How Construction Drying Services Improve Post-Construction Results

Moisture is one of the greatest headaches at a construction sites. Too much of it increases the moisture content of vital building materials, slows the curing times and makes processes more complicated than necessary. While short-term consequences brought on by excessive moisture requires a contractor’s attention, the long-term consequences deserve equal consideration. By employing humidity control for construction sites, you’ll mitigate issues caused by high moisture levels and ensure the future success of your current projects.

Benefits of Humidity Control for Construction Sites

• Improved efficacy of insulation: Damp insulation—whether it’s caused by wallboards with high moisture contents, rain or design flaws—leads to numerous post-construction problems. When it contacts steel wall ties, screws, studs and other structural members, the metal corrodes, compromising a building structural integrity. For example when ties loosen, wall surfaces crack, discolor or even collapse. Humidity control solutions keep insulation and other building materials at construction sites dry, so the owner only needs to focus on maintenance instead of repairs.
• Fewer energy losses: When building materials remain damp after construction, they conduct energy rather than resist it. This remaining dampness makes it more difficult to maintain the comfort levels in completed structures throughout the year, leading to higher heating and cooling bills. Maintaining dry conditions on a construction site using temporary humidity control ensures a building remains as efficient as expected. 
• Healthy indoor air quality: People spend most of their lives indoors. Dampness on a construction site leads to mold growth that generally doesn’t reveal itself until after the project is complete. Mold growth and air quality degradation caused by building dampness may lead to numerous health problems in its occupants. While it’s difficult to control all the organisms that contact building materials, it is possible to control and limit the water within walls and prevent mold growth using temporary climate control solutions, good building designs and proper construction practices.
• Better coating and adhesive performance: High relative humidity levels prolong the amount of time it takes adhesives, surface coatings, finishes and other materials to dry or cure. Depending on the material, improper curing and drying leads to premature failures. By controlling on-site humidity, you’ll prevent costly delays, re-work, productivity losses and budgetary problems that short-term curing- and drying-related setbacks cause. At the same time, you’ll ensure the longevity and reliability of these and other building materials.
• Improved concrete slab performance: Moisture that develops in concrete due to construction-related oversights causes a myriad of problems. The more humid concrete is, the higher its pH levels climb. When pH levels rise in concrete slabs, coatings applied to it de-bond, adhesives release, floor finishes degrade and wood flooring expands. The use of temporary humidity control equipment helps ensure that concrete cures correctly after it’s mixed. Afterward, it keeps concrete dry, which prevents sweating and excessive moisture. Healthy slabs keep individuals who walk on it safe and flooring materials in place.

Humidity control for construction sites does more than improve building performance and ensure fewer losses and setbacks. It shows clients that the quality of the work that your firm provides extends past the construction phases, assuring durability, occupant safety and a positive reputation. The temporary humidity control solutions that Polygon creates are designed for your specific needs and applications. They also support the energy efficiency standards that your clients may seek. Talk to a Polygon representative today to learn how our cost-effective solutions make worksite conditions optimal for all your projects.

[Photo from University of Salford Press Office via CC License 2.0]