What ASD is
Control temperature and humidity together, and the building dries itself
Applied Structural Drying (ASD) manages heat and moisture as one system. During heat season, we control the humidity in your building with indirect heat and dehumidification. It is the most efficient way to heat the building, and it directly improves productivity during finishes.
The alternative most sites default to is make-up air (MUA) heating: open-flame burners that push heated outside air into the space. That method introduces huge amounts of water vapor and CO₂ from combustion directly into your building, and burns roughly twice as much fuel while pressurizing the space.
The numbers
What each heating method puts into your building
Every heating method delivers BTUs. The difference is what comes along with them. Per 1,000,000 BTU delivered:
| Heating method | Water vapor added | CO₂ added |
|---|---|---|
| Make-up air, propane 11 gallons burned, open flame |
22 gallons | 135 lb |
| Make-up air, natural gas 10 therms burned, open flame |
11 gallons | 135 lb |
| Indirect heat (ASD) Combustion sealed and vented outside |
0 gallons | 0 lb |
Make-up air systems also burn roughly twice the fuel of indirect heat while pressurizing the space.
The payoff
Nine hours of work in an eight-hour shift
When temperature and relative humidity are held in the right range, drywall, paint, and flooring dry on schedule instead of holding up the trades behind them. For every trade affected by moisture, we will give you nine hours worth of work in an eight-hour time period.
Drier conditions also mean cleaner finishes: fewer failed adhesion tests, less rework, and materials performing the way their spec sheets assume.
Set Up Drying on Your SiteWhy CO₂ in the building matters
Combustion CO₂ and your concrete
Concrete is naturally alkaline, and that alkalinity is what keeps embedded rebar from rusting. When CO₂ concentrations in an enclosed space rise, the gas reacts with the concrete in a process called carbonation, lowering the pH from the exposed surface inward.
If the carbonation front reaches the rebar, the steel loses its protective environment and can begin to corrode. Rust expands, and expanding rust cracks concrete.
Open-flame heaters release their CO₂ directly into the space, right against fresh concrete, all season long. Indirect heat vents it outside instead.
Drying a building this season?
Talk through the plan with us before heat season starts. Call 518-419-8688.