water per kWh, and at higher temperatures (20+ degrees C?) they extracted about the same amount of water, but the compressor DH used half the power so won out. Just to be clear, the amount of power they used was constant for both types (180w vs 350w) and it was just the amount of water collected by the compressor DH that varied greatly with temperature.
Hi will this turn on automatically if it detects humidity?
Any reason you did not get an Ebac? Made in UK and seem very economical.
Amazon buyer, makes sending things back easy if no good. Ebac do sound good though
I guess you could run the Meaco for twice as long as it's twice as efficient.
Exactly and solar friendly 155w
Interesting that Ebac who make both dessicant and compressor dehumidifiers say on their website for home users NOT to buy the dessicant models as they are not worth the extra cost vs industrial users with no budget restraints, and more interesting also state that the temperatures that dessicant models are better at performing in are way below the numbers of 20c temperature that some sources quote - Ebac say that number is
Just goes to show you can't trust everything you read on the Internet. It's all subjective which is why videos are so much better with context and actual experience
I suspect properly heating the house, controlling ventilation (HRV) and using a dryer would avoid the need for a dehumidifier.
Sledge hammer to crack a nut. Yes spending £1,000-£2,000 will help vs £145 dehumidifier.
Heap pump dryer was on the cards but dehumidifier is working out better. Less space needed and doubles as a heater
Yes, but at the cost of a lot more energy and a lot more money.
I think for the noise factor, and that ridiculous emptying method of the cheaper one I would pick the meaco
This video was posted one year ago, these same machines are now much more expensive if you can find them
If home is usually 15-17 Celsius, which one should I go for? 2 bed maisonette
I prefer the heat pump lower power but just know its limits on room temp
Not really a fair test if both dehumidifiers been used at same time in the colder bedroom as the heater in the desiccant dehumidifier would have heated the room a little helping the meaco. Would need to be done in separate similar sized rooms or on different day's in same room
Hmm im confused now. But i want to stop or reduce heating my apartment but get a dehumidifier to counteract the damp issues. I have ordered a dessicant one but may have to be choosy about when i use it as it will be expensive to run
300w for a smaller one
@@EVPuzzle i wonder if i should of got a compressor one, but as i plan to not use the heating maybe the desiccant one is better to have. My home is well insulated just have some niggles with damp.
Great video, ignore the idiot from 21 hrs ago, helped me decide on what to go for. Seems, on balance, given the cost of kWh these days, a compressor is the way to go. 👍 👍 👍
I would say this isn’t a fair test as the room was warmer because of the desiccant this if they meadow was being used at a lower temperature on its own it could of extracted less
FYI the laundry test wasn't a fair test at all. The heat output from the desiccant dehumidifier made the compressor dehumidifier work a lot better. Industrially, they're often used like that in series in cold environments.
Bit it's a good indication?
@@EVPuzzle Probably gave the opposite result than if you'd used them on their own.
That’s a good point, but do you really think it would have made that much difference in an hour.
Silly me , thought tumble dryer was for drying washing 🙃
If you've got one a heat pump version is excellent but not everyone has space for one
Are you still using dehumidifiers to heat the house?
Just one room, one small dehumidifier and not often
ON TH E BACK - the dehumidifier will have DISCHARGE and SUCTION rate (MPa),
nice show/video but this was apples v oranges and the technology had NOTHING to do with results.
Pull the lid off !
This isnt an accurate test. Running both a dessicant and a compressor units within the same room would cancel one out from the other, as the dessicant works better in colder temperatures and also gives off heat, where as the compressor unit works better in warmer conditions.
Dessicant are expensive to run due to an heater built in and suited to colder areas ie, garages etc, as I've stated
Compressor are more suited for the home, as most homes are rarely that cold but do actually warm the area it's being operated, as the dessicant would too.
That can't be how you are supposed to empty the eco air tray. That is terrible design if it is.
I've just learnt there's a lid lol 🤦♂️
@@EVPuzzle Haha thank god for that!
I hate reading instructions but I'm sure I didn't see anything about a lid lol. Real world test or what😉
Drill an 8mm hole tight in the corner of the water tray lid of the Eco-Air, and then the water can be emptied out easily. Job done.
Or take the lid off like the Instructions say 🤣😱🤦
Thanks for the efforts. Interesting experiment. But unfortunately not scientific enough. Unfortunately not easy to be scientific enough to be totally conclusive. Having 2 machines competing within the same environment is not ideal as location in the room could easily be significant, and the two different methods employed could easily be another. Without knowing all the factors that need to be monitored and controlled. Temperature pressure and humidity for starters. Preferably within a closed system with exact repeatable conditions for each. Over a longer period. With a range of temperatures to see the effects above and below zero. Conditions your not going to easily have total control of in your home with the building fabric and environment in the rest of the house and outside. It maybe possible to get more transparency and therefore more reliably insightful results, but would take a lot more work. Nice try though
Would rather a dryer, and if moisture in the house is a problem then I would get a PIV system
Whole system is rather an overkill when £149 is all you need to spend
@@EVPuzzle I’ve looked into to dehumidifiers as I was getting humidity issues one due to better insulation and the other due to the humidity in my area on average 70 odd percent meaning no amount of opening windows would help and that would negate any thermal insulation gains made to the property.
The whole house meaco for a 3 to 4 bed is a lot bigger than that from what meaco recommend for whole house dehumidifying and use to be running 24/7 just to get it down to 55% humidity the PIV with window vents in the winter will take humidity down. At the mo I’m 40% downstairs and 43% upstairs yes you do get a cold breeze on the landing where the purified air is coming in and pushing the stale humid air out!
I was getting condensation on all the windows upstairs at night time that has gone, air flow is key and unlike the dehumidifier I can run this all year round, unlike you I’ve not got solar so power consumption is what I need to lower hence it’s a better investment than a dehumidifier and if you suffer from allergies or live some where congested an F7 filter can trap any diesel particulates ;) took me months of research to get something cheap to run 24/7 and achieve low humidity in the winter.
£300 isn’t far off and for something that can run on a lot less jungle juice it’s got to be a sound investment especially given the state of energy costs even with solar panels this would just mean you have more energy to use elsewhere expanding your independence from the grid.
We have condensation only on the coldest days and only in our bedroom. The rest are clear. I think insulation around the windows could be better but it's ventilation and the lack of fresh air that's causing it. Dehumidifier used s a heater too for a couple of hours I the afternoon then again first thing in the morning and the moisture has gone. It's literally the moisture we expel from our bodies that seems to be the issue overnight. Leaving windows open works too but blooming cold 🥶
I'm noticing despite using it in one corner of the house, humidity is reducing throughout the house.
Last week humidity outside was 96% here
@@EVPuzzle yeah here is 90% today, my issue was all three bedrooms are occupied so had a lot of humidity expelled at night ventilation in the kitchen and bath is key to getting it expelled fast but positive pressure pushing it out slowly has been key to mine and a lot less money on running cost, the heating is always on due to having a little one that’s to small to regulate her body temp and a missis that cry’s about how cold it is 😂
@@DTech101 is your piv a heated version. Is the cold draft bad
If you increase the temp of the property you will lower the RH, in addition, I suggest you have a pressure test peformed on your property.
There is no justification in having to run a dehumidifier to prevent the inside of the windows from becoming sopping wet.
It seems like lots of people disagree and there's plenty of justification for a dehumidifier vs Spending thousands on a mvhr system. Everyone has different needs and can afford different amounts
A well installed Air source heat pump would solve all your issues! 😎
I cringe whenever he says Meaco! haha
completely useless experiment... testing them in the same room both working at the same time... the desiccant is warming the air and helping the compressor to work better. they should be tested separately. I bet the desiccant would beat the compressor in temperature condition below 20 degrees.
25 minutes video, could have done that in 12 mins!!!!!!!
Why don't you Instead of commenting?
I am a big follower of your channel mainly due to your persistence in following the science unfortunately, in this upload I am afraid you have not. What you have shown successfully is that one dehumidifier is more efficient than the other not how to dehumidify a property or room. Dehumidifier manufactures do not promote the science also as this effects sales. In the process of your test is not only have you attempted to dehumidify a room you have also attempted to dehumidify half of Norwich! The room must be airtight with a temporary air lock on the door. A ridiculous proposal as the science tells us that to remove condensation movement of air is the best method ie ventilation. If you dont want condensation and no heat loss then "Air Managent Systems" are the only option to test as I did for 3 years at Thames Valley University. To explain air management in a comment is not possible. Take care Mike.
All very true but dehumidiers are clearly an easy and effective option too. Glad you like most of my videos . I'm more analytical than scientific for sure so appreciate your expert opinion
@@EVPuzzle thank you for your response, I have spent forty years on the problem of condensation mainly in Local Authority Housing based in inner London Estates. Most London Boroughs spend £30M a year on the problem in solving what is called Rising Damp which is a Fairy Tale and does not exist, compensation claims or educating residents. The problem has become worse due to retro fitting existing properties which makes them air tight and if successful produces mold as a result of condensation. Please study air management and what causes condensation in occupied buildings. Any assistance only too glad to help as it also a health problem. Take care Mike
Cheers Mike. The subject mystifies the majority of us. It's crazy that a modern home like ours should have condensation at all.. A previous home that had single glazing had condensation throughout but on installing new double glazing it disappeared completely. Our current home is more modern and a good brands windows, not cheap but condensation is still an issue.. Smaller but its there.. As you say, its all. About ventilation and this house is sealed. So much so a window popped when a door was slammed!
I hate the idea of an expensive filtered and heated air system and I don't like the idea of draughts so where and how can you analyse air recirculation and fresh air quantities?
I was looking for a company to do an air seal blower test but even that seems hard to find a good expert, let alone one that will help resolve building issues, insulation and offer the remedies needed for a sensible price. Definitely feels. Like a leap of faith and a potential bottomless pit.
Hopefully the rest and process I'm undergoing can identify the issue and I can find the right solutions. Ventilation upstairs without introducing draughts is on my list
@@EVPuzzle Lets get this one out of the way, I have liked all your videos even this one it was a good comparison between two products that do the same job. Question, before you turned off your central heating were your radiators under the window? the reason they are here is glass is the coldest part of the room. Hot air rises and as it passes the face of the glass it slowly warms it. The air expands becomes lighter and rises towards the ceiling. The space left by the warmed air is filled with cooler air from across the room. This causes a circulation effect. The glass does not form condensation because the air is moving vertically and continually warming up the glass. Exactly what happens when you first sit in your car on a cold morning and switch on the demister . If you placed your heater on the opposite wall or in the center of the room the air would at the windows move in a downward direction thereby shrinking and shrink more as it touched the glass depositing H2O on its face ie condensation. All air contains water, Humidity, In the UK 50% humidity is considered healthy It could be 35% Arid unhealthy or 70% humid also unhealthy. Lets not call it 50% lets call it one spoon in a cubic foot. As it expands it becomes 2 cubic foot but not with half a teaspoon it picks up another spoon of H2O and as it cools it it deposits the extra soonfull it gained slowly on carpets soft furnishings ect. If the air circulated the opposite way the glass in the window would not warm up and be continually cold the air would as it shrinks quickly, deposit its H2O on the glass all in one go and be a continuous action as long as the heat is on. That is a simple explanation but there is more. Take care Mike
Cheers.... Radiators are under the window here. Appreciate the explanation.. Sounds like even a small fan moving the air can help?