Drying plaster in winter? (duplicates merged)

[Muj]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently getting my whole house plastered after a full rewire and was wondering how it’s best to dry out the plaster.

The house currently doesn’t have the central heating working and as you guys may know it’s 4/5 degrees outside in daylight and lower at night.

I’ve read online some people saying to let it cure on its own, others saying dehumidifier, others saying convection heater, so I’m a little all over the place at the moment.

I’m in no rush to move in so not fussed about speeding up the process. I want to know the best way to avoid cracks.

Do I just leave windows open over night and let it cure on its own?
Do I put in a couple of heaters?
Will the really low temperatures cause an issue? Or does the temperature not really cause a problem as long as it can dry out naturally?

All help is much appreciated .

Thanks all!

 

[Muj]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently getting my whole house plastered after a full rewire and was wondering how it’s best to dry out the plaster.

The house currently doesn’t have the central heating working and as you guys may know it’s 4/5 degrees outside in daylight and lower at night.

I’ve read online some people saying to let it cure on its own, others saying dehumidifier, others saying convection heater, so I’m a little all over the place at the moment.

I’m in no rush to move in so not fussed about speeding up the process. I want to know the best way to avoid cracks.

Do I just leave windows open over night and let it cure on its own?
Do I put in a couple of heaters?
Will the really low temperatures cause an issue? Or does the temperature not really cause a problem as long as it can dry out naturally?

All help is much appreciated .

Thanks all!

 

[^woody^]

Dehumidifier if you want it dry before August

 

[bobasd]

trickle heat and trickle ventilation. same temp and same ventilation over 24 hrs night and day.

 

[SpecialK]

I normally use a dehumidifier and heat the room a little, but this was in an occupied house and prevented moisture problems elsewhere.
If you can get a dehumidifier with humidity control and set it to just below normal humidity levels it will be fine.

If you leave the house closed up you will end up with waterfalls on the windows! And you probably dont want to leave the windows wide open when the property is unoccupied?

 

[Muj]

It’s hard for me to control the heating as I’m not living in the house, and don’t want it to cause cracking.

I guess it’s a matter of heating and ventilating at the same time?

 

[Muj]

I’m not living there at the moment but don’t have a problem with leaving windows open a little.

So there’s no need for heating as long as there’s ventilation? Thanks

 

[^woody^]

You can't heat and ventilate in winter, and certainly not if you are not there, and definitely not from just trickle vents.

All that will happen is moisture will evaporate into the air and then back into the structure when you turn the heating off. And humid air from outside will enter from the vents.

 

[Muj]

I guess my only option is to either leave the windows closed With a dehumidifier which I don’t have one at the moment.

I’ve just left a couple windows slightly open even though it’s very humid outside lol

 

[SpecialK]

I guess my only option is to either leave the windows closed With a dehumidifier which I don’t have one at the moment.

I’ve just left a couple windows slightly open even though it’s very humid outside lol

Hire one?