Hood vs dehumidifier

[BrettOfBinnshire]

I am building a small home brewing room for myself. Interior dimensions are roughly 7 1/2' by 12'. The room will be well insulated and heated but, as this is in my barn in Maine, three walls and the ceiling are exposed to serious cold in the winter. (One wall is shared with my shop's utility room.)

I will be brewing with an all electric system and anticipate continuing to brew 5 gallon batches though maybe I should plan handling 10 gallon boils as well.

I would like to avoid putting a big hole in my insulation for a hood vent. Can I simply run a dehumidifier to eliminate brewday humidity? Since I will be all electric I need not worry about CO.

If it matters, two walls will be Advantec and the other two and the ceiling will likely be oiled or urethaned pine.

Thanks!

 

[flars]

Condensation will form on the cold walls very quickly. During the brew day you will have dripping. The dripping onto and into your equipment would be the problem.

The dehumidifier would most likely dry out the room within a day, if the room is heated. Dehumidifier coils freeze up below a certain temperature. Can't remember what temp that is or if it is the same for all dehumidifiers.

 

[wilserbrewer]

The dehumidifier will work too slowly, you need to move some air. Depending on how big the barn is, perhaps you could circulate enough air to disperse the steam to acceptable humidity levels. A room that size would be like a steam room without any ventilation.

 

[BrettOfBinnshire]

Darn, bad news for me, but thanks folks, I appreciate your help!