Temporary Heating, Cooling, and Dehumidification During Construction – GreenBuildingAdvisor

Building Science

Heating, cooling, and dehumidification strategies that protect workers and building materials during construction

Whether you’re in Duluth, Minn., in January or Houston, Tex., in August, keeping a construction project at a comfortable temperature is important not only for the crews working on the building but also for some of the products and processes that are important in constructing the home. Pouring concrete, finishing drywall, and tiling are a few examples. Just as important is managing moisture inside the structure as construction progresses. Depending on the climate, that might mean adding heat, providing cooling, removing moisture, or some combination of all three.

Using the home’s normal space-conditioning systems isn’t always the best idea. Construction dust and debris can contaminate ductwork, create problems for heat exchangers and A-coils, and ultimately may affect the air quality for the people you are building the home for.

Different building materials have different temperature and humidity requirements during installation and curing. For example, the Gypsum Association recommends maintaining temperatures of at least 50°F for 48 hours before finishing drywall and until the joint compound has dried. But temperature is only part of the equation. A building can be warm enough for drywall finishing while having so much moisture in the air that the joint compound takes considerably longer to dry. The same concern applies to flooring, adhesives, coatings, spray-foam insulation, and other moisture-sensitive materials.

A few years ago I wrote an article covering jobsite heaters and the different options available for temporarily heating a building under construction. I’d like to expand on that discussion by looking at cooling strategies for hot climates, along with the broader topic of managing humidity and moisture during construction.

A concerning experience from this past year

Early last spring I was called to a home under construction in my community. The project was just entering the drywall phase, and outdoor temperatures…