How do you actually best dry a stick-built construction in the winter? I ask this because our builder is using a method that has had mixed success (according to a previous thread).
The frame was erected in October, and with the weather we've had, there was a need to dry the frame before sealing it with plastic. To do this, all the insulation has been installed in the walls without sealing it with plastic. After that, they turned on the heat and dehumidifier. It has been running like this for a month, and the air inside is dry. Despite this, the moisture closest to the weather barrier has only increased because some moist air always escapes and condenses on the cold surface. The amount is such that your hand gets wet when you insert it, and the moisture content in the wood is about 20%. The builder claims that it is on the outermost part of the wall and will dry by summer.
It should be noted that we are talking about a real winter here, so sometimes the moisture is in ice form on the inside of the tarp.
What's the best way to do this in winter???? Is it okay to run full heat without plastic, or should it have been sealed earlier? It feels a bit like a catch-22. Without heating, you can't get rid of the moisture in the wood, and by heating, you increase the moisture closest to the weather barrier....
I have received many different answers to this question, and everyone seems to do and think differently. Either it doesn't matter, or some are wrong. Please respond with your view on the matter if you know or have experience – preferably don't speculate :
The frame was erected in October, and with the weather we've had, there was a need to dry the frame before sealing it with plastic. To do this, all the insulation has been installed in the walls without sealing it with plastic. After that, they turned on the heat and dehumidifier. It has been running like this for a month, and the air inside is dry. Despite this, the moisture closest to the weather barrier has only increased because some moist air always escapes and condenses on the cold surface. The amount is such that your hand gets wet when you insert it, and the moisture content in the wood is about 20%. The builder claims that it is on the outermost part of the wall and will dry by summer.
It should be noted that we are talking about a real winter here, so sometimes the moisture is in ice form on the inside of the tarp.
What's the best way to do this in winter???? Is it okay to run full heat without plastic, or should it have been sealed earlier? It feels a bit like a catch-22. Without heating, you can't get rid of the moisture in the wood, and by heating, you increase the moisture closest to the weather barrier....
I have received many different answers to this question, and everyone seems to do and think differently. Either it doesn't matter, or some are wrong. Please respond with your view on the matter if you know or have experience – preferably don't speculate :