...I guess I'll just start saving all those dessicant packets from pill bottles and freeze dried food...

You can purchase calcium chloride in the supermarket under the trade name "DampRid", IIRC. Just keep an open container in the area you wish to dehumidify and change it when it turns to liquid.

Link: http://www.damprid.com/

 

Boric acid(roach kill powder) can be used to treat porous surfaces and will kill mold and mildew. It's insanely cheap but toxic.

It's so toxic that when compared to table salt it takes just half the amount of boric acid to kill you.

Actually boric acids not very toxic at all when it comes to poisons. It takes over 2000mg ingestion per 2.2 lb body weight to be fatal. For those who don't know 2000mg is = 4 extra strenth asprin. Consider it like amonia or another cleaner. Don't drink it or shoot it up and your fine. Its so low toxic its considered pet safe. We use it all the time for fleas. But to do any damage with it your gonna need to put it in a jar labeled Flour or Suger to OD on it. But read the label above what we all say. I've used it my whole life.

Oh and don't buy boric acid roach killer, buy boric acid 100% pure for laundry. Its cheaper and won't by chance have additives.

 

You can purchase calcium chloride in the supermarket under the trade name "DampRid", IIRC. Just keep an open container in the area you wish to dehumidify and change it when it turns to liquid.

Link: http://www.damprid.com/

Or know and sold as Powdered Bleach!

 

But my vent vents to the attic! What am I going to do now? I'm screwed!.

Oh, don't be so dramatic. Pipe it to the soffit and use a dryer vent to make it look neat.
(I do these for my day job.)

 

Or know and sold as Powdered Bleach!

Don't think that is correct Max. Calcium Chloride is a desiccant and here in the North an ice remover.

 

Don't think that is correct Max. Calcium Chloride is a desiccant and here in the North an ice remover.

Your correct I was thinking of Calcium Hypochlorite

 

My advice, like others have suggested it certainly a fan in the ceiling. In my house there is a fan in the en-suite that turn on with the shower pump and can also be turned on by a switch above the toilet (don't worry it is a 12V relay circuit and it's IP67 rated!). It is on a time delay to keep it on for about 20 mins after the button has been pressed or after the shower has stopped. The other shower is electric and that again operates the fan... it is also on a timer. The whole fan/timer unit is one thing and has inputs etc. so that it can safely and easily be wired to operate with your shower.

 

Just a tip..
Your exhaust fan should be sized for a minimum of 8 air changes per hour (ACH) in a bathroom.. Fans are rated in CFM.. you can do the math.

 

Actually boric acids not very toxic at all when it comes to poisons. It takes over 2000mg ingestion per 2.2 lb body weight to be fatal. For those who don't know 2000mg is = 4 extra strenth asprin. Consider it like amonia or another cleaner. Don't drink it or shoot it up and your fine. Its so low toxic its considered pet safe. We use it all the time for fleas. But to do any damage with it your gonna need to put it in a jar labeled Flour or Suger to OD on it. But read the label above what we all say. I've used it my whole life.

Oh and don't buy boric acid roach killer, buy boric acid 100% pure for laundry. Its cheaper and won't by chance have additives.

I believe you misunderstood my post ... did you notice the smiley face?

I stated that the toxicity was one-half(1/2) that of TABLE SALT...

 

Just a tip..
Your exhaust fan should be sized for a minimum of 8 air changes per hour (ACH) in a bathroom.. Fans are rated in CFM.. you can do the math.

As a matter of experience, I find that number a bit stingy. True, that is the "book" value, but I use double that figure.

 

My advice, like others have suggested it certainly a fan in the ceiling. In my house there is a fan in the en-suite that turn on with the shower pump and can also be turned on by a switch above the toilet (don't worry it is a 12V relay circuit and it's IP67 rated!). It is on a time delay to keep it on for about 20 mins after the button has been pressed or after the shower has stopped. The other shower is electric and that again operates the fan... it is also on a timer. The whole fan/timer unit is one thing and has inputs etc. so that it can safely and easily be wired to operate with your shower.

Why not just rent a heated fan with a coil on it. You can rent one for this specific purpose for pretty cheap. And you don't have to vent as much since the coil drys out the moisture.

 

News Flash: Evaporating water does not "dry it out". The water is still there, waiting until it finds a cool surface to condense on.

 

Oh, don't be so dramatic. Pipe it to the soffit and use a dryer vent to make it look neat.
(I do these for my day job.)

Wouldn't happen with any job I'd be related with. Soffits are the intake to your attic ventilation system. The largest cause of home deficiencies is moisture penetration.

 

Wouldn't happen with any job I'd be related with. Soffits are the intake to your attic ventilation system.

Must tell local building inspectors to quit requiring me to pipe the bathroom vent to the soffit!

I wonder if Florida and Texas have different weather than Canada, and if it makes any difference.

Seriously, I bid an air conditioner for a building, the inspector sees that nobody told the roofers to install a J-vent, and he thinks, "HVAC" means I bid the bathroom. Then he will not pass inspection on the air conditioner until I pipe the bathroom fan to the soffit.

 

#12, that's the way its done around here too(ohio). Our soffit's are also sealed off from the interior of the roof by the top plate of the walls.

 

News Flash: Evaporating water does not "dry it out". The water is still there, waiting until it finds a cool surface to condense on.

I agree but the water evap's faster and you can exchange the that humid air with dry air. Thus drying the room. Heated fans with doors open? You guys never had to do that after a flood?

 

Sorry. Never got flooded, but I will agree ventilation + heat works. And again, we're back to ventilation.