Construction dehumidifier hire for London office refurb

When a London-based contractor required reliable construction dehumidifier hire, they got in touch with HVAC Rentals who were quick to assist. Use of dehumidifier hire for construction can be essential for speeding up works, which was one of the main goals for this company. They required construction dehumidifier hire as well as drying hire to deliver controlled humidity reduction as well as stabilise internal site conditions.

The challenge: why construction dehumidifier hire was necessary

The project involved around 1,200m² of open-plan commercial office space across multiple floors. Although the main walls were in, prolonged wet weather had resulted in internal humidity readings between 80–88% RH.

Elevated moisture levels created serious construction risks including:

Slower plaster and screed curing
Delayed installation of the floor finish
Increased risk of defects within materials and finish
Reduced comfort for workers resulting in slow down on-site
Time-line delays affecting multiple trades risking meeting deadlines

Without intervention, the company risked missing their deadline, and estimated delays in excess of 2 weeks. They required urgent dehumidifier hire for construction to allow them to get back on track with their timeline, regardless of the fluctuations in weather.

Construction dehumidifier hire solution: drying pack with integrated heating

HVAC Rentals deployed one of our commercial drying pack hire systems on a 4 week minimum hire term. The HVAC Rentals drying hire pack includes:

Multiple high-capacity commercial dehumidifier rental units
Multiple Sahara Extreme blow heaters

The drying hire pack for construction use is ideal, allowing for easy positioning and use of portable heaters and dehumidifiers. HVAC Rentals were able to deliver the drying hire pack to the London construction site within hours of their initial phone call. As all portable dehumidifier rental units and rental heaters run from just a standard UK plug, they were put into operation immediately.

As the dehumidifiers include a fairly long hose, with correct positioning for drainage, the construction dehumidifier hire was operational with very little assistance needed. After setting up the desired humidity level, the dehumidifier rental units could be left to run. Efficiency for the dehumidification process was also accelerated by the rental blow heaters, allowing for quick drying for construction.

The Sahara Extreme blow heaters not only increased air temperatures, but also improved evaporation rates. The commercial dehumidifier rental units then extracted moisture within the air allowing to help stabilise relative humidity levels. Hence, the commercial drying hire pack is specifically designed to allow for fast dehumidifier hire as well as allow for fast drying.

Measurable results from the construction dehumidifier hire period

At the start of the four-week hire:

Relative Humidity levels measured between 80–88%
Target level for flooring installation:≤ 65% RH

Within the first week of the construction dehumidifier hire period:

RH reduced to approximately 70%

By week two:

RH stabilised between 60–65%
As surface moisture readings were within manufacturer tolerances, finishing of the floors and walls could be complete

Furthermore, as the internal temperature could be kept consistent, work output increased, and comfort may have been a contributing factor. Hence, keeping the dehumidifier hire for construction use continuous and consistent allowed for timelines to be met, and the project to finish well within the deadline.

Construction dehumidifier hire and drying pack hire helped excel multiple phases

Plastering phase

As humidity can significantly slow curing times, having the drying hire for construction was essential for this phase. Without the construction dehumidifier hire and rental heaters, plaster would have retained moisture for longer. However, as internal temperatures and humidity was being controlled, curing times were faster.

Sanding of the walls was able to commence quicker than scheduled, and painting and other decorations were able to progress effectively.

Screed drying phase

As floor screed can often take weeks to dry out naturally, the drying hire pack for construction use was invaluable. The drying hire pack for construction allowed for quicker extraction of moisture from the screed. This allowed for the contractor to carry out moisture testing sooner than expected.

Flooring installation phase

Due to manufacturers requiring subfloor moisture levels to be within specific tolerances, this can often slow down finishing construction works. However, as the construction drying hire and dehumidifier hire helped extract moisture, it accelerated this stage of construction. With continued operation of the construction dehumidifier hire system, this allowed for rapid installation of the carpet tiles.

Decorating and finishing phase

Before laying carpet tiles, the painting of walls was also finished and helped by the use of effective drying hire for construction. Whereas the natural drying process can be much longer between coats, the operation of the blow heaters as well as dehumidifiers sped up the process.

Overall impact on programme and site conditions

The combined use of commercial dehumidifier rental units and blow heaters hire provided controlled internal conditions throughout the four-week hire period.

This not only supported quick drying for construction materials but also improved workforce comfort by reducing damp, cold internal air.

Do you need construction dehumidifier hire and drying hire?

For fast drying hire and rapid dehumidifier hire get in touch with HVAC Rentals. Whether looking for a planned construction dehumidifier hire period, or emergency drying hire, HVAC Rentals are able to offer reliable and fast solutions. With next day or same day delivery of HVAC Rentals to London, and speedy hire solutions nationwide, HVAC Rentals can help with effective drying hire today.