How To Make A Dehumidifier For An Apartment With Your Own Hands + Video

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

DIY air dryers: how to replace a store appliance

Changes in temperature and humidity both indoors and outdoors create uncomfortable conditions for living in an apartment. The best way out of this situation is to install an air dryer. The industrial option is not cheap, so today we will talk about how to make a dehumidifier for an apartment with our own hands.

Content

• 1 Why does an apartment need an air dryer?
• 2 Principle of operation

• 3 Algorithm for creating a device with your own hands

  • 3.1 Desiccant dryer
  • 3.2 Condensation dryer
• 4 Video: how to make a dehumidifier with your own hands
• 5 Humidity control

Why does an apartment need an air dryer?

The most unwanted and unexpected guests in our home are mold and mildew. Their arguments are constantly hovering around, but most of the time they are in a state of hibernation, because they need certain conditions to activate:

• humidity;
• high room temperature.

A temperature above 20 degrees Celsius with a relative humidity of 80% is enough for you to see the growth of colonies of mold and fungi on the walls of rooms with the naked eye. Why then, for example, does your neighbor have no such troubles? The answer is simple: the air temperature in all apartments is often the same, but the humidity can vary significantly.

Dehumidifiers

In the fight against the consequences of dampness, you can, of course, significantly lower the temperature in the apartment. But who wants to live in constant cold? In this regard, the best option is to install an air dryer.

Among other things, he will be on guard for the health of the residents of the apartment. The body's immunity is directly dependent on the humidity of the surrounding air: the drier it is, the more difficult it is for harmful bacteria and microbes to multiply.

Operating principle

Modern dehumidifiers are available in a variety of models, which can vary significantly from each other. The first difference is the working volume, that is, the amount of water filtered by the device from the air. This parameter is measured in liters over a daily interval (24 hours).

To choose the device with the optimal volume, consider the size of the room in which it will be installed. Pay attention to the price of the equipment. The larger the volume of the dehumidifier, the more expensive it is, but such a device will require less maintenance.

Dehumidifiers are portable and stationary. The first ones are mobile, you can use them in different rooms if necessary. Stationary ones are mounted on the wall, they cannot be carried, but they have higher performance.

The principle of operation of the dehumidifier is based on the change in humidity due to its condensation. Air is drawn from the room with the help of fans inside the device. There it passes through the evaporator, which is a radiator whose temperature is lower than the room temperature. Moisture condenses due to this temperature difference.

The simplest air dryer circuit

Condensate drops flow down and are collected in a special container. After passing through the evaporator and cooling, the air is heated and fed to the outlet, from where it returns to the room already dry and warm.

Condensing Air Dryer Diagram

These dryers are often used in the following situations:

• to prevent fogging of windows in rooms;
• to improve the comfort level of everyday life;
• when carrying out repair work.

Any finishing materials during renovation dry much faster when using a dehumidifier. And the technology does not suffer at all: the room temperature remains the same.

Diy device creation algorithm

Air dehumidification is provided by three simple principles:

• heating;
• adsorption;
• condensation.

It would seem that heating is the easiest way to dry the air in the room. But in reality, no one likes to be in an apartment that is too hot all the time. Therefore, we will consider the following two options: moisture adsorption and condensation. You can make dehumidifiers based on these principles yourself.

Desiccant dryer

Perhaps the simplest option that does not require large financial and time costs.

1. Take 2 plastic bottles. The volume of each is at least 2 liters.

   

   You will need 2 liter plastic bottles

2. Perforate the bottom of the first bottle with a hot knitting needle or nail. Divide the container into two equal halves.
3. In the bottom, perforated, part of the first bottle, place the second half so that it is directed with the neck down. Be sure to screw the cork on the neck, making many holes in it with a hot awl.

4. Pour any absorbent into the top of the structure. The best option is silica gel, which has powerful absorbent properties. Which are easily recovered after drying the used substance. For one desiccant, you need about 250 grams of silica gel.

   

   Use silica gel as filler

5. Cut off the bottom of the second bottle, fix a fan inside the container that will blow towards the cut bottom. To do this, you can use a USB fan or cooler to cool your computer processor. Position the pressure unit of the device 7–10 centimeters from the cut bottom.

   

   A processor cooler can be used as a fan in such a dehumidifier.

6. Place the second bottle on the container containing the desiccant. Carefully wrap the joint with tape for sealing. Unscrew the cap from the neck of the second bottle to provide airflow.

   

   Example of connecting parts of desiccant bottles

Thus, you get a low-noise and fairly efficient device that can be easily powered from a USB connector or a mobile phone charger. The fan creates an inflow force and drives the air through the silica gel, and the dried stream comes out of the perforations at the bottom of the structure.

Condensing dryer

This device is more complicated than the previous one, but the basis of the required design is easy to find in every modern home. Roughly speaking, such a dehumidifier can be made, for example, from an old refrigerator.

Example of a dehumidifier from a refrigerator

1. Remove the door from the freezer and refrigerator compartments by disassembling the hinges. This is easy to do, since most models are equipped with removable doors.
2. Measure the plexiglass plates at least 3 mm thick according to the dimensions of the removed doors.
3. At a distance of 30–40 cm from the edge of the plate, cut out a hole in which the fan will be mounted. Its dimensions must match the protective grid of the pressure unit.
4. Mount the fan, fix its grill with self-tapping screws. The device should work as a supply pressure unit, blowing the air flow into the refrigerator.
5. Drill a series of holes in the upper part of the plexiglass plate. Their total area should be equal to the area of the fan opening.
6. Put in order the standard system for removing condensate from the case or modify it. To do this, connect the external connection above the compressor to the storage tank with a plastic hose.
7. Fasten the plexiglass with self-tapping screws in the place where the refrigerator door should be. Use self-adhesive tape or silicone to seal and insulate joints.

Now all you have to do is turn on the refrigerator, before starting the fan. A little time will pass, and the humidity in the room will drop by 8-10%. If this homemade dehumidifier works for a long time, then in addition to humidity, the temperature in the room will also decrease.

Video: how to make a DIY air dryer

Humidity control

How to deal with humidity control issue? Factory air dryers are equipped with built-in temperature and humidity control sensors. But what about the homemade device? A thermometer can be used, but it is not necessary and will not tell you anything about the humidity level.

Use a hygrometer. It can be pointer or digital. You can buy it at many specialty stores. In addition, such a device is often provided in the design of some modern watch models.

The hygrometer helps you control the indoor humidity

When using a homemade dehumidifier, keep in mind that too dry air can be harmful. Indeed, in addition to disease-causing organisms, there are also beneficial bacteria around us, which also need moisture. A hygrometer will help you determine if a dehumidifier is needed. If the humidity in the apartment has reached a critical 80%, at which mold and fungi begin to actively multiply, feel free to turn on the device. Pay attention to weather conditions: in some cases, you may need to use a humidifier instead of a dehumidifier.

As you can see, you can easily make an air dryer yourself. Thus, another problem is solved - the use of an old refrigerator, which is a pity to throw away, but there is nowhere to put it. Share with us your experience in dehumidifying your apartment. We wish you easy work and comfort in your home!