@graybuffalo We've been using dehumidifiers for several years although not for laundry. Just because we've lived in flats and bungalows, and single-level living tends to be a damp experience because of poor design and airflow—and also because the UK is a damp country.
If we don't use them then rooms tend to get that telltale mouldy vibe to them, and sometimes even mouldy smell. It doesn't help that my wife collects clothes, so our wardrobes are jam-packed. This apparently is a superb way to build-up moisture in your home...
We've two Ecoair desiccant units. Desiccant tech is supposed to be the most energy-efficient way to dehumidify. I measured them recently using a plug-in wattmeter and they're around 400-600 watts when on full.
That's quite a lot of energy in today's world. With a kWh unit price of around 33p, we're looking at around £1 per day to run each one for the length of time we do. But they do throw out heat, and because our gas central heating radiators all have modern TRVs, they should effectively help heat up the room without overheating it.
The water tanks fill up in about two to three days.
I don't know if our experience is unique but these desiccant tech units tend to break down quite a bit. I think both ours went back to the manufacturer for repair. I think one had to go back twice. But that was around 8 years ago, and they've run OK since then. But the larger of the two tends to overheat and periodically turn itself off if the Turbo setting is used.
