Drying out during house construction

Dehumidifiers and construction dryers in house construction

The dream of owning a home is within reach for many builders. However, once the shell construction is complete, new problems can quickly arise. Moisture often gets in the way of one’s plans, leading to mold or damage to walls, floors, and ceilings. Houses are being built faster and faster, and the drying of the construction is given too little attention due to tight deadlines. Unfortunately, moisture cannot really be avoided during the construction phase, as mortar, concrete, and the outside air during rainy weather bring a lot of water into the house. During the construction phase, the material is only dried to the extent that the house can be completed with a somewhat good conscience. However, it can take 2-3 years for a new building to be completely dry. A new building is therefore only completely dry when one has already been living in the house for a while. Accordingly, it is important to think about dehumidification already in the shell construction phase. If the water is not dried out, it seeps into the plaster. This leads to cracks and mold, which incur additional costs. Additionally, it is impossible to store belongings in the basement without damage during the first few years. The fight against moisture is best tackled with dehumidifiers or larger construction dryers, which bring many advantages. This applies both during the construction phase and when moving into the new home.

The handling of large quantities of water

Many builders underestimate how much water is actually in such a shell construction and how much must evaporate before the construction can continue. Often, the use of additional devices is omitted, as it superficially seems that the water evaporates on its own – even though this takes several weeks. In reality, however, the water settles in the walls, and even years after completion, the house "sweats" and water forms on the inside of the windows. This leads to a poor indoor climate and mold formation. Mold particularly likes to settle behind cabinets, dressers, and other furniture in poor air circulation and high humidity, and is therefore often only discovered very late – often too late, so that only an expensive renovation helps. While the use of dehumidifiers can somewhat counteract this, ideally these devices are already used after the completion of the shell construction. Even larger construction dryers must then be in operation around the clock for several weeks, but they really draw massive amounts of water from the walls, ensuring that homeowners do not have to deal with follow-up costs later. Those using smaller devices should ideally place them in every room, while larger construction dryers are often sufficient for an entire floor. Additionally, it is also possible to rent large and small construction dryers cheaply (-> Info Rental Construction Dryers). Thanks to quantity and long-term discounts, this ultimately turns out to be significantly cheaper than a complete new purchase.

In some construction sites, heaters are set up instead of dehumidifiers. Heating does cause the air to warm up and thus can hold more moisture. However, unlike the use of dehumidification devices, the moisture is not removed. The air, even in a warm state, will eventually become saturated and from that moment on can no longer absorb additional moisture. Furthermore, when dehumidifying, only fractions of the electricity costs are incurred compared to what heaters consume. Therefore, it is better to rely on dehumidification, preferably in combination with fans for optimal air circulation. Heating is only necessary when temperatures hinder construction progress.

Act early and avoid water damage

Ultimately, the accumulation of water through concrete, mortar, and the like cannot be prevented, but the management of moisture is crucial. Those who address it too late or not at all will face significant subsequent problems. On the other hand, those who use dehumidifiers or construction dryers in a timely manner save time and money and prevent unnecessary stress. Therefore, anyone who is building (or having built) should inform themselves in good time about the use of these devices and plan accordingly. Because although modern devices already work effectively and can process large amounts of water, the sluggish building material simply needs time for uniform and complete drying.