HVAC & Dehumidifier question

[bczoom]

I need some thoughts/advise.

I'm looking at a building and wondering if I should replace the HVAC. The building and pics are in this thread.
http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=66

I'm looking at all the components of the existing system and the potential (probable) maintenance related to all this "stuff". For my needs, I believe it's overkill since I won't need to filter for chemical, biological or nuclear agents, cool massive amounts of electronic components, etc. The current HVAC equipment also uses approx. 3500-4000 sq/ft of space which I'd like to use for other things.

The building itself needs very little heat or A/C as the temperature is pretty constant (about 68 in the summer and I hear probably 60 in the winter).

I do want to have a bit of HVAC but my main thing is to keep the humidity down. There's no visible mold or mildew but it smells musty. This may be from the fact no HVAC has been run at all for at least 10 years and the fact that a couple doors have been open to the outside which may have let moisture in.

So, what would be a good approach? I understand that someone should be brought in to "size" things properly but I'm wondering if they'll be scratching their heads as well due to the unique nature of the building. I would like to get the humidity down then close it up tight to see if it's coming from the outside or from within.

Thoughts?
Brian

 

[LarryRB]

A junior in high school, vintage 66', I worked for a company out of Paterson New Jersey that specialized in just this problem.. I spent the summer all over Pennsylvania at various "dye" houses that did big bolts of cloth. Moisture was the number one enemy. I'm trying to think of the name and keep coming up with Aerobrator or similar. They designed and made dehumidifier's that pumped collected moisture outside the bldgs and a ways away from these old factory mills. Have no idea what costs were,.. I was the outside man who did ditching, piping and brought it all together at a "home run" point.

 

[thcri]

BC,

At home right now but look up "Desert Air". We use them a lot for pool rooms and such and they are pretty good for pulling out humidity.

If you can't find it I can get some literature emailed to you.


murph

 

[bczoom]

Thanks Larry,

My FIL worked at one of those "dye" house just north of Phila.
I did a search for Aerobrator but came up empty. A google search didn't show anything that looked like that name either.

It did give me some thoughts. Let me toss out a couple.
- For testing purposes, to buy one is a bit out of the question. It looks like they start at about $6000 for the proper size. Like this one
http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/ebac-cd425-dehumidifier.html?psysVid=9b18e48k

- I was thinking of renting one from a water damage restoration company or general rental center. A quick search didn't show anything of the size I need so I guess I'll be using the phone.

- Do I assume correctly that if we put 4 or 5 of the household type (40-50 pint) that they wouldn't put a dent in it?

Brian

 

[LarryRB]

it just hit me, it was airpermeator, and I found it listed under Copernic as
Air-Perme-ator still in Paterson

 

[bczoom]

Thanks Murph.

Found their site and local contact for sales.

Looking through their site, it appears that they're someone who could provide the final solution. I've bookmarked their site.

Do I assume that an indoor unit will also warm the air and the outside unit would not do that?

I'm just wondering if the appropriate final solution can be determined without first putting something in there to see what it takes. Although the sq/ft is high, since it can be pretty much completely sealed, I wonder if a smaller unit would work. Again, this place is pretty much airtight and once the doors are closed, the only way for air to get in is through the HVAC system pulling from outdoors. The current system has "something" that maintains the building at a slightly higher air pressure than the outside.

Brian

 

[bczoom]

A little update.

I took a digital thermometer and hygrometer down there.
Temp is 68.
RH = 63%

So, what is a good RH to maintain (and how much does it take to get/keep it there?

 

[DaveNay]

A little update.

I took a digital thermometer and hygrometer down there.
Temp is 68.
RH = 63%

So, what is a good RH to maintain (and how much does it take to get/keep it there?

Wow...you could store one helluva lot of cigars down there!

Dave

 

[bczoom]

Wow...you could store one helluva lot of cigars down there!

More than I could smoke in a year...

I guess it would depend on the cigar size but I figure approx. 600 cigars per sq/ft so I came up with (of course this is a guess so I may be off by a couple cigars) 162,750,000