What Are Adsorbent Dehumidifiers Used For?

Dampness in buildings is often very difficult to treat effectively.

Building reinstatement specialists will probably have carried out a damp survey to determine the extent of the water damage that has been caused. This may be from a water leak, rising damp or even flood damage. The water problem has to be dealt with efficiently before building reinstatement processes can commence.

To dry out the surplus moisture before repairing water damage it is likely that some form of dehumidifier will be required. In a previous article, we talked about Refrigerant Dehumidifiers and we looked at where they are best deployed. We now turn our attention to Adsorbent dehumidifiers or desiccant dehumidifiers as often referred to, to see under what conditions they would be more effective and therefore preferable to deploy.

Adsorbent Dehumidifiers

Most people are aware of the word ‘absorbent’ but may have not heard the word ‘adsorbent’ before. So what is the difference? And why is an Adsorbent Dehumidifier preferable to use in some situations?

‘Absorbent’ means the process by which a material absorbs liquid into its very fabric. (Think of kitchen roll paper absorbing spilt tea or coffee) However ‘Adsorbent’ is a process by which a liquid is accumulated onto the surface of a solid material, as moisture clings to a cold pane of glass in winter. Adsorbent is effectively the opposite of absorbent where a liquid is not absorbed (like wet blotting paper) but only forms on the surface of the material. Examples used in industry would be adsorbent materials such as; activated charcoal or synthetic resins.

Adsorbent Dehumidifiers often include a form of honeycomb material inside to maximise the surface area of the adsorbent surface. The dehumidifier works by sucking in damp air and the water molecules adhere to the adsorbent surfaces which are then collected and removed via the ‘exhaust or processed’ air duct, usually to the outside of the building.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Adsorbent Dehumidifiers

Although smaller and more portable they can be somewhat more awkward to set up for building drying purposes. Adsorbent Dehumidifiers work more effectively in cooler temperatures than Refrigerant Dehumidifiers (which work best above 11degrees centigrade), so under certain conditions these are preferable types of dehumidifiers to deploy. Increased efficiency keeps the overall water removal and damage repair cost reasonable.

In addition, these types of dehumidifier require to be vented so the wet processed air is physically ejected or exhausted from the building. Sometimes a hole to the exterior is needed or perhaps the exhaust vent may be hooked up to an existing external flowing pipe.

Another advantage is that Adsorbent Dehumidifiers are comparatively quiet in operation which can reduce disruption is a home or office environment during the drying process.

The insurance company will have recommended a respected building restoration company that provides a range of water removal and damp proofing services. These specialist restoration companies will have a variety of water removal systems to call on and to deploy, depending on individual circumstances.

Paradigm Reinstatements is one of the leading specialist building restoration companies in the UK. They are regularly appointed by several of the UK’s leading insurance companies to deal with dampness in buildings, removal of water ingress and building reinstatement services.

Having Issues With Dampness In A Building?

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