Because desiccant dehumidifiers aren't dependent on any particular temperature, they can work more effectively than refrigerants in lower temperatures – the sort of environment you might expect in your typical garage or a conservatory or an unheated basement. Here’s the catch: over time, long-term exposure to calcium chloride and its dust can cause lung damage, as well as other respiratory issues in the nose and throat.

dehumidifying with salt? — MoneySavingExpert Forum dehumidifying with salt? — MoneySavingExpert Forum

We’ve tested a range of dehumidifiers from different brands – including DeLonghi, Ecoair, Ebac and Meaco – to uncover the best. Dehumidifiers are designed to keep a room’s humidity levels in check, so the air is more comfortable and you notice fewer physical signs of damp air, such as mould on walls or condensation on windows. They're more effective in a heated room than an unheated room, because they need the air in the room to be warmer than the cold surface within the dehumidifier.

This involves attaching a hose (often not provided) to the dehumidifier and running the hose to a floor level drain, if you have access to one. The dangers of calcium chloride are so extreme that The US National Library of Medicine (NIH) even strongly warns against the use of calcium salt: “Inhalation causes irritation of nose and throat. My refrigerant-cycle dehumidifier machine produces more than a liter per day (in the summer), so if a desiccant-based bag of “salt” was equally effective, I’d have to put up a new bag every day. But check the manufacturer’s instructions first, as overzealous or inappropriate cleaning might damage your appliance and invalidate any warranty.

The Dangers of Calcium Chloride Desiccant | Eva-Dry Dehumidifiers The Dangers of Calcium Chloride Desiccant | Eva-Dry Dehumidifiers

Although it states resealable I find those type of packs don’t always stay sealed and if air gets in the crystals may absorb moisture,also I have dexterity problems and lifting a 2. Every dehumidifier we review has an energy efficiency rating, so our highest-scoring models are most likely to be the least wasteful. These machines often take the form of little plastic tubs with two levels – the upper layer contains the crystals and the bottom layer collects the liquid which drips through from the top. This could help you to save money if you're on a tariff offering cheaper energy at certain times of day, or if you want to leave the dehumidifier on for a few hours after going out, but you don't need it on all day.

Condensation often builds up on the windows during the winter (see below), particularly in the morning. Choose the right capacity for the size of your space, the number of people living in it and the severity of your damp problem. Even within the broad categories of refrigerant and desiccant, two models with the same claimed capacity could vary enormously in effectiveness – the only way to be sure which dehumidifiers are going to do a good job is to check our expert dehumidifier reviews. For refrigerant dehumidifiers, manufacturers frequently base their claims on 30ºC and 80% relative humidity – conditions that better represent a tropical rainforest than a typical British home.