Dehumidifier

Tramps Like Us

I was viewing an apartment today and its perfect except there was a dehumidifier in one of the bedrooms. I asked the agent about it and he said there was no dampness and just said that maybe the previous tenants experienced a bit of condensation in the room. (tbf I checked the walls and all over the place for mold or damp and there was none, paint is up a few years at least so it wasn't hidden with new decor)

In any case this has put me off a bit, what do ye here reckon? Obviously a damp bedroom is bad for you.

(Its a first floor apartment with people above and below)

Paulw

They may have been drying clothes in the room. Not something I'd be overly concerned about.

I have one, and have had no dampness and definitely no mould. We have used it from time to time, in the room where we dry clothes, just to speed things up.

If you checked the walls and such, then you should be able to satisfy yourself.

The_Conductor

I'd second what Paul has said- its not unusual for folk to use them to help speed up drying clothes.

TheNibbler

That would be a red flag for me regardless of what the letting agent said. Any smell of damp at all? There is nothing more stressful than dealing with damp/mould etc. I always get a sinking feeling when viewing a flat and seeing a dehumidifier there! Maybe it's something that only gets worse in the colder months (had that happen in an flat I used to rent)?

whatnext

TheNibbler wrote: »

That would be a red flag for me regardless of what the letting agent said. Any smell of damp at all? There is nothing more stressful than dealing with damp/mould etc. I always get a sinking feeling when viewing a flat and seeing a dehumidifier there! Maybe it's something that only gets worse in the colder months (had that happen in an flat I used to rent)?

As a landlord I supply a dehumidifier in evert apartment I let. I have no dampness issues in any of them. Experience has thought me that prevention is better than cure. With the best will in the world it's hard (but not impossible) to prevent mold if drying clothes in an apartment.

Tramps Like Us

whatnext wrote: »

As a landlord I supply a dehumidifier in evert apartment I let. I have no dampness issues in any of them. Experience has thought me that prevention is better than cure. With the best will in the world it's hard (but not impossible) to prevent mold if drying clothes in an apartment.

Ah I see... I've never used a dehumidifier before and had assumed they were only used places that had chronic dampness issues.

If they were trying to cover up dampness I assume they would have stuck it in a press or something, but then again people can be stupid.

Are there any tell tale signs of damp I should look out for when I go and view it again?

TheNibbler

Not an expert but I think smell can be a good indication. Any hint of a damp or mould smell, especially on the inside of exterior walls.