Thanks to the constant rain and 90% humidity, I decided to buy a dehumidifier to manage the mildew problem that everyone in Sydney seems to be having. However, seems I've been beaten to the punch. Anyone tried to buy a dehumidifier lately? From what I can tell, there isn't one available anywhere in Australia.

Reverse cycle air conditioning.

Does it all, cools heats and dehumidifies.

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elmo said..
Reverse cycle air conditioning.

Does it all, cools heats and dehumidifies.

Yeah, not a bad idea. I bought a couple of those portable AC units, and some of them have heat and dry modes. I think the last one I bought was something like $150 second hand, and I chose a unit that you can convert to duct the 'cooling air' from outside as well.

Noisy units though!

If its only in small areas, those absorby crystal things?
Or is it so bad its not just the enclosed spaces like cupboards etc?

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elmo said..
Reverse cycle air conditioning.

Does it all, cools heats and dehumidifies.

Unfortunately, my ducted aircon doesn't have a 'dry' mode and running it in cooling mode isn't too fun during winter, not to mention the running cost.

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Mark _australia said..
If its only in small areas, those absorby crystal things?
Or is it so bad its not just the enclosed spaces like cupboards etc?

It's EVERYTHING, the entire house. You'll get a litre in a few weeks with those crystal things. We need to be able to extract tens of litres in a couple of days. Just had a week o/s for work, and when I came back my computer keyboard was covered in mildew. The walls are wet to touch, paintings, clothing, furniture. I'm just hoping to stop it before we need to replace the carpet. It's a problem all over Sydney at the moment, which is why there aren't any humidifiers left to buy anywhere. And La Nina is with us for a few more months, apparently.

Anyway, problem just solved.... relatives in NZ are buying us a unit tomorrow and shipping it over. It does 25 litres a day. Need one anyway, really, with all the heavy clay where I live we had dampness even before it decided to rain continuously for the last 5 months.

Seems oil of cloves and white vinegar are flying off the shelves too on the east coast as people battle to bring mould under control.

www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-27/removing-mould-best-solution-brisbane-queensland/101100886

I had trouble getting a dehumidifier several months ago, ended up having to get it from Victoria. Good news is, they work well.

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Harrow said..

elmo said..
Reverse cycle air conditioning.

Does it all, cools heats and dehumidifies.

Unfortunately, my ducted aircon doesn't have a 'dry' mode and running it in cooling mode isn't too fun during winter, not to mention the running cost.

Can you run the AC in heating mode? Increasing the temperature will reduce relative humidity.

I really suffered in Darwin as a kid with this mould, until I left. I later discovered other people have this issue as well. My tip that will help things is to leave the windows open. The more air flow, the better. Good luck !

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gs12 said..
Can you run the AC in heating mode? Increasing the temperature will reduce relative humidity.

Yes, but would use a lot more electricity.

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jn1 said..
I really suffered in Darwin as a kid with this mould, until I left. I later discovered other people have this issue as well. My tip that will help things is to leave the windows open. The more air flow, the better. Good luck !

Unfortunately that doesn't do much when the outside humidity is 80% month after month. Thus the reason all the humidifiers have been sold this year. It hasn't rained for 3 days, but the nackyard pavers are soaking wet, even at the end of the day. It's been nuts in Sydney this year.

If the conditions are as you say, why has it taken you until a day or so ago to ask yourself

"Maybe I should buy a dehumidifier"

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myscreenname said..
If the conditions are as you say, why has it taken you until a day or so ago to ask yourself

"Maybe I should buy a dehumidifier"

Because I was away on a work trip for a week and when I returned home, the mustiness of the house hit me like a brick. I must have been used to the smell before I went away. Or maybe it just kind of reached a critical level and the mildew has started to appear everywhere. Perhaps a bit of both. Had been doing the typical things until now...trying to air the house, wiping things when needed. Yeah, should have thought of it before now.

Yeah, Nah.

Dude, this rain has been happening for a year.

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myscreenname said..
Yeah, Nah.

Make up your mind.

I found this article interesting

www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/can-mold-harm-your-brain

Do you think this "ground-breaking" research may have to do with why you didn't realise there was a problem until now?

It helps explain a lot of your behaviour and negative attitudes towards cryptocurrency and blockchain.

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myscreenname said..
I found this article interesting

www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/can-mold-harm-your-brain

Do you think this "ground-breaking" research may have to do with why you didn't realise there was a problem until now?

