EPISODE · Mar 2, 2026 · 1H 45M
Beyond HVAC: Why Dehumidification Deserves the D - David Shirk #108
from Air Quality Matters · host simon jones
This week, we step into the world of moisture in buildings—one of the most overlooked yet critical aspects of indoor air quality and building performance. While we talk about humidity constantly, we rarely stop to break down what we actually mean. What is moisture? Is it a pollutant? And why does it matter so much? We sit down with David Schurk, owner of HVAC Insight Consultants and a dehumidification specialist with over 40 years of experience in the HVAC industry. David has led system design, application engineering, and field implementation efforts across healthcare, aerospace, industrial, and mission-critical environments. He's an ASHRAE life member and distinguished lecturer, and a course developer and instructor for multiple ASHRAE Learning Institute professional development programs. Key Topics Discussed: Is Moisture a Pollutant? How humidity impacts human comfort, building integrity, and health. Why 30% of the way we regulate our body temperature relies on evaporative cooling—and what happens when high humidity impedes that process. The Operating Room Problem: A vivid real-world example of how high humidity in hospital operating rooms causes surgeons to overheat, insist on colder temperatures, which paradoxically increases relative humidity further—creating condensation, discomfort, and potentially dangerous conditions. Breaking Down the Terminology: Dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, relative humidity, absolute humidity, vapor pressure, dew point temperature—what do these terms actually mean? How do they interact? And why does relative humidity confuse everyone? The Psychrometric Chart: The beautiful, intimidating, and essential tool that maps the relationship between temperature and moisture. How to read it, why it matters, and why it's still relevant in the age of apps and AI. Surfaces, Condensation, and Mold: Why moisture risk is one of the few pollutants that can damage the building fabric itself. How dew point, surface temperatures, and adsorptive materials create the conditions for mold growth and structural decay. The Case for HVAC-D: Why dehumidification deserves its own prominent place in the HVAC world. How traditional air conditioning treats dehumidification as a byproduct of cooling—and why that doesn't always work. Desiccant Dehumidification: How solid and liquid desiccants can achieve moisture removal at levels traditional cold coil systems simply cannot reach—down to negative 100-degree Fahrenheit dew points. The applications in hospitals, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor manufacturing, lithium battery production, and ice rinks. GUEST: David Schurk - Owner, HVAC Insight Consultants https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidschurk/ The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Particles Plus https://particlesplus.com/ Farmwood (https://farmwood.co.uk/) - Eurovent (https://www.eurovent.eu/) - Aico (https://www.aico.co.uk/) - Ultra Protect (https://www.ultra-protect.co.uk/air-quality-matters) The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces (https://www.safetraces.com/) and Inbiot (https://www.inbiot.es/?utm_campaign=simon&utm_source=airqualitymatters&utm_medium=podcast) Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website. (https://www.airqualitymatters.net/podcast) If you haven't checked out the YouTube channel its here (https://www.youtube.com/@airqualitymatters-SimonJones). Do subscribe if you can, lots more content is coming soon. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Forgotten Child of Indoor Air Quality 00:02:27 Is Moisture a Pollutant? Defining the Problem 00:04:11 The Human Impact: Perspiration and Core Temperature 00:07:57 The Operating Room Problem: When Humidity Becomes Critical 00:14:30 Adding the D to HVAC: Why Dehumidification Deserves Recognition 00:28:59 Temperature Fundamentals: Dry Bulb, Sensible Heat, and Radiant Energy 00:36:05 Relative Humidity Explained: The Fish Tank Analogy 00:42:05 The Relative Humidity Trap: Why It Misleads Us 00:53:14 Absolute Humidity and Dew Point: The Real Measures That Matter 01:06:32 Wet Bulb Temperature: The Sling Psychrometer Explained 01:12:13 The Psychrometric Chart: Your Moisture Roadmap 01:18:21 Surfaces and Condensation: When Air Meets Materials 01:23:58 The Cold Spot Mold Spot Phenomenon 01:26:42 Controlling Moisture: The Thermostat Problem 01:30:59 The Efficiency Paradox: High SEER and High Humidity 01:32:55 Desiccant Dehumidification: Beyond the 32-Degree Limit 01:38:44 Real-World Applications: From Lithium Batteries to Pharmaceuticals 01:41:16 The Journey of a Dehumidification Jedi
What this episode covers
This week, we step into the world of moisture in buildings—one of the most overlooked yet critical aspects of indoor air quality and building performance. While we talk about humidity constantly, we rarely stop to break down what we actually mean. What is moisture? Is it a pollutant? And why does it matter so much? We sit down with David Schurk, owner of HVAC Insight Consultants and a dehumidification specialist with over 40 years of experience in the HVAC industry. David has led system design, application engineering, and field implementation efforts across healthcare, aerospace, industrial, and mission-critical environments. He's an ASHRAE life member and distinguished lecturer, and a course developer and instructor for multiple ASHRAE Learning Institute professional development programs. Key Topics Discussed: Is Moisture a Pollutant? How humidity impacts human comfort, building integrity, and health. Why 30% of the way we regulate our body temperature relies on evaporative cooling—and what happens when high humidity impedes that process. The Operating Room Problem: A vivid real-world example of how high humidity in hospital operating rooms causes surgeons to overheat, insist on colder temperatures, which paradoxically increases relative humidity further—creating condensation, discomfort, and potentially dangerous conditions. Breaking Down the Terminology: Dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, relative humidity, absolute humidity, vapor pressure, dew point temperature—what do these terms actually mean? How do they interact? And why does relative humidity confuse everyone? The Psychrometric Chart: The beautiful, intimidating, and essential tool that maps the relationship between temperature and moisture. How to read it, why it matters, and why it's still relevant in the age of apps and AI. Surfaces, Condensation, and Mold: Why moisture risk is one of the few pollutants that can damage the building fabric itself. How dew point, surface temperatures, and adsorptive materials create the conditions for mold growth and structural decay. The Case for HVAC-D: Why dehumidification deserves its own prominent place in the HVAC world. How traditional air conditioning treats dehumidification as a byproduct of cooling—and why that doesn't always work. Desiccant Dehumidification: How solid and liquid desiccants can achieve moisture removal at levels traditional cold coil systems simply cannot reach—down to negative 100-degree Fahrenheit dew points. The applications in hospitals, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor manufacturing, lithium battery production, and ice rinks. GUEST: David Schurk - Owner, HVAC Insight Consultants https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidschurk/ The Air Quality Matters Podcast in Partnership with Particles Plus https://particlesplus.com/ Farmwood (https://farmwood.co.uk/) - Eurovent (https://www.eurovent.eu/) - Aico (https://www.aico.co.uk/) - Ultra Protect (https://www.ultra-protect.co.uk/air-quality-matters) The One Take Podcast in Partnership with SafeTraces (https://www.safetraces.com/) and Inbiot (https://www.inbiot.es/?utm_campaign=simon&utm_source=airqualitymatters&utm_medium=podcast) Do check them out in the links and on the Air Quality Matters Website. (https://www.airqualitymatters.net/podcast) If you haven't checked out the YouTube channel its here (https://www.youtube.com/@airqualitymatters-SimonJones). Do subscribe if you can, lots more content is coming soon. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Forgotten Child of Indoor Air Quality 00:02:27 Is Moisture a Pollutant? Defining the Problem 00:04:11 The Human Impact: Perspiration and Core Temperature 00:07:57 The Operating Room Problem: When Humidity Becomes Critical 00:14:30 Adding the D to HVAC: Why Dehumidification Deserves Recognition 00:28:59 Temperature Fundamentals: Dry Bulb, Sensible Heat, and Radiant Energy 00:36:05 Relative Humidity Explained: The Fish Tank Analogy 00:42:05 The Relative Humidity Trap: Why It Misleads Us 00:53:14 Absolute Humidity and Dew Point: The Real Measures That Matter 01:06:32 Wet Bulb Temperature: The Sling Psychrometer Explained 01:12:13 The Psychrometric Chart: Your Moisture Roadmap 01:18:21 Surfaces and Condensation: When Air Meets Materials 01:23:58 The Cold Spot Mold Spot Phenomenon 01:26:42 Controlling Moisture: The Thermostat Problem 01:30:59 The Efficiency Paradox: High SEER and High Humidity 01:32:55 Desiccant Dehumidification: Beyond the 32-Degree Limit 01:38:44 Real-World Applications: From Lithium Batteries to Pharmaceuticals 01:41:16 The Journey of a Dehumidification Jedi
NOW PLAYING
Beyond HVAC: Why Dehumidification Deserves the D - David Shirk #108
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.