High humidity is more than just a source of discomfort in a home. If left unchecked, it can also lead to mold and mildew problems and structural damage to the house itself. Although the problem is usually at its worst in a basement or crawlspace, excess moisture can also cause problems in other areas of a house as well. A dehumidifier can help regulate the amount of moisture in the air circulating thorough a house, making life much more pleasant and safe for everyone living there.
Cheria and I have used a dehumidifier in our basement for years, and as I was emptying the catch bucket this morning it suddenly struck me that they are actually pretty amazing machines. Although it’s only about the size of a small filing cabinet, our dehumidifier removes approximately one gallon of water from the air every two to three days. Just imagine the amount of water that could be pulled “out of thin air” by a unit the size of a house (or even a bank of smaller units). Could industrial grade dehumidifiers be a viable source of potable water for parts of the world where this basic necessity of life is becoming increasingly hard to come by?
I’m sure that using dehumidifiers to produce enough water to meet the needs of a large city isn’t financially feasible at this point in time, but who says it can’t be in the future? After all, our scientists and engineers always seem to rise to the occasion when faced with a challenge, and there will almost certainly come a day in the not too distant future when many people around the globe will find themselves searching desperately for a reliable source of drinking water.
What a great idea!!!!