Controlling Humidity in a larger Space

Air dried cured Meat Techniques

Controlling Humidity in a larger Space

Postby ericrice » Mon Dec 30, 2013 4:26 pm

Hoped someone may have experience - just had our kitchen redone and while I was spending lots of cash I had the crew build me a curing room in a part of the basement. Nothing real fancy but enclosed with moisture/mold resistant drywall (greenboard) Size is approx 15' x 4' so 60 sq ft (18.25 meters). As you can see in the pic I'm running a crane ultrasonic humidifier. Had hoped the enclosed space would make it much easier to keep humidity in the 70's without constantly refilling. First few days that has not seemed to be the case. Humidity nearest the humidifier has gotten into the high 60's to low 70's - opposite side of the room low to mid 60's. So yesterday I picked up an 18 gallon (68 liters) bin, filled it with 80lbs of rock salt and then added water to make a slurry on a much larger scale. Too early to tell if I'll be able to hold 70's without the use of a humidifier.

Anyone have any thoughts? Anyone know or ever seen something on how much of a salt slurry you need in a given space to get humidity around 75%. I would love to just have to add some salt and water on occasion and do away with the humidifier all together.

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Re: Controlling Humidity in a larger Space

Postby wheels » Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:47 pm

It will depend on many factors, but this may help you calculate it:

http://www.lenntech.com/calculators/hum ... midity.htm

HTH

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Re: Controlling Humidity in a larger Space

Postby ericrice » Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:19 pm

Appreciated Wheels! I've also been searchign for resources and just came across one that sheds some light if anyone else is interested (and is a prety easy read). Based on this I think I'll give the room a week or so and see where I am - seems I shoudl have plenty of the solution to get humidity where I want it.

http://www.cool.conservation-us.org/waa ... 3-106.html
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Re: Controlling Humidity in a larger Space

Postby ericrice » Thu Jan 16, 2014 11:27 pm

An additional question - room is working great with controlling humidity - not sure if it's the salt water combined with the humidifier or it just needed a little time with the humidifier - sometime soon I'll remove the salt slurry and see.

So the question - as many on here have done successfully I have never used a fan in my smaller spaces, just cracked the refrig door once a day for about an hour. My room seems to have little airflow which is great for the humidity but I am getting an ammonia smell - wouldn't say its overpowering but it isn't faint either. Don't smell the meat though. I do inoculate with mold and all have a good coating. I have read previous posts that say that isn't necessarily a bad thing and likely a result of the mold. In my smaller spaces I got that smell faintly on occasion but it was much weaker and short lived. So thoughts on whether I need more circulation in there? Humidity stable at 80-82 closest to the humidifier and new meat, about 10% lower the other end of the room. Any thoughts/experience/advice appreciated.
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