Drying Timber, Plaster And Paint In Winter
In the winter months when it gets dark early, its damp and cold, our motivation levels can drop - but even more difficult is what we do get done - won't dry!
Builders, plasterers and painters need to find the drying edge to keep production rates up during these colder months.
We have seen the introduction of a variety of solutions to help during Winter months including the wrapping of buildings, winter grade paints and fast set plasters, however these are often just a small piece of the puzzle.
There are 3 main issues that need addressing - Moisture, Ventilation & Temperature.
These issues all overlap meaning there is not a silver bullet solution, but we do have options that will help create a solution for you.
1/ Ventilation - Airflow Is King
Dry time is really about airflow, get the air moving and just like clothes on the clothesline surfaces will dry quickly. No ventilation can cause condensation and will restrict or completely stop your drying process. Ventilation fans don’t produce any heat, but they do the important thing which is to keep the air flowing, which helps with evaporation.
Portable Dual Function Ventilation Fans are an affordable and premium solution, easily fitted with a length of ducting - you can pull air from outside to inside, send the air outside or simply pull it from one room to another.
They are also great for getting rid of unwanted smells like solvent based paints, extract them outside keeping your work space pleasant
2/ Dehumidifiers - Great For Removing Large Volumes Of Moisture
Industrial Dehumidifiers are a fast and efficient way to remove large amounts of moisture and to help stabilise indoor humidity. Small units can remove up to 50lts while large units can be used in areas up to 250sqm and will remove up to 90lts of water in a 24hr period. A good quality dehumidifier will be fitted with an auto drain pump so you can leave running continuously as it will pump the water away down a drain, outside etc.
The negative to a dehumidifier is they stop being efficient in lower temperatures, they rely on having a surface that is colder than the air to attract humidity.
3/ Heaters - Warm Air Aids Drying
Heating a room will speed up dry times, but heat by itself will have a very limited effect and can even have a negative effect - a heater in one corner of a room may increase the amount of condensation in another.
If you are using heat as a primary drying source always use a fan driven heater - this creates air movement (ventilation) which aids and speeds up the drying process. (or open a window if using a radiant heater)
Diesel Heaters are an incredibly efficient way to quickly heat larger areas, while Electric Heaters will quickly heat a small to medium sized room.
Armed with the above information you can make an informed decision as to what is going to be your best option, during Winter this will often be a combination of 2 of the above to achieve maximum efficiency.
Advice is Free - If you have any questions please get in touch Ask Matt