this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2023
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I live in Bangkok. Buying a decent capacity dehumidifier (LG MD19GQGA1) was one of my best decisions ever. I don't understand why they aren't more popular here. Cuts down on the bill for A/C too.
Every place I have lived here the A/C has had trouble bringing the relative humidity below 60%.
Everywhere else I go (friends, shops) where there is A/C has it blowing hard at 24 degrees celsius, but it is still humid and thus uncomfortable. Xiaomi sells those portable temp/humidity meters for really cheap.
30 degrees celsius at 50% (or lower) relative humidity is so much more comfortable than 25 degrees at 70% relative humidity.
As somebody from a humid climate, who moved to a much drier region - it's probably because we kinda like the humidity
Does it suck to be all sweaty during summer? Yes, absolutely. But my skin requires much less moisturizing and my hair changes to a nicer texture every time I am back in my childhood home. I just avoid going there in summer months!
There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy relative humidity. The annual average here is 80% which promotes mold growth. Healthy is between 40-60% which even with A/C is hard to achieve in the wet season. A dehumidifier creates a winter-like environment for significantly less costs than running the A/C (and its compressor).
When I researched this subject I found humidifiers to be very popular. Hard to believe when the average relative humidity is 80%. They are used to grow marihuana indoors (in growing tents).
All my friends here are on it (dehumidifiers, weed they already had) now too. Not easy to find because the little stock you'll find is sold out quickly. Low budget 1L-a-day dehumidifiers are plenty available though, but they won't do much unless you're living in a closet.
What's considered "healthy" and "optimal" by research conducted by and on folks living in the higher and drier northern latitudes doesn't always match what people in the tropics "feel".
The annual average for humidity is 77% where I grew up, and highest humidity is around 88% during the monsoons. Well outside your healthy range. My childhood home doesn't have air conditioning to this day, so I do feel these humidities whenever I'm there. And I like it, unless it's peak summer (I adore the monsoons - it's my favourite season, and I miss that I don't really have "proper" monsoon rains where I live now). Most friends who still live there also adore the monsoon weather - though they hate that their clothes takes days to dry after a wash, and other inconveniences. None of them use dehumidifiers, or complain of humidity outside the summer sweating season.
The annual average where I currently live is 55%. Which is pretty high on your healthy range. But my skin feels dry AF, even with daily moisturization, my lips crack if I drink < 5L water per day, and my hair has this brittle texture I don't like. All of which disappears after a week in my childhood home.
So high humidity might promote mould growth (though I have never encountered it myself, it's entirely possible we will find some if we break the walls down), but to people who grew up with it, it can also feel comfortable. Hence the market for humidifiers, with air conditioning on the rise - rather than dehumidifiers.
Everything you say goes against science. Good luck with it.