It helps explain a lot of your behaviour and negative attitudes towards cryptocurrency and blockchain.

Probably. And also the trees that weren't casting a shadow over my property until the last month or so.

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Harrow said..

jn1 said..
I really suffered in Darwin as a kid with this mould, until I left. I later discovered other people have this issue as well. My tip that will help things is to leave the windows open. The more air flow, the better. Good luck !

Unfortunately that doesn't do much when the outside humidity is 80% month after month. Thus the reason all the humidifiers have been sold this year. It hasn't rained for 3 days, but the nackyard pavers are soaking wet, even at the end of the day. It's been nuts in Sydney this year.

The concept is not to remove the humidity out of your home, it's to dissipate the mould spores. If you have a prevailing wind that can blow air through your house constantly, even better. The more air flow the better. I also recommend temporarily removing doors from closets, kitchen cupboards etc, until these conditions stop. Remove the draws storing any clothing (underwear etc). You want to prevent still air in confined spaces.

In the old days, homes in the tropics did not have refrigerative A/C. They were very open houses; high set houses (on stilts), with louvers that most people left permanently open in the wet season and build up in order to prevent/reduce mould. These homes also had lots of ceiling fans to keep the air moving. It sounds to me that Sydney has turned into the tropics ?. Try my tip. It will cost you nothing.

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jn1 said..
The concept is not to remove the humidity out of your home, it's to dissipate the mould spores. If you have a prevailing wind that can blow air through your house constantly, even better. The more air flow the better. I also recommend temporarily removing doors from closets, kitchen cupboards etc, until these conditions stop. Remove the draws storing any clothing (underwear etc). You want to prevent still air in confined spaces.

In the old days, homes in the tropics did not have refrigerative A/C. They were very open houses; high set houses (on stilts), with louvers that most people left permanently open in the wet season and build up in order to prevent/reduce mould. These homes also had lots of ceiling fans to keep the air moving. It sounds to me that Sydney has turned into the tropics ?. Try my tip. It will cost you nothing.

Some good points, although as you say, open houses set on stilts. A few rooms in my federation house are low to the ground on moist clay and really not possible to get any decent through flow of ventilation. I'm also in the process of putting subsoil drainage under that end of the house.

I think light lots of fires inside.

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Harrow said..

jn1 said..
The concept is not to remove the humidity out of your home, it's to dissipate the mould spores. If you have a prevailing wind that can blow air through your house constantly, even better. The more air flow the better. I also recommend temporarily removing doors from closets, kitchen cupboards etc, until these conditions stop. Remove the draws storing any clothing (underwear etc). You want to prevent still air in confined spaces.

In the old days, homes in the tropics did not have refrigerative A/C. They were very open houses; high set houses (on stilts), with louvers that most people left permanently open in the wet season and build up in order to prevent/reduce mould. These homes also had lots of ceiling fans to keep the air moving. It sounds to me that Sydney has turned into the tropics ?. Try my tip. It will cost you nothing.

Some good points, although as you say, open houses set on stilts. A few rooms in my federation house are low to the ground on moist clay and really not possible to get any decent through flow of ventilation. I'm also in the process of putting subsoil drainage under that end of the house.

Hopefully this ends and you have a few months of dry weather to get back to normal.

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Harrow said..

jn1 said..
The concept is not to remove the humidity out of your home, it's to dissipate the mould spores. If you have a prevailing wind that can blow air through your house constantly, even better. The more air flow the better. I also recommend temporarily removing doors from closets, kitchen cupboards etc, until these conditions stop. Remove the draws storing any clothing (underwear etc). You want to prevent still air in confined spaces.

In the old days, homes in the tropics did not have refrigerative A/C. They were very open houses; high set houses (on stilts), with louvers that most people left permanently open in the wet season and build up in order to prevent/reduce mould. These homes also had lots of ceiling fans to keep the air moving. It sounds to me that Sydney has turned into the tropics ?. Try my tip. It will cost you nothing.

Some good points, although as you say, open houses set on stilts. A few rooms in my federation house are low to the ground on moist clay and really not possible to get any decent through flow of ventilation. I'm also in the process of putting subsoil drainage under that end of the house.

Ceiling fans are always a good idea

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Harrow said..
Anyone tried to buy a dehumidifier lately? From what I can tell, there isn't one available anywhere in Australia.

Bought a Dimplex GDDE50E 50L last Monday, arrived the next day.
I am impressed with it... takes out 1L an hour.