6 min read · Structural drying guide
The drying gear we run on site — and why each piece matters
LGR vs desiccant dehumidifiers, snail-fan air movers, cavity injection and floor mats. A plain-English guide to the equipment behind a fast, documented dry-out.
Dehumidifiers: LGR vs desiccant
Low-Grain-Refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifiers are the workhorse — they condense moisture out of the air and return it dry and warm, and they're efficient above about 15°C. Desiccant units use silica gel to absorb moisture chemically and keep performing in the cold, which makes them essential for Canterbury winter jobs and stubborn deep drying. Most serious jobs use both.
Air movers do the other half
A dehumidifier can only collect moisture that's actually in the air. Axial 'snail' air movers sweep high-velocity air across wet floors and up walls to drive that moisture off the surface, angled at the wet material and spaced along the affected area. Get the ratio wrong and drying stalls; get it right and the structure dries evenly.
Specialty systems save finishes
Floor drying mats force dry air under tile, timber or vinyl so we can dry a floor without lifting it. Cavity injection drying pushes dry air through small holes into the wall cavity to dry framing and insulation behind the plasterboard — no full strip-out. These systems are how we save finishes and keep your programme moving.
Detection and documentation
Pin and pinless meters, thermal cameras and data loggers are what turn drying from guesswork into a documented, signed-off process. They're also what your BCA, QS and insurer want to see — calibrated readings, dated logs and a completion report, not a verbal assurance the wall 'feels dry'.
Need this done on your Christchurch build? Get a quote or read the NZ standards we work to.