HUMIDITY CONTROL
Why drying rooms matter T
Dave Marshall-George, sales director at Condair, looks at the opportunities drying rooms off er the ACR contractor.
he use of drying rooms is no longer limited to specialist applications such as fi re stations and yacht clubs. Dedicated areas to dry clothes are now commonplace
features in many offi ces and construction sites. With people being encouraged to walk or commute to work, having a room to dry clothes is a very practical asset for a commercial offi ce and a welcome improvement to health and safety on a worksite.
Dave Marshall-George
Installation of drying rooms presents an attractive opportunity for the ACR contractor. Projects typically incorporate refrigerant-based dehumidifi er installation, alongside air movement and ventilation systems. Eff ective drying room design needs to consider airfl ow,
temperature and, most importantly, humidity control. Moisture must be removed from the air to maintain a low enough room humidity to encourage continual evaporation from the wet items being dried. This moisture removal can be through ventilation, if the incoming air has a low enough humidity. However, this tends not to be a practical solution in the winter or when it’s raining, due to the cold and humid outdoor conditions.
Constantly heating and ventilating an area costs a lot more
in energy than operating a dehumidifi er and having a more sealed environment with minimal ventilation. Installing a dehumidifi er in a drying room is also a more robust solution as it ensures moisture removal no matter what the weather is like outside. To further enhance drying performance, air movement around the area and across the items should be considered.
14 September 2025 •
www.acr-news.com
Air circulation with fans and in-room ducting will rapidly speed up drying, as long as the circulating air is also being treated by the dehumidifi er.
The most common type of dehumidifi er used in drying
rooms is a condensing system. These remove moisture with a regular refrigerant loop, cold coil system. As such, they work effi ciently at regular room temperature of around 20°C, which tends to be what we supply for most offi ce drying room environments.
Construction site drying rooms, in modular buildings, can
be more exposed to the elements, so managing temperature is important. If the temperature drops too low, condensing systems can become less eff ective. Desiccant systems may then be a good option, although their energy use is greater than a condensing unit. Balancing whether it’s better to heat the room and use condensing or switch to desiccant technology is a decision best made with the consultancy of the dehumidifi er supplier. Contractors should bear in mind that any dehumidifi er will add heat to a room. This can be an added benefi t, if it removes the need for additional temperature control. But it can also be detrimental if it causes an area to overheat. During the summer, a hot drying room will be uncomfortable to be in, which can lead people to open windows to cool the room. This ventilation can allow moisture to enter, increasing humidity and reducing drying effi ciency, when compared to a more sealed, controlled environment. To better manage temperature within controlled environments, Condair off ers a condensing dehumidifi er
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