Project: The Making of a Rug Plant

T Monahan

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Regarding drying: Centrum Force made sure that it was publicly discussed, by way of scientific evidence to verify the best results, at a least two Rug Summits.

Some plants have been using multiple dehumidification and air mover units commonly used in water damage restoration to dry rugs. This is expensive both in equipment costs and power usage.

Drying rugs is much like drying clothes in a common homeowner's clothes dryer. The appliance is most effective both in saving time and monetary expense to operate by means of simply heat dry and evacuate the humid air. Cambridge accomplishes this the best way I have seen for the money invested to install and run. It runs off natural gas and 110-115 volt circuit while only pulling 12.3 amps.
 
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rick imby

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So the humid air goes high? Interesting, I would have thought it would be heavier and low. However I am more likely to believe your experience---But when you go high---we go low? or something like that... This is a great thread, thanks Tom...
 

T Monahan

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So the humid air goes high? Interesting, I would have thought it would be heavier and low. However I am more likely to believe your experience---But when you go high---we go low? or something like that... This is a great thread, thanks Tom...

Water vapor rises. That is why clouds form in the sky.

Thanks for your commendation.
 

T Monahan

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Day of texturing the ceiling. See picture of results:

texture ceiling 20170224_122248-1.jpg


Explanation provided in next post.
 

West

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Tom,
Could you explain the layout with for the rug plant for flow of cleaning rugs, with the locations of each piece of equipment you are using? Also interested in where storage for clean/done and dirty rugs is with this lay out? Do you have this detailed on graph paper? I did see the sketch in the first few posts, just looking for more detail and understanding of space and sqft needed operate properly. Also what is the actual sqft used for the rug plant, minus all the office, show room, training area's? Thanks, really liking this thread!
 
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T Monahan

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Tom,
Could you explain the layout with for the rug plant for flow of cleaning rugs, with the locations of each piece of equipment you are using? Also interested in where storage for clean/done and dirty rugs is with this lay out? Do you have this detailed on graph paper? I did see the sketch in the first few posts, just looking for more detail and understanding of space and sqft needed operate properly. Also what is the actual sqft used for the rug plant, minus all the office, show room, training area's? Thanks, really liking this thread!

I hesitate to provide that at this time. However, I will have something for you to look at soon. You and others must keep in mind that what I furnish is only my conception for flow based on my space to work with. I had to work with pre-existing doors and drains. I will be installing a 10' Tumble Duster, 12' Wash Tub, SP-14 foot centrifuge, a 14 pole dry tower, a 6' Rinse/Wringer and some other interesting pieces of equipment as well. Some of this equipment will be in place after the painting is complete in about 2 weeks. I will make a drawing based on their placement at that time. I will make videos for a virtual tour then too.

Storage of processed rugs for delivery will not be in the warehouse. It will be in climate controlled areas just outside the room. We have two designated areas with racks just outside the two sets of double doors.
 

Ron K

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It looks great. Don't know about the knock down finish, it hides imperfections but DIY repairs I think are easier with smooth or orange peel. What type of volume are you thinking you will and possibly could get through their.
 

rick imby

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Water vapor rises. That is why clouds form in the sky.

Thanks for your commendation.

So if you are evaporating water and sending it out into the enviornment and it is going up to the sky and making clouds won't that contribute to Global cooling?

I have never seen in my collection of physical trivia that air containing more humidity is lighter than dry air. But many things in physics don't initially make sense in my brain. Hot air can hold significantly more water than dry air. And since hot air rises ---or migrates to Mikeys board--- However if this is just the way it is always done vs it has been tested and the air up high in the drying room has more moisture in it.

I can definitely see that bringing outside air in to heat in your system would get you dryer air and a much better enviornment for the rest of the building than using the building air to dry the rugs.

In case you haven't noticed, I love the trivial little physics aspects of nearly anything.
 
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rick imby

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It looks great. Don't know about the knock down finish, it hides imperfections but DIY repairs I think are easier with smooth or orange peel. What type of volume are you thinking you will and possibly could get through their.

Smooth may be easier for you but certainly not for me----I own a few rentals and I hate matching smooth.... I cannot seem to get anything Flat or Square---but I am always working on houses in the 60-100 year range. Thick texture hides all my blemishes.
 

T Monahan

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Smooth may be easier for you but certainly not for me----I own a few rentals and I hate matching smooth.... I cannot seem to get anything Flat or Square---but I am always working on houses in the 60-100 year range. Thick texture hides all my blemishes.

