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recently worked at an apartment complex and i noticed relatively heavy on windows of every single apartement. this is in the san diego area, so a lot of moisture in the air.
first thing that came to mind is a dehumidifier. any recommendations?
alternatives?
thanks guys,
brian
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First thing that comes to my mind is eliminating the source of the moisture. Have good range hoods and shower fans. For an apartment, maybe have the bathroom fan wired to light so it has to be operated.
Next, get better windows. Condensation in SD's mild climate implies single pane windows. Obviously some $$ to do, however.
A dehumidifier, if of sufficient size, would do it. But it takes electric energy to operate. The duhumidifer would also reduce reduce mildew which both damages the paint and make towels mold on the rack.
*is it actually a misnomer to call them shower fans, rather than exhaust fans? i don't believe 99% of them contribute to actually removing moisture. simply "fart-fans". are there wall-mount dehumidifiers available? i only seem to find portable units. i imagine one would just need a humidistat, 120v/240v power and a condensation line, or are they set up like wall mounted ac units?brian
*Brian: I agree those fans are often undersized. But I definitely seen a difference in condensation with and w/o running. I think the problem is not with the concept but with the implementation. Many people don't follow the 1 cfm per 1 sqaure foot rule of thumb. Especially if you factor in the reduced air flow because the fan isn't moving free air, it is pushing through a duct. And in a house with problems, I'd go larger than the 1:1 sizing. So for a 70 sq ft bathroom, normal sizing would dictate a fan that moves 100-120 cfm of free air (in order to get 70 cfm through the duct). And for a problem bathroom go to a 200 cfm fan and 4" duct. It will also be a better fart fan. -David