[saffron7]

Hello all

I am new here and hoping to benefit from your DIY guidance if you'll be so kind. First, I am not a painter. I purchased a foreclosed home that has a broken A/C unit - It needs a new condenser and coil. I am working with my contractor to help us in remodeling the home to make it fit to move into someday - hopefully! The house is in a humid, hot location. There's one part of the house that I feel we can finish first to help our transition to the home. He has helped with the drywall finishing in this part of the house and says that the sheetrock mud is having a hard time drying. He says we must have the A/C working before painting. Since this is a foreclosure, the walls are already painted, so this will be a repaint. However, I am hesitant to buy a new AC system in the middle of remodeling. I have been told paint fumes, sheetrock dust, and related airborne construction debris can get into the duct system etc. and put undue strain on a new system. I suggested getting a dehumidifier and he said that is not ideal; the AC is essential. Forgive my ignorance on the subject - that's why I'm asking you:

• Do I need an AC running on an interior repaint in order for the paint to dry as it should?
• Are there any alternative ideas to encourage drying interior paint in hot / humid climates?
• Am I unnecessarily worrying about running an AC in the middle of a remodel?

Thanks for your help. Saffron

 

[mark sr]

I painted over a 1000 new construction houses in fla before the AC was installed. High humidity will slow down drying times but won't stop it. Opening windows and running a fan will speed up the drying some.


Switching to a setting compound from regular premixed mud will speed up drying. Setting muds dry chemically but with air circulation the regular mud should still dry in a day or so.


I think your contractor just doesn't want to work in the heat/humidity! Cooler and lower humidity makes for nice working conditions but any one in the trades should be used to working in the heat and humidity.

 

[RanK2]

I painted over a 1000 new construction houses in fla before the AC was installed. High humidity will slow down drying times but won't stop it. Opening windows and running a fan will speed up the drying some.


Switching to a setting compound from regular premixed mud will speed up drying. Setting muds dry chemically but with air circulation the regular mud should still dry in a day or so.


I think your contractor just doesn't want to work in the heat/humidity! Cooler and lower humidity makes for nice working conditions but any one in the trades should be used to working in the heat and humidity.

What he said. Painting new builds in Fl doesn't get put on hold until the AC is running. I've had to do punch lists with no A/C on, and that is well after the painting has been done. GC's don't want to be paying for AC power with traffic in and out all day, and there ain't too many places more humid than Fl in July.