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Looking back to the construction industry pre-1996, your average building went up in six to nine months. Because of this, building materials would lie around and dry out through natural ventilation by the time the building was finished. These days, however, the construction process is much faster, meaning tradies need assistance to remove excess dampness from the worksite.
You may think that setting up a dehumidifier is the answer to your problems, but this is only half of the solution. One of the most efficient ways to control humidity is to put a dehumidifier and heater on at the same time. But, how do you use a dehumidifier with a heater? What’s the science behind choosing a dehumidifier and heater combo? And, how does this method stack up against other options?
In this guide, we’ll cover what you need to know to remove moisture from your work site efficiently. Here’s what we’ll go over:
Can you use a heater and dehumidifier at the same time?
Dehumidifier safety considerations
Why should you use a dehumidifier and heater combo?
How do you use a dehumidifier with a heater?
What are other options for drying a work site?
Let’s get into the details.
In short, yes! Although some say that using a heater and dehumidifier at the same time at home can dry out a room too much, this isn’t so much a concern for tradies on a work site. When it comes to safety, there aren’t specific considerations for using a heater and dehumidifier in tandem. However, each machine comes with its own safety considerations.
Each heater available to hire at Hirepool will come with its own unique safety instructions. These safety guidelines will be featured on the instructions for use when you pick up the heater from your local Hirepool branch.
Common pre-start safety checks include:
For safety considerations when operating a heater, refer to your instructions for use.
Like our range of heaters, each dehumidifier will also come with safety considerations specific to each model.
Common pre-start safety checks across the board include:
For instructions on operating a dehumidifier safely, refer to your instructions for use. If you are ever collecting hire gear on someone else's behalf, make sure they receive and read the safety instructions.
Using a heater and dehumidifier together provides the ideal balance. Because the heater is heating the air, your dehumidifier can work more effectively to remove moisture. If a heater is used on its own, the air temperature is elevated to try and diminish moisture. However, you often need more than good ventilation and flow to reduce humidity effectively. Adding a dehumidifier to the mix reduces the relative humidity and encourages evaporation of moisture that may be stuck.
Top tip: If you need to measure the moisture content of wood, walls, and other surfaces, it can be good to hire a moisture meter from Hirepool.
Using a heater and dehumidifier in tandem comes with a range of benefits, particularly for tradies working in construction.
Using a dehumidifier and heater together is a fast and effective way to remove condensation. This build-up of moisture occurs when warm moist air hits colder surfaces. We all see obvious examples of condensation like on glass surfaces, but condensation can also get into other areas, including:
In extreme circumstances, moisture in framing can stain a plasterboard wall. This stain can be like a pattern identifying where framing is located behind the wall. Condensation can even cause damage to the inside surface of wall linings and interior paintwork.
If you have surface flooding on-site from heavy rain, chances are you’ll need something more heavy-duty than a heater or dehumidifier. Read our guide on how to choose the right pump for the job for advice on clearing up flooding.
If you need to reduce the humidity in the air at your worksite, a dehumidifier and heater combo is one of the fastest methods. Air molecules contain different chemical elements that can hold water. In some situations, the air retains more water than is desired which causes excess humidity if the air molecule reaches saturation point.
As the temperature cools, the maximum amount of water the air can hold falls. Therefore, warm air can hold more moisture than cold air. When the air can no longer hold more moisture at a given temperature, the air is said to be saturated. Using a heater and dehumidifier together helps to quickly saturate the air for the dehumidifier to work its magic. Humidity control is crucial when it comes to:
If you work in construction, using a dehumidifier and heater at the same time can help to quickly prepare for a pre-line building inspection. During the inspection process, the inspector will check the moisture content of the walls. Timber framing needs to be dry enough to meet the New Zealand Building Code. Clause E2 states that the maximum moisture content for timber framing at pre-line must be less than 20% for insulated buildings and less than 24% for non-insulated buildings. To check moisture content to see if you’re on track to meet the building code, it can be helpful to hire a moisture meter from Hirepool.
Top tip: A pre-line inspection occurs after your building exterior is watertight with structural components installed but before the walls are lined.
Overall, putting a dehumidifier and heater on at the same time is an efficient option to reduce condensation and humidity. Read our handy guide for more productivity tips for tradies.
Using a dehumidifier and heater at the same time is a relatively simple process that requires you to simply follow the operating instructions that come with your machine hire. One thing to be mindful of, however, is ventilation. To help ensure that both pieces of equipment are working as effectively as possible, ensure adequate air circulation.
Although the heater and dehumidifier combo is one of the most efficient ways to remove condensation and excess humidity, there are also other options. If you’re at the finishing stage of your project, it may even be a good idea to just hire a fan from Hirepool. Here are other common techniques to remove humidity and condensation from a work site.
An alternative to using a heater and dehumidifier together is simply using a condensation dehumidifier on its own. Condensation dehumidifiers are constructed of several key components, including:
This unit works as the extractor fan draws in the humid air through a heat exchanger. The dehumidifier then gathers the moisture to push dry air back out. This air is a few degrees hotter than when it entered, which may cause faster evaporation from wet walls. The success of this method is very reliant on the environment. It’s not suitable for very low temperatures, and the efficiency of the process diminishes as the air quality gets further toward the desired outcome.
Overall, using a condensation dehumidifier is seen as a less power-hungry option making it popular for removing excess moisture on building sites. For more money-saving tips, read our blog covering savings for trade businesses.
Another way to remove moisture is to just use a heater and adequate ventilation. The outcome will depend on the initial conditions of the environment. The heating and ventilation method is particularly effective if the external temperature is low, meaning there is a lot of room for the temperature to be elevated. There are common downsides to this method, however, including:
Overall, the heating and ventilation method can take a long time and require a lot of power, but it can be effective during winter. As we’ve touched on already, Hirepool has a large range of fans available to help with ventilation. Otherwise, read our blog that covers the essential hire gear for winter for other advice on working during the colder months.
Top tip: Be cautious when using gas heaters to heat the air. Propane-butane produces steam and carbon dioxide, which can build up over time.
So, there we have it! Although there are a few options for removing moisture from the air at your worksite, we think that the heater and dehumidifier combo comes out on top. This method combines the best of both worlds to create the ideal balance that allows your dehumidifier to work more efficiently. This method could help save you time and money in the long run.
Hirepool has a range of heaters and dehumidifiers available for hire. Feel free to book online and pick it up at your local Hirepool branch. Otherwise, you can ring and talk to the friendly Hirepool team if you have any additional questions. For more advice on why tool hire and machine hire can be cost-effective for your trade business, read our handy guide that weighs up the pros and cons of hiring equipment.
