Drying Systems Australia provides consultation in design and application of temporary climate control systems for the construction industry. Some benefits of customised design, supply and installation of temporary dehumidification systems on new construction sites include speeding up of the drying time of gyprock plastering to allow for paint coatings to be applied and cure sooner, climatisation of timber building materials prior to internal fit outs to ensure the moisture content level has reached an equilibrium with the internal building climatic conditions to prevent further shrinkage once fit outs have been completed.
Once concrete has undergone its initial curing stage of approximately 28 days to ensure its optimal strength and integrity, the application of a drying system can speed up the final curing stage to reach the Australian Standard AS1884-2012 in conjunction with International Standard ASTM F2170-09 which states that a benchmark of 75% relative humidity or below within the slab is when floor coatings such as floor coating systems , vinyl floor sheeting and carpeting can successfully be applied and installed without the potential adverse affect of excessive moisture trapped within the slab which, due to excessive vapour pressure that exists when moisture content levels are above the Australian Standards benchmark. This can cause moisture vapour pressure to create bubbling in adhesives underneath vinyl floor sheeting and blistering and delamination of coating systems resulting in coating systems and carpet tile adhesives failures and carpet damage, resulting in manufacturers and suppliers warranty being voided which may result in expensive replacements or reworks which could have been avoided had the concrete slab been within the recommended moisture content parameters prior to the application or installation of floor coverings.
As newly constructed buildings reach their final internal fit out stage once roofing and windows etc have been installed and sealing off the building from external climatic conditions, typically the buildings air conditioning system is yet to be commissioned. In these cases there is a risk that, depending on the season and the geographic location of the building, ie. close proximity to marine environments or sub-tropical ambient conditions, the internal of the building may be subjected to the ideal climatic conditions for either slow or rapid mould growth to occur, which in turn creates another issue for the construction companies which may result in the requirement for expensive mould remediation works to be carried out which was not budgeted for. In some cases, this can result in extending the completion and hand over date of the building to the respective owner or prospective tenants thus subjecting the construction companies to expensive penalties they are liable to pay for exceeding the proposed completion date.
The application of temporary climate control systems installation can ensure the the internal humidity levels can be stabilised and maintained to prevent the risk of mould growth prior to the commissioning of the air conditioning system or systems.
Drying Systems Australia provides a moisture content testing, internal climatic conditions monitoring and reporting service to our clients to ensure that the potential adverse effects of excessive moisture within a new construction site can be identified, rectified or prevented, and to also ensure they comply with the relevant construction and building codes and Australian standards. We can also engage hygienists for the purpose of air sampling and laboratory testing of surface swabs for mould spore count to ensure the correct course of action, or remediation if required, is undertaken to either maintain or bring the building back to a healthy condition for its occupants and to prevent an escalation of potential damage to the building itself.
