Standard Wellness: A successful finish schedule begins long before hanging board

What was once considered a “fast track” schedule is now the industry standard for almost all projects.

A good project manager recognizes this and looks over the schedule for potential delays long before they become a problem. Such is the case with the Standard Wellness project in Gibsonburg, OH. Holly Henn of the Rudolph-Libbe Group knew she could not afford any delays since there was to be a significant amount of drywall and paint inside the building, so she contacted us to put a plan in place for dehumidification. Pictured here is what the building looked like the first time I arrived at the project for a site evaluation. Two walls and a partial roof—now that is planning!

Calculating for volume is key to an effective climate-control plan.

At 37,000 square feet with a 16’ high roof, Henn needed to account for a lot of volume.

Limited on-site power further complicated matters: the climate system would need to feed from the generator that powered the entire site. To deal with this we suggested the Powerdry 4000 Dehumidifier and the A3000+ Air Mover. These operate at only 10amps and 2.5 amps per unit, respectively—a potent solution that would fit within the power available. After finalizing a plan and meeting with Project Superintendent Brian Liedel and Project Engineer Harrison Newberg, they put the equipment into action.

Your climate control doesn't have to eat up a lot of job site power to get the job done.

After one week of operation we checked progress.

Like most of this year, ambient humidity readings were above 75%, a challenging environment, for sure. Inside, however, was quite a different story: work was taking place in every corner of the building. Workers were hanging board, applying drywall compound, sanding mud, and even applying finish coat to walls. On my way in the door I was stopped by a gentleman who thanked me because the low humidity within the structure was making work much more pleasant than it was without the equipment. With a big grin he went on to tell me “the drywall guys probably don’t like you much, though. The mud is drying so well they are being forced to work hard!” He was only slightly exaggerating: levels ranged from 52% to 55%, the ideal environment to complete work quickly!

With the right equipment your job site can stay stable no matter how the weather fluctuates outside.

After completing the inspection, we reported the numbers to Brian.

After writing down the results, he gave us his assessment with a smile: “Good.”. Well done to the entire Rudolph-Libbe team, who knew from the beginning what they needed to accomplish to ensure success and stay on schedule. Thank you for allowing us to contribute!

Humidity will slow down your project in any season, and whether you are dealing with high RH levels now or rethinking your choice of climate-control equipment for upcoming projects this fall and winter, planning ahead is your key to profitability.