This course provides restoration technicians with practical guidance on heat drying systems — when they are used, how they work, how to set them up safely, and how to monitor and manage their use on water damage restoration projects in Australia. Heat drying is an advanced technique that significantly accelerates drying timelines when applied correctly.
Applied incorrectly, it causes material damage, equipment failure, and safety hazards. This course equips technicians to use heat drying confidently, correctly, and safely.
HEAT DRYING — WHAT IT IS AND WHEN TO USE IT
Heat drying raises the temperature of the drying environment and the building materials within it, accelerating evaporation from wet structural materials. The rate of evaporation from a wet surface is significantly higher at elevated temperatures — at 40 degrees Celsius, evaporation occurs at approximately double the rate of evaporation at 21 degrees Celsius, all else being equal.
Heat drying is most appropriate in the following situations: when ambient temperatures are low and standard refrigerant dehumidifiers are operating below optimal efficiency (below approximately 21 degrees Celsius room temperature), when very fast drying is required due to business interruption cost, secondary damage risk, or client timeline pressure, and when thick or dense structural materials (concrete walls, heavy timber, particleboard substrates) require extended drying that can be accelerated with elevated temperature.
HEAT SOURCES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
Propane (LPG) heaters: portable, high-output heat sources that can rapidly raise room temperature in a contained drying zone. Produce combustion byproducts including carbon monoxide (CO) and water vapour.
The water vapour produced by combustion adds to the moisture load in the drying environment — this additional moisture must be removed by the dehumidification system. CO production means propane heaters require adequate fresh air ventilation and must never be used in sealed, unventilated spaces.
CO detectors must be deployed in any space where propane heating is operating.
Electric resistance heaters: produce no combustion byproducts and are safer in enclosed spaces. Lower output per unit than propane heaters and higher operating cost. Appropriate where gas safety is a concern or where the building owner prohibits LPG use on site.
Heat drying systems with integrated management: purpose-built heat drying systems combine heating, air movement, and dehumidification in a coordinated system with temperature controls that prevent material overheating. These systems are the professional standard for heat-assisted drying on complex projects.
MATERIAL TEMPERATURE LIMITS
Different materials have different maximum safe temperatures. Vinyl flooring and vinyl wall coverings typically delaminate or buckle above approximately 40 degrees Celsius.
Laminated timber floors can cup and buckle above 35 degrees Celsius if dried too rapidly. Certain adhesives soften at elevated temperatures, causing floor coverings to lift.
Before deploying heat drying, identify all temperature-sensitive materials in the drying zone and set temperature limits accordingly. Monitor surface temperatures of sensitive materials with a contact thermometer or thermal imaging camera throughout the heating period.
MONITORING HEAT DRYING PROGRESS
Heat drying requires more frequent monitoring than ambient drying — the accelerated evaporation rate means conditions in the drying zone change faster. Visit the site at least twice daily during active heat drying. At each visit: check ambient temperature and confirm it is within the target range, check CO detector if propane heating is in use, check moisture readings at all monitoring points, check surface temperatures of sensitive materials, confirm dehumidifier is operating and draining correctly, and confirm all equipment power connections are secure and undamaged.
SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
Heat drying introduces additional safety risks that require specific controls. CO monitoring is mandatory when propane heating is in use.
Fire risk increases in the vicinity of heating equipment — maintain clearance from combustible materials and ensure the heating system is positioned on a stable, non-combustible surface. Occupant exclusion from heat-drying zones is required — surface temperatures and air temperatures in an active heat drying zone can cause burns and heat-related illness.
Post clear exclusion signage and lock or seal all access points to the heat drying zone.
