ByeMould’s Dehumidifier Hire Guide

dehumidifier hire uk ireland flood damp mouldAlthough ByeMould is primarily a review site through which people can buy dehumidifiers from places such as Amazon we regularly get contacted for dehumidifier hire.

Dehumidifier hire has its pros and cons and this article will explain exactly what you should be looking for when hiring a dehumidifier.

We also discuss whether you should hire or buy a dehumidifier.

Dehumidifier Hire

Before rushing off and hiring the first dehumidifier that you see there are a number of important features that you should look for.

These features include:

  • Appropriate sized dehumidifier for the job
  • Appropriate type of dehumidifier for the job (desiccant or compressor)
  • Continuous drainage feature
  • Auto restart
  • Energy-saving technology
  • Cost of dehumidifier hire

Appropriate Sized Dehumidifier

It is essential that you select the correct size dehumidifier for the task at hand whether it e drying out a small room, a whole house or an office etc.

If you hire a dehumidifier which is too small then the dehumidification won’t be done properly.

Conversely if you select a dehumidifier which is too powerful then you are just wasting power and the electricity company will love you. The exception to this rule is if you hire a dehumidifier with energy-saving technology (see more on this point lower down).

An easy way to select the appropriate size dehumidifier is to look at the ByeMould homepage which features a table of dehumidifiers as well as their area of coverage.

Appropriate Type of Dehumidifierdehumidifier hire london dublin manchester sligo mayo cost tips

There are two main types of full size dehumidifier:

  • Compressor
  • Desiccant

In order to select which one of these types of dehumidifier you should use, you should know what the average temperature of the area that the dehumidifier is to be used in.

As a general rule of thumb if the temperature is over 20°C then a compressor dehumidifier could be best.

If the average temperature is below 20°C then a desiccant dehumidifier should be best.

Of course this really varies by brand and model however it is a handy tip to bear in mind.

There are other differences between compressor and desiccant dehumidifiers.

These differences include:

Operating Volume

Desiccant type dehumidifiers tend to be quieter than compressor types due to lack of compressor parts. This makes desiccant dehumidifiers ideal where silent operation is necessary (such as bedrooms etc)

Dehumidifier Weight

Again due to compressor parts compressor dehumidifiers tend to be heavier than desiccant models. If the dehumidifier is too heavy for you then ensure that the unit has caster wheels for ease of transport around the home.

Heavy domestic desiccant units may weigh up to 7kg while compressor dehumidifiers can weigh up to 12kg.

CFC Gasses

If you care for the environment then be carefull about which compressor dehumidifier you choose as some compressor models give of harmful CFC gasses.

If you want to be totally safe and environmentally friendly select a desiccant unit.

dehumidifier hire continuous drainage auto restartOperating Temperatures

Due to how compressor models operate their function really starts to deteriorate at around 10°C.

At this temperature and below the unit starts to spend more and more time in ‘defrost’ mode (ie not operating at power).

Desiccant on the other hand have an even extraction rate all the way down to 1°C. Given that hired dehumidifiers are often used in remote unheated places a desiccant dehumidifier is often the first choice for remote domestic jobs.

Extraction Rates

One area of confusion with dehumidifiers is the stated extraction rates.

Desiccant dehumidifiers may state that the extraction rate is 7 litres per day while compressor dehumidifiers may say they extract 12 litres per day.

Be aware that stated extraction rates and actual extraction rates may differ by some amount.

Compressor dehumidifiers extract best at higher temperatures and so are often tested for extraction rates in a climate of a 30°C temperature and 80% relative humidity.

Obviously we can only dream of temperatures like that in the UK so actual extraction rates for compressor dehumidifiers are often way lower than stated rates.

Meaco tests its desiccant dehumidifiers in a temperature of 20°C and 60% relative humidity. This climate is very close to the actual climate that the dehumidifier will be used in so therefore the actual extraction rate will be very close to the stated rate.

Continuous Drainagedehumidifier hire continuous drainage gravity water tank container

Typically those looking to hire a dehumidifier tend to use the unit in somewhat remote places such as empty rental properties, garages and sheds etc.

It would be a pain if you had to travel some distance each time to empty the water tank every time that its full (just so you know each dehumidifier turns of automatically once the water container is full to avoid spillage and accidents).

A continuous drainage facility allows the user to attach a supplied hose to the dehumidifier which lets collected water run out of the machine automatically.

Simply place the dehumidifier next to a sink or drain, attach the hose and you will never have to empty the water tank again.

A handy tip is that if by chance you hire a dehumidifier with a continuous drain facility but the unit comes without a supplied hose then you can just cut a length of UK garden hose and use that.

Auto Restart

Again since many hired dehumidifiers are used in remote places a great feature to look for is ‘auto restart’.

