How do you efficiently dehumidify and heat a tiny house?

Lightweight habitats, made famous by the development of tiny houses, offer a comfortable, functional and economical living space. However, because of their small volume, humidity, mainly due to condensation, is likely to accumulate rapidly in winter. In summer, because of their low thermal inertia, homes can quickly become furnaces. In this article, we’ll take a look at the main solutions for heating, humidity management and ventilation in lightweight housing. Then you’ll discover SunAero, the solution that heats and dehumidifies a tiny house free of charge all year round using solar energy, and ventilates the house on summer nights with an external power supply.

Credit photo : TOH – Tiny Overland House

Controlling humidity and temperature in a tiny house

Insulation

The choice of insulation materials must ensure effective moisture management in a tiny house. Walls and roofs must be “breathable”: they must be airtight and watertight, and at the same time allow moisture to escape to the outside, without losing heat. Materials that block the passage of moisture, such as OSB, should be avoided. The ideal insulation for wooden walls consists of a rainscreen film, fibrous insulation and a vapour-barrier film. The rainscreen film must be highly permeable to water vapour, or made of wind- and waterproof wood fibre. For insulation, there are different types of plant, animal and synthetic origin. Their properties in terms of moisture regulation and thermal phase shifting during the summer can vary. Wood wool, for example, is a high-performance ecological option. As the final layer of protection, the vapour-brake film must be able to allow water vapour to escape to the outside, depending on humidity levels.

Ventilation

Good ventilation minimizes condensation in a tiny house, which is generated by household activities such as cooking, heating, breathing, drying laundry and showering. It’s important to have top and bottom vents to ventilate the home naturally. All devices for extracting humid air, such as single- or dual-flow CMVs and air extractors, can be used in your tiny house. Note that the more perspirant the walls, the less the extractor fans and/or ventilators will have to work. Note that a tiny house will tend to overheat in hot weather, so it’s a good idea to have high windows that open to let the heat out.

Heating

Heating plays a central role in managing humidity in a tiny house, helping to minimize condensation, the main source of dampness. Depending on whether your tiny house is connected to the electrical grid or not, there are a number of heating solutions available.

Electric heaters require a mains connection and are easy to install. Electric radiant heaters heat the ambient air slowly and gently. They are also very quiet. This is an excellent option if you’ll be staying at home for long periods. Electric radiant floor heaters are either removable mats or a heating system installed in the floor of your home. They solve the problem often encountered with tiny houses on wheels, where the floor tends to be colder. Forced-air radiators heat spaces quickly but are a little noisy. It’s a great option for those who go in and out of the house frequently, as the fast heat-up time means it can be switched off while you’re away. The last type of electric heating: heat pumps. Heat pumps are fairly quiet, operate quickly, don’t take up valuable floor space and can also function as an air-conditioning unit. The heat pump is not suitable for very cold environments, so it’s best to choose another option.

If your lightweight home is not connected to the electricity grid, there are still wood or gas heating solutions. Wood-burning stoves are beautiful, comfortable and can be used for cooking. They produce a lot of heat, which means you need to find a stove small enough for a tiny house. Gas (propane) heaters are clean and efficient. Like electric radiators, they require no installation. The propane heater is the best option for those who travel a lot. On the other hand, gas heating produces condensation that has to be evacuated, and is often criticized for not producing enough heat in winter.

Heating, dehumidifying and ventilating a tiny house with solar power

Discover SunAero energy-saving solar heating

SunAero is an aerothermal solar panel that captures and absorbs the sun’s heat to propel up to 200 m3 per hour of warm air into a 20m2 room. The flow of warm air reaches a temperature of +20°C to +40°C, depending on the intensity of the sunshine. SunAero is equipped with two temperature sensors and a humidity sensor, so you can automatically program and regulate the humidity level in your tiny house. By replacing room air with dry air, humid air is naturally evacuated from the home. Powered by a 32-watt photovoltaic panel, SunAero is totally autonomous. SunAero heats and/or dehumidifies a tiny house all year round, even when you’re away. Easy to install, in less than 3 hours by a single person

The different operating modes

By rapidly replacing the air in a room with dry air, SunAero is a natural dehumidifier that maintains the ideal humidity level between 40% and 60%. SunAero switches on and generates heat automatically as soon as the first rays of sunlight appear, allowing you to use your main heating system less in winter, or not at all in spring or autumn. SunAero can also be used for ventilation during the summer months. In fact, SunAero can also be connected to an external power source (grid or photovoltaic system) to operate at night. If the outside temperature is lower than the inside temperature, SunAero will automatically start cooling your home.

When it comes to equipping your light habitat, think SunAero! It’s an environmentally-friendly solution that’s easy to install and maintain. Every ray of sunshine saves you money on heating, and you’ve got a solution for efficiently dehumidifying your tiny house!