Workshop Too Hot or Damp? Fans, Coolers and Dehumidifiers

Summer turns the workshop into an oven, winter leaves everything damp, and a burst pipe can soak the floor.

A fan cools people, an air conditioner cools the room and a dehumidifier dries it. PartsForMachines lists over 90 fans, ventilators, coolers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers from Sealey, Baridi, Draper, SIP, EcoFlow and Clarke in its air ventilation range.

Will a Drum Fan Cool a Hot Workshop?

It will cool the people in it, but not the air. Moving air carries heat away from your skin and helps sweat evaporate, so you feel cooler while the room temperature stays the same.

To bring the temperature down, swap hot air for cooler air. When it is cooler outside, often in the evening, stand the fan in a doorway blowing out. Open a door or window on the far side to let fresh air in. For a large space, the HVD24 24in drum fan moves up to 155.3m³/min (5,484cfm) and tilts on its cradle stand to aim the airflow.

Will an Evaporative Cooler Work Like Air Conditioning?

No. It cools in a different way and does less in damp weather. An evaporative cooler draws air through wet pads, and the water evaporating from them lowers the air temperature. That works best when the air is dry, and it adds moisture to the room, so it struggles when humidity is already high.

For large commercial or industrial spaces, the SAC125 portable air cooler uses no refrigerant and moves 9,000m³/hr through honeycomb pads on three sides. A 125-litre tank with a float valve and a low-water alarm feeds it. If you need a set temperature, choose an air conditioner.

How Do I Vent a Portable Air Conditioner in a Workshop?

Through its exhaust hose to the outside, usually via a window. The unit cools the room air and pushes the heat and moisture it removes out through that hose, so the hose must leave the building.

The SAC12000 portable air conditioner comes with extendable exhaust ducting and a window seal kit, and its hose reaches up to 1.5m, so place it close to the window or opening you vent through. Some smaller units have a 650mm hose, so measure the distance before you buy. Fit the seal kit around the hose to close the gap.

What Dries Out a Workshop After a Leak or Flood?

A dehumidifier and moving air, used together. Fans or blowers keep air moving over wet floors and walls, and the dehumidifier pulls the moisture out of the air, so keep doors and windows shut while it runs.

The IDH50L 110V industrial dehumidifier removes up to 50 litres a day and suits room drying after a flood. Compare extraction rates at the same test conditions, often 30°C and 80% relative humidity. To move air across surfaces, the ADB3000 air dryer/blower delivers 81m³/min (2,860cfm) for drying vehicles, components and workshop surfaces.

What Should I Check Before I Buy?

• The job: circulating air, bringing in fresh air, cooling or drying
• Maximum airflow, and whether it is quoted in m³/min, m³/hr or cfm
• For air conditioners: cooling capacity, exhaust hose length and the window kit
• For dehumidifiers: litres a day, the test conditions and the space quoted
• Supply voltage (230V or 110V), the plug fitted and the noise rating

Not sure which suits your space? Contact the PartsForMachines team by WhatsApp, telephone or email with the size of the area and the job in hand, or browse the air ventilation range.

Product options, delivery options and returns terms are shown on each product page. A 30-day return policy applies to eligible items.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much airflow do I need from a workshop fan?

It depends on the space, so compare maximum airflow in the same unit: makers quote m³/min, m³/hr or cfm, and 1m³/min is about 35cfm. The SFF16Q pedestal fan moves 57m³/min, for example, while the 30in HVD30110V drum fan reaches 284.8m³/min.

When do I need a ventilator rather than a fan?

When air must be ducted into or out of a confined space. The VEN300 portable ventilator moves 3,900m³/hr through its 5m of ducting, for roof spaces, boats, cable ducts and building sites. The Draper 20046 also handles fume extraction, but not in flammable environments.

Are drum fans too loud for all-day use?

Some are, so check the rating and compare like with like. The HVD24 is rated at 84dB(A) sound power, while the SFF16Q pedestal fan is rated at 53dB(A) for quieter rooms. The SIP 05640 30in drum fan quotes a 72dB(A) noise level instead.

Are single-hose portable air conditioners less efficient?

Usually, yes. A single-hose unit blows room air outside, so replacement air leaks in through gaps from outdoors or the rest of the building. Dual-hose units draw outside air through a second hose to cool the machine, so they are typically more efficient.

Can a portable air conditioner replace a dehumidifier?

Partly. In its dehumidifying mode the SAC12000 removes up to 30.3 litres a day and has a continuous drain hose. For drying out after a leak, an industrial dehumidifier such as the Draper 12500 runs unattended with auto-reset and a 24-hour timer.

Desiccant or compressor dehumidifier for a cold workshop?

In a cold, unheated building, usually desiccant. Refrigerant (compressor) models lose efficiency as the air cools, while desiccant models work well in cold spaces too. Refrigerant models such as the SDH50 are rated for 5 to 35°C and defrost if the room gets too cold.

Can a dehumidifier drain continuously through a hose?

Yes, on models with a drain outlet. The SDH50 can run unattended with a drain hose connected, the IDH50L comes with a 1m drainage pipe and the 12500 has a fitted 100cm hose. Without one, models with auto shut-off stop when the tank fills.

Can I run a 110V fan from a 230V socket?

No. A 110V fan needs a 110V supply, so it suits sites where 110V is the standard. The HVD30110V 30in 110V drum fan, for example, is fitted with a 16A 110V plug.

What size dehumidifier do I need?

Match the extraction rate to the space quoted. The SDH20 extracts up to 20 litres a day for spaces up to 30m², and the SDH70 up to 70 litres for 80 to 160m². Check whether the space is floor area (m²) or volume (m³).

Can one unit cool in summer and heat in winter?

Some can. The SAC12000 air conditioner also heats, with a rated heating output of 2.78kW, and the SAC41 evaporative cooler has a heater with 1,000 and 2,000 watt settings.