Auto restart allows the dehumidifier to restart automatically after a power outage. Typically the dehumidifier will restart in the setting that the unit was operating in before the power cut.

Obviously this feature will ensure a more continuous operation than a unit which lacks this feature and has to be restarted manually after a power outage.

dehumidifier hire guide faq features

The Meaco 10L Small Home Dehumidifier Control Panel

Low Energy Dehumidifier

When using a dehumidifier you don’t want to be running the unit 24/7 as your electricity bills would probably be on the high-end.

Therefore it is worth checking if the dehumidifier has energy-saving technology.

Different brands have different names for this feature.EcoAir, for example, calls it E7 Technology while Meaco calls it Control Logic.The feature is essential the same with a slight, but perhaps significant, difference.

Energy-saving technology works by bringing the humidity down to a set level.For example let’s say that you set the humidity for 45%. 

In EcoAir’s case the dehumidifier will automatically switch into ‘fan only’ mode which is the lowest power level on their dehumidifiers. If the humidity increases the unit will automatically toggle into a higher setting to bring the humidity down to 45% again.

Meaco goes one better in that it performs the same function but instead of going into ‘fan only’ mode the dehumidifier goes to sleep. After sleeping for half an hour the unit toggles into fan only mode for 5 minutes to test the air.

If the humidity has stayed at similar levels the units goes back to sleep for another half hour before testing the air in fan only mode again for 5 minutes.

If the humidity has risen then the unit will toggle into a higher setting to bring the humidity back down.

You can see that while the EcoAir units toggle down into fan only mode the Meaco only runs in fan only mode for 10 minutes out of every hour enabling massive cost savings over the medium and longer terms.

Dehumidifier Hire Cost dehumidifier hire cost running operating

Hiring a dehumidifier for a day should cost around £20. However for effective treatment of an area you will need to use a dehumidifier for several days at least.

Weekly hire often costs around three times as much as daily hire so expect to fork out around £60 for weekly hire.

Hot Tip: Some hire companies will do weekend hire for a daily rate so shop around for the best deal.

Here are some pros and cons of dehumidifier hire:

Pros

  • Hiring is lower cost than buying
  • Operating breakage may not be your problem (check with hire company)
  • Ideal for once-off usage
  • Staff will help with selection
  • No long-term storage needed

Cons

  • May not find suitable model
  • May have to hire repeatedly so cheaper to buy
  • Staff may not recommend the best dehumidifier if they don’t have it in stock

dehumidifier hire cork waterford limerick shannon belfast derryShould You Hire or Buy a Dehumidifier?

Frequency of Use

The first question to ask is how often do you think that you’ll use the dehumidifier.

If you have a rental property you can always leave the unit in the property (your tenant will only be delighted). If using a dehumidifier in your home you could hang onto it to remove or avoid bad condensation during the winter months.

Maintentance Costs

Maintenance costs should also be taken into account. The only maintenance a dehumidifier normally needs is to clean the filter.

Some dehumidifiers feature a multi-stage filtration systems with charcoal filters. Such filters can be costly and may require replacing every 3 months or so.

Our tip is that if you use a dehumidifier in remote locations a standard dust filter will work fine.

If using a dehumidifier with allergy sufferers then use an anti-bacterial filter for a cleaner air.

What ID Do I Need For Dehumidifier Hire

When applying to hire a dehumidifier you will probably need the following items of identification:

  • Photo ID
  • Utility Bill

It is best to ensure that your address is on your photo ID. Drivers licenses have this however passports do not.

You will also need a deposit of around £100 to hire a dehumidifier although this varies between hire companies.

For plant equipment you will also need proof of insurance and a deposit of around £800.

Most shops accept cash, Visa and debit cards. Many also accept cheques however you will have to wait until they are cleared.

Cards may incur a small processing fee of around 2.5%.

Dehumidifier Hire FAQ dehumidifier hire galway scotland wales leeds surrey truro brighton

Q. What happens If I forget to return the dehumidifier on time?

A. Most shops will give you a reminder call to return the unit and you will have the option of returning the unit or making an extra payment if you would like to hold onto the unit for longer.

Q. What services do tool hire companies provide?

A. Many tool hire companies will provide the following services:

  • Discounted Rates
  • Monthly Billing
  • Monthly Statements
  • Email Plant Lists
  • Account Management

Q. I can’t collect can you deliver?

A. Many tool hire companies deliver for free within a certain radius. For delivery outside this radius the charge is typically a standard courier charge.

dehumidifier hire what to look forFinal Thoughts

Before rushing out and hiring a dehumidifier we would suggest that you read through some dehumidifier manuals and guides to fully understand how dehumidifiers work and what features they contain.

Once you have done this you will have a much better understanding about whether to hire or buy a dehumidifier and which features to look for.

You may also like our Ultimate Garage Dehumidifier Guide.

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