Dehumidifiers The percentage of relative humidity suitable for comfort and health is between 45% and 55%, be it summer or winter. The excess of moisture in the walls of houses, in clothes and books, can cause, besides the known discomforts for its habitability, use, and conservation, severe consequences for the environment and health, especially for the elderly with respiratory problems and for people living with asthma. How to eliminate humidity from homes, offices, libraries? The dehumidifier, a device similar in appearance to the air conditioner, helps to ‘remove’ the excess water from the air, either by storing it in a tank or by taking it directly to a drain. Given the diversity of models, systems, capacities, and powers, the energy expenditure will be determined by the chosen method and the conditions in which the device must work.
What they are and how they work Dehumidifiers are devices specially designed to provide an immediate, quick and useful solution to all the problems caused by excessive humidity, without the need for installation in the case of small household equipment, and minimal installation and maintenance costs in industrial equipment and higher air capacity. These devices, capable of making the heat not so sticky in summer, work according to the principle of condensation. The humid air is sucked in by the fan and went through the evaporator’s battery, where it cools below its dew point. In this way, “the wetness contained in the air condenses in the form of water and is collected in the condensation tray from where it is eliminated to a drain pipe.” The cold and dry air passes through the condensing battery where it is reheated and sent back to the enclosure.
Dehumidifiers are often presented as the only option that helps to avoid severe problems of habitability and reduced use of spaces due to a high percentage of moisture in the air. They even solve domestic issues, “for example, in Galicia and other very humid areas are used to dry clothes more economically.” In summer, they prevent moisture from being ‘installed’ in homes and winter, in homes where heat condenses, preventing the formation of annoying ‘leaks’ that can even cause significant material damage to the home.
However, its advantages go further: “in homes, shops and industries this equipment not only extract excess moisture but also allow to maintain the percentage of moisture automatically, controlled and constant,” and extend to the health sector. The latter is because they maintain the humidity percentage advisable for human health and comfort, avoiding future diseases and bone diseases, a consequence of a constantly humid environment. For allergic people, they are great allies, explains Dr. R. Lleonart, Secretary of the Foundation of the SEAIC, Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology. “Mites, to develop optimally, need a temperature of 25ºC and humidity of 85% In areas of higher humidity, a dehumidifier can significantly reduce the growth of mites and fungi, as long as it is used constantly and in closed places, “he explains. In this sense, we must take into account that the percentage of relative humidity suitable for comfort and health is between 45% and 55% either in summer or winter. “The idea is to get that always, whether or not heating or air conditioning, that percentage is maintained.” Also, maintaining these levels prevents the proliferation of mold and bacteria and the consequent bad odors that are derived from them. Avoid anomalies and damage to electronic and mechanical equipment, such as corrosion; they avoid the deterioration of decorative elements such as curtains or carpets, paintings, scrolls; reduce the ailments of the respiratory tract; They help prevent health problems such as painful joints or excessive sweating, and even prevent the deterioration of organic substances such as food products.
The diversity of models “The technology and performance of these devices are taken into account especially in the industrial sectors, whereas in the domestic sphere, especially in homes and offices, more consideration is given to aesthetics and design.” , Which device is the most appropriate? What should be fixed when buying a model or another? The answers are several, from the number of liters that can extract and the volume of the room to be treated, to the different uses that will be given to it: domestic or industrial. However, “one of the characteristics that differentiate one from another is the size of the device since they can occupy a lot of space.”
