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Quickly dry walls, floors, ceilings, and more with an air mover

What is an air mover?

An air mover is a device that offers high velocity airflow, which can help dry surfaces faster during work jobs or after water damage caused by a heavy storm, flash flood, hurricane, or simply leaky pipes.

There are two types: centrifugal and axial. Axial air movers blow more air and use electricity while centrifugal air movers have a low-profile snout that allows them to blow air under cabinets. But they use more electricity and blow less air per unit.

When would you need to use an air mover?

Air movers are usually used in construction projects or by businesses, but they can also come in handy during home renovation projects, or when water damage has