By Aaron Mullins – Systems Coordinator, Next Big Crop
Cultivation Facility Humidity
Investing in a proper grow facility dehumidifier system and finding the right engineer to handle the project takes considerable resources, time and effort—but it’s well worth it for commercial cultivators of any size. Cutting corners when it comes to dehumidification may seem like something you can get away with at first, but it’s a mistake guaranteed to cause all sorts of trouble down the road.
To get a sense of the dehumidification needs inside a commercial grow room, it’s helpful to think of a natatorium (indoor pool room)—very hot and humid. But grow rooms also have much more light and resulting evaporation to consider.
The unique environment inside grow rooms is unfamiliar territory for most engineers, entailing a very specific set of considerations that don’t arise in many building projects.
When you spec out your utilities, understanding the ratio of sensible cooling (temperature) to latent cooling (humidity) that your facility requires is key. Environmental factors like climate, altitude, outside humidity and temperature factor significantly into the sensible-to-latent cooling ratio you’ll need for your grow facility dehumidifier. In arid climates like Colorado, your sensible-to-latent ratio might be something like 98% to 2%. But in swampier climates like Mississippi, you’ll be looking at a ratio more like 60% sensible to 40% latent cooling.
Sensible and Latent Cooling
When you spec out your utilities, understanding the ratio of sensible cooling (temperature) to latent cooling (humidity) that your facility requires is key. Environmental factors like climate, altitude, outside humidity and temperature factor significantly into the sensible-to-latent cooling ratio you’ll need for your grow facility dehumidifier. In arid climates like Colorado, your sensible-to-latent ratio might be something like 98% to 2%. But in swampier climates like Mississippi, you’ll be looking at a ratio more like 60% sensible to 40% latent cooling.
You always want to plan for the maximum humidity load. It may be tempting to skimp on front-end equipment costs, but if your dehumidification system isn’t equipped to function properly at maximum capacity, you’ll regret it. If your system is under capacity and you try operating at full capacity, you’ll get bacteria and mold—and you’ll be stuck understocking your grow rooms.
Temperature Control
Proper temperature control is another big part of dehumidification. It’s important to understand the interplay between temperature and moisture because temperature drops cause humidity spikes. You can mitigate this within your facility by adding heat when necessary to maintain a steady temperature and avoid sudden humidity spikes.
Daily temperature drops are predictable, of course, and you can program your grow room humidifier and heating system to respond accordingly. A dynamic system that responds to the environment can take a lot of the guesswork out of this process.
Electrical Power
Adequate power is crucial inside commercial cultivation facilities, which require power-intensive heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC). You don’t want to spend $20K on a grow room dehumidifier system only to realize you don’t have enough power to run it when you turn it on and your breakers trip.
To that end, it matters what type of electricity you have. We typically recommend three-phase units, as they are more efficient and easier to work with. Single phase units also work, but they draw much more power.
Environmental Stewardship
A well-designed grow room dehumidifier setup can recycle much of the water it captures, minimizing the system’s carbon footprint. Captured water can pass through a UV filter, to ensure it has no contaminants, then run to a common tank and back into the system.
Specialized Expertise Matters
Dehumidification might not be the first thing people think about when designing and renovating their commercial grow facilities, but it is crucial to get right. Knowing how much water to pull out of the air and how to do it is essential. We always recommend working with an engineer who is, ideally, familiar with grow room dehumidifier load requirements.
Not sure where to find an experienced engineer for your commercial grow op setup? We can help. Learn more about Next Big Crop’s comprehensive consulting services.
