About Dehumidifiers

Gwen McIntyre asked:


Major appliances account for approximately 40% of our household monthly utility bills. Appliances that are older than 10 years may account for an even larger percentage than that. Energy Star appliances are the most energy efficient appliances available on the market today and can help to bring those monthly costs down substantially. But what if new appliances are not in your budget?

Today’s economy does not lend itself well to major new purchases. Most household finances are already stretched to their limit. Even if you can’t afford a new appliance right now, you can use these energy saving tips to save money on each appliance in your home. This should help keep a few dollars in your pocket and ease up on your strained cash flow.

Refrigerator:

· Leave at least one inch between the wall and the back of the refrigerator. This will help air to circulate, control the temperature and avoid over-heating.

· Radiators, heat ducts, vents, stoves, and even sunlight can cause your refrigerator to use more power than necessary so try not to place your refrigerator adjacent to any of these heat sources.

· Check the temperature of your fridge and freezer regularly. The temperature of the fridge should be between 35 and 38 degrees and your freezer at 0 degrees for optimal performance.



Dishwasher:

· Wash full loads of dishes.

· Do not use the pre-rinse, heat-dry or rinse-hold features, they use extra energy.

Clothes Washer:

· Wash full loads

· Only do warm or hot water washes when necessary.

Dehumidifier:

· Close all windows and doors when your dehumidifier is on.

· Change your filters regularly. A build up of dirt causes the unit to use more energy.

· Keep your dehumidifier away from walls, furniture or dusty areas.

Household Air Conditioner:

· Close all windows and doors when your air conditioner is on.

· Set the timer for temperature control.

· Pick the right unit for the size of your room.

Investing in Energy Star appliances is a great long-term solution to lower your utility bills but if you can’t afford to buy new appliances right now, you can still do your best to reduce your current expenses.



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Cpower asked:


Just because the mercury’s rising this summer, it doesn’t mean that your energy bills have to. The energy management strategies employed to save and make money by businesses employing energy management strategies can be supplemented by simple, fundamental energy saving principles that can apply to employees and consumers alike.

Here are a few of the strategies shared by CPower – a leading energy management and demand side management provider.

• Air condition only highly used areas: Heating and cooling are a significant energy expense and depending on the type of office, facility or home, can make up as much as 45 percent of annual energy bills. This summer, instead of cooling every nook and cranny of our work and living spaces, focus air conditioning to just the zones that are actively used.

By closing vents or shutting off zones where air conditioning isn’t necessary, energy use will be lowered and cool air will be focused to high-traffic areas.

• Change light bulbs and light fixtures: While incandescent light bulbs are cheaper than other light bulbs, they actually cost up to 33 percent more on your electricity bill than do fluorescent bulbs. In fact, general fluorescent light bulbs also last 10-20 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Likely the easiest energy-cutting step, lighting changes could save more than 5 percent on overall energy bills. Another significant energy saver is replacing or retrofitting non-energy efficiency light fixtures to more energy efficient ones.

• Improve building efficiency with insulation and window upgrades: Making sure that cool air stays in and hot air stays out (and in the winter vice versa) is a crucial step for not only summer energy bill reduction, but for year round savings. Combining the savings from energy bills with tax credits from both your state regulations and the Federal 2005 Energy Policy Act will help these improvements to pay for themselves.

• Turn off office and home equipment when not in use: Many of us leave our office and home equipment on, even when it is not being used.  Turning off computers, printers and fax machines, and other equipment that often spends more time idling or in stand-by mode will save energy.  In addition, maintaining your equipment to ensure efficient operation can also help reduce energy use and ensure longer performance of your equipment.

A Few More Tips for Consumers

• Optimize air conditioning with a dehumidifier: Dehumidifiers make air conditioners more efficient and improve the way a room feels in general. Comfortable temperatures don’t always require an increase in air conditioning, so much as a reduction in humidity. The less humid a home is the less air conditioning is needed to stay comfortable. While dehumidifiers require a small upfront investment, the savings is worth it in the long run.

• Purchase Energy Star appliances: A home’s appliances-water heaters, refrigerators, washers and dryers, dishwashers, ovens, TVs and more-constitute about 46 percent of the average home’s energy bill. Using Environmental Protection Agency-certified Energy Star appliances typically cuts energy costs related to those appliances by about one-third. If an entire home was retrofitted with Energy Star appliances, overall energy costs could be cut by as much as 15 percent.

• Use an instant hot water heater: Heating water only when a faucet is turned on can be particularly cost-effective for smaller households and can save homeowners money through energy efficiency tax credits.

• Install solar panels: This strategy isn’t as expensive as most think. The initial purchase of solar panels typically totals around $15,000, a small price to pay compared to the amount of return. This is particularly true when a homeowner considers the value that an installed solar unit will add to his/her investment. Increased values are fed not only by reduced energy bills these installs will yield; they are also fed by buyers concerns over what will happen with energy prices in the future. Also, in many markets, homeowners using solar power can actually sell excess power back to utility companies and get paid for it. In coming years, as state and federal governments push for an increase in renewable energy, the amount of money to be made off of solar power will continue to increase.



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Aglease asked:


According to Consumer Reports, the LG LHD45EL and the Kenmore 54501 models are the best buys for the medium-capacity. I’ve read reviews on both and still cannot figure out which is better. Anyone have experience with either of these? Or any other model? Serious answers only.

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Les Donovan asked:


Installing a Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier can make your home more comfortable and keep it free of mold. During the humid, languid days of summer, an air conditioner can make your house feel less like a hot tub and help prevent the unpleasant, musty smell that’s a sign of a damp home. If you do not have air conditioning in your home you most likely have high moisture present in your basement or crawl space, installing a portable dehumidifier is the best way to reduce the humidity level.

A house that has heavy moist air, air that is saturated with excess water, can cause the following:

Allergies

• Fungus

• Dust mites

• Bacteria

• Mold

The portable dehumidifiers can resolve these problems. The portable dehumidifier can be placed in the room or area where the problem is.  Portable dehumidifiers are easy to operate and are light enough to carry anywhere. They have a bucket that collects the water as well as a drain line for draining off the water as it accumulates. They are easy to use and most have wheels to make it easier for transportation. Dehumidifier’s kill the germs and mold that is being released in your air from the excess water and put a stop to more of them growing in your home.

Dehumidifiers do more than just remove the excess moisture from the air; they enhance your body comfort too. By keeping humidity at the proper level, these machines will prevent many other problems. A household relative humidity should be above 50 percent to prevent mildew, dust mites, and mold that exacerbate allergies. Mildew and mold can thrive on and discolor cloth or natural-wood furniture and grow on clothes, books, and other items stored in your basement.

Mold can also cause drywall and wood to rot and cause structural damage to the home. New homes are more vulnerable to high humidity than older ones. New homes use a paper-faced wallboard instead of the wood and plaster found in older houses that are mold resistant.



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Yella asked:


I have been having TERRIBLE allergies lately and it seems they are getting worse. Especially in my room. I wake up every morning with all the miserable symptoms. I’ve heard about dehumidifiers but I wonder if they really work well for stuff like this.

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jenn asked:


I live in Houston and was debating on getting a dehumidifier for our bedroom. Even though the ac is set low its still humid in the house and feels yucky. Think our insulation sucks. Just wondering if the dehumidifier would help make it feel more comfortable

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John16 asked:


I want to buy one for my friend as he has a very slight problem with a small puddle forming from time to time in his basement.

But I don’t think he would view my solution as a solution if he had to turn it on every time the puddle forms. I would be so much better if the thing turned itself on.

But do modern dehumidifiers have this option?

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Dr. Dina Giesler asked:


StructureMedic shares do-it-yourself tips to ensure that no flood leaves you helpless. Six solid steps that will get you dry and prevent your home from being permanently water damaged.

1. Shutoff electrical power.

If it is safe to do so, make your way to the breaker outlet and shut off the power. This is an extremely important step since it will prevent the risk of electrical shock. Make sure that you are not standing in water when doing so. If need be, elevate yourself from the water by standing on a wooden or plastic stool. Make sure that what you are standing on is not made of metal and will NOT conduct electricity. This could be incredibly dangerous. If flood water seems to be getting close to the circuits and you cannot reach them, please call your power supplier to have the electricity supply safely disconnected for you.

2. Remove your furniture.

Make sure to lift all of your furniture, along with other important belongings, out of the flooded area and into a higher, dryer space. The sooner you remove your furniture, the less likely your furniture will be permanently damaged. Some types of furniture, such as solid wood, may be more resilient than others. Materials such as particle board, however, tend to swell once in contact with water, and are much more difficult to recover. All furniture should be removed from the water as soon as possible.

3. Drain excess water.

Flood water that is inside of your home needs to be removed immediately. Go out and get yourself a few drain pumps that you can connect to a common hose in order to rid of all unwanted flood waters from your home. Keep in mind that you want to have a hose that is long enough to dump the water far away from the foundation of your home. You definitely do not want the water to find it’s way back in.

4. Get dry.

After getting all excess water out of your home, you will want to dry out all flooring and carpeting as well. In order to dry your flooring, it is a good idea to get some fans running to help with circulation. Move your carpeting to a dryer area and vacuum the carpeting to suck up most of the water. Make sure to remove all pads from the carpeting and let those dry separately. If the sun is shining, it would be an excellent idea to bring all carpeting and pads outside for further drying.

5. Dehumidify.

Run a dehumidifier to keep humidity levels down and hopefully prevent molding. Do not let the water sit in the dehumidifier. The water needs to be removed as quickly as possible (and as far away from the house as possible), as it is important to decrease the chances of harmful mold and mildew. It is recommended to use a dehumidifier system that is capable of hooking up to a hose, automatically taking care of these problems.

6. Fight bacteria.

Water that comes in from the outside is likely to have yard chemicals in it which are poison, as well as animal waste. An anti-bactericide will be needed in order to fight against unwanted bacteria. It would also be wise to invest in some anti-mold treatments to fight against and prevent mold from growing. Mold can cause illness and is highly damaging to the home. Mold and mildew can begin to grow within only 48 hours if not taken care of.

These steps should put you on the right track to feeling at home again. If any problems occur or you have any questions, please contact us. Water damage can be tricky and expand quickly. StructureMedic wants you and your family to be as safe as possible.



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12Digits asked:


I figure dehumidifiers make the air more comfortable and cooler. So why aren’t people using it?
But things do get damp despite the hot weather! Wet laundered clothes take a long time to air dry (1-2 days) despite the sun being out most of the time!

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Kate-Ann asked:


How much do dehumidifiers cost? I live in an English basement apartment.Once in a while a centipede comes passing thru.I’m really afraid of those things because I have heard horror stories about their bites.My aunt lived in Hawaii and she said the locals told her that if she get bit by a centipede that she will be ill for 6 months.I was told that a dehumidifier will keep the centipedes away. Where can I get one? How much are they?

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