The preexisting ceiling and walls already had the knock-down look. In this instance, we took ALL the weak joint tape off since it was not secure. It had peeled off in some places and in others was not mudded appropriately. Additionally, we put in a long control joint in the ceiling because the long span had a crack in the drywall. This likely occurred over years from the trusses moving in the weather shifts due to the seasons here in Michigan. Since we had to re-tape and finish the drywall, the knock-down look was re-introduced where needed. This is not a difficult thing to do with the craftsman and tools we have on hand. The new walls for the Tumble Duster and Rug Hanging rooms were not textured.

By the way, repair is fairly easy to do if a need arises.
 
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The Great Oz

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In case you haven't noticed, I love the trivial little physics aspects of nearly anything.
Me too.

Even slightly warmer air rises, even when laden with moisture.

When we run a wash, high-humidity air hovers in the low ceiling space above the washer and slowly rolls up the higher walls when more rising air forces it past the surrounding support beams. We installed a 36" exhaust fan in the closest wall (about four feet from the washer) but only reduced humidity in the shop slightly, as it can't pull that humid air down the 18 inches to the fan. We need to change to a ducted system that will gather the humid air at the highest point.

Using the heat rises concept, our dry room heater is now set up to duct heat out near the floor. There are no humans in the room while running, so no need to keep hot exhaust away from them. The heat blows across the room where it will naturally rise at the opposite wall. The airmovers high on the opposite wall then push the air back through the rugs and down to create a circular air pattern. This replaces the original duct work that was located about 18 feet from the floor and needed air movers to push it down in the first place.

We'r getting shorter dry times, but we aren't filling the room at this time of year. I hope for a significant change when the room is full as well.
 

T Monahan

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I have never seen in my collection of physical trivia that air containing more humidity is lighter than dry air. But many things in physics don't initially make sense in my brain...

In case you haven't noticed, I love the trivial little physics aspects of nearly anything.

Full Answer
This seems counter-intuitive, because objects seem to get heavier when water is added; but in this case, it is water vapor. The molecular mass of water is 18 grams per mole. Air is mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with molecular masses of 28 grams per mole and 32 grams per mole respectively, since they are diatomic. At constant temperature and pressure, the water molecules replace the heavier oxygen and nitrogen molecules, resulting in air with a lower density that rises.

Source: https://www.reference.com/science/humid-air-rise-fall-68fdb06ab5cbf8e#
 

Cleanworks

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Me too.

Even slightly warmer air rises, even when laden with moisture.

When we run a wash, high-humidity air hovers in the low ceiling space above the washer and slowly rolls up the higher walls when more rising air forces it past the surrounding support beams. We installed a 36" exhaust fan in the closest wall (about four feet from the washer) but only reduced humidity in the shop slightly, as it can't pull that humid air down the 18 inches to the fan. We need to change to a ducted system that will gather the humid air at the highest point.

Using the heat rises concept, our dry room heater is now set up to duct heat out near the floor. There are no humans in the room while running, so no need to keep hot exhaust away from them. The heat blows across the room where it will naturally rise at the opposite wall. The airmovers high on the opposite wall then push the air back through the rugs and down to create a circular air pattern. This replaces the original duct work that was located about 18 feet from the floor and needed air movers to push it down in the first place.

We'r getting shorter dry times, but we aren't filling the room at this time of year. I hope for a significant change when the room is full as well.
are you running any dehumidifiers as well?
 
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T Monahan

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NO!

Heat drying does not need them for this application.

Hot air that holds the water evaporated off the rugs is vented outside. No need to process it further by added the expense of dehumidifiers.
 
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rick imby

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WOW an unexpectedly knowledgeable bunch of posts about HOT Air...
Usually the posts around here ARE hot air.

Thanks Tom and OZ for the awesome addition to my limited physics knowledge....

Much of what you guys know is counter intuitive to many of us not in the Know...
 
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T Monahan

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What happened to the great blue sky and sun we had last week! Monday brings the drama and another phase to rug plant development. The installation of equipment:

20170313_094128.jpg
20170313_094242.jpg
20170313_100125.jpg
20170313_100423.jpg
 
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T Monahan

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A little something we have suggested for over 10 years: Corrugated drain tile over steel pole tubes. The steel does not flex and the radius of the tile is kind for the rugs.
 

Cleanworks

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A little something we have suggested for over 10 years: Corrugated drain tile over steel pole tubes. The steel does not flex and the radius of the tile is kind for the rugs.
I use perforated PVC pipe over steel poles. I prefer the white over black.
 

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T Monahan

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I think that is a fine idea Ron. We use the perforated ribbed (or corrugated) black drain pipe. Between the ribs and the holes it allows for some measure of evaporation to occur.
 

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