Which dehumidifier do I buy for a flat? The Guide

Flats really suffer with damp and condensation problems. A dehumidifier like the MeacoDry ABC 12L can make a huge difference in just a few days.

This is because the vast majority of flats and apartments do not have room for a tumble dryer or access to an outside space where they can dry laundry; meaning laundry gets dried on a clothes horse inside. In winter, when the windows are closed and the heating is on, drying laundry on a clothes horse or radiator will contribute to causing some severe damp problems. The moisture from the clothes goes into the air and adds to the moisture that is generated daily by cooking, making tea, bathing, showering and breathing. Over the course of winter this moisture load accumulates within the flat because windows and doors are kept shut to prevent warm air from escaping and cold draughts from entering.

When there is enough of this moisture condensation forms on windows and mould grows on cold spots (usually north facing outside walls).

A lot of flats are also rented accommodation, meaning a few more factors may be contributing to damp related issues. The extractor fans may not be as well maintained, the property may have old or even unsealed windows, less care may have been taken by previous tenants around moisture retention resulting in historical issues and there may be delays in fixing broken appliances such as a flooding washing machine or leaky pipes. 

Our experience tells us that flat owners and tenants would largely benefit from a dehumidifier but we don’t recommend buying  any old dehumidifier, as there are surprisingly few that fit the bill. 

What are the top 5 important factors to consider when choosing the best dehumidifier for your flat or apartment:

• Flats are small and therefore you do not need a dehumidifier that is too large. We recommend a 10L dehumidifier for a 1-2 bed flat, sometimes a 12L if you have a serious moisture problem or more than 2 people living in the flat.
  
  
• You also do not want a bulky dehumidifier that will take up too much space, for example, our Arete® One range can be placed against the wall, leaving you room to pass in your hallway. If you own the property or have agreed with your landlord about wall fixtures, a selection of our dehumidifiers can be wall mounted, saving you even more space.
  
  
• As the flat is small, you want a dehumidifier that is quiet so that it does not disturb you. Many of our dehumidifiers like the MeacoDry ABC 12L are Quiet Mark certified and are just 35dB.
  
  
• A Laundry Mode is essential for drying the washing indoors. Our Arete® One range of dehumidifiers has a Laundry Mode that runs for 6 hours and can be enabled by one press of a button. Once 6 hours has passed, your laundry should be dry, and the dehumidifier will turn off saving you money on unnecessary energy bills.
  
  
• Consider the cost to run. The cost to run an appliance is just as important, if not more important, than the initial purchase price. The cost to run of all our dehumidifiers is listed on their product pages. If a particular dehumidifier brand does not have their figures listed, ask them – it might save you money in the long run! Our Meaco DD8L Junior costs 9p per kWh, MeacoDry ABC 12L and MeacoDry Arete® One 10L costs just 4p per kWh to run.
  
  

Three dehumidifiers that tick all of these boxes are the Meaco DD8L Junior, the Meaco DD8L and MeacoDry ABC range. The difference between the two DD8Ls is that the Junior version does not have the anti-bacterial coating on the filter or an ioniser. These two features are of interest to those that suffer from allergies. It is the fact that these dehumidifiers are specially designed desiccant dehumidifiers that make them particularly popular with flat owners and tenants. The desiccant makes them lighter and quieter than a compressor dehumidifier whilst still being faster at drying washing.