Choosing the right dehumidifier for your job doesn’t have to be a hassle. Use this guide to learn more about how to find the right dehumidifier for you.
Dri-Eaz LGR 7000 XLi
Even if it’s not actively raining, construction materials constantly absorb moisture from the air. During construction and restoration jobs, construction dehumidifiers keep materials in shape.
The right dehumidifier prevents rot, mold, and mildew. It also speeds up drying, reduces delays, and prevents water damage.
But when choosing a dehumidifier, a few factors can come into play, like:
- The size of the space you need to dry
- Capacity – how much water you need to remove from the air
- Energy efficiency
- Space efficiency
- Noise
- Durability
Here’s a quick guide to choosing the right commercial dehumidifier for your job:
Types of Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers remove water from the air by either cooling it or exposing it to desiccant materials.
Refrigerant Dehumidifiers
Refrigerant dehumidifiers draw air over refrigerant coils, removing moisture from the air through condensation. They tend to be more efficient in hot, humid conditions, but ice can form in the coils if you use them in sites that get colder than 65 degrees.
Desiccant Dehumidifiers
Desiccant dehumidifiers drive air across desiccant materials, releasing dry air on the other end. They tend to be a little less power than refrigerant dehumidifiers, but work better at low temps.
As a rule, dehumidifiers are more efficient and work better when combined with air movers, air conditioners, and other methods of moving air through a space. While too much drying can damage sensitive materials like wet drywall, it’s often faster and more efficient to combine air movers with dehumidifiers, especially following an acute event such as a burst pipe.
Evaluating Your Space
Your space determines the type and size of the construction dehumidifier you’ll need. Some factors to keep in mind:
Degree of Moisture
You can measure the exact humidity of a space, but often signs like how humid the air feels, damp or musty smells, or even water beading or seeping show how much moisture you’ll need to remove.
Higher vapor pressure – or concentrations of moisture in the air – means you’ll need a more powerful dehumidifier with a larger capacity. Even if you’re only drying a small room, you’ll need a larger capacity dehumidifier if it’s really wet.
Climate, Humidity, and Outside Temperature
Mold spores are everywhere, but some damp climates will always be more susceptible. High water tables, high humidity, and actual rain can all contribute to the dampness of your site and increase the need for dehumidifiers.
Dri-Eaz F413 Revolution LGR
Space Size
Construction dehumidifiers are typically designed to be temporary, portable tools.
Some models, like the Dri-Eaz LGR 7000 XLi are wheeled to allow for easier transport. Smaller models, like the Dri-Eaz F413 Revolution LGR can remove upwards of 200 pints of water per day, but are still small enough to work in crawl spaces and other confined areas.
Others are more suited to larger spaces or can be stacked to increase capacity.
Obviously, larger spaces or buildings require larger or more dehumidifiers to efficiently dehumidify materials.
Choosing the Right Dehumidifier
Larger dehumidifiers are more expensive, but choosing a larger size dehumidifier for your space can save you money in the long run since dehumidifiers running at lower-than-maximum settings are more energy efficient and work faster.
Depending on the site, you may also need to consider noise, timelines, or other factors like the ability to precisely direct airflow or leave dehumidifiers running for extended timeframes.
Dri-Eaz Dehumidifiers and Air Movers
Pro Tool & Supply carries a wide range of heavy-duty, powerful dehumidifiers from Dri-Eaz, Wacker, to other leading brands that are designed to stand up to the rigors of a construction site.
Dri-Eaz offers refrigerant, desiccant dehumidifiers in upright and crawlspace designs, and often additional features such as Energy-Star qualification, automatic humidistats, adjustment based on conditions, and hour upon hour of nonstop usage.
Dry Your Site with Dri-Eaz Dehumidifiers
Keep your project on-schedule and avoid moisture damage with one of Pro Tool & Supply’s line of portable dehumidifiers and air movers. We offer Dri-Eaz and Wacker Nelson Dehumidifiers to rent or buy.
To learn more or speak to one of Pro Tool’s experts, Request a Quote or call us at 1-857-706-2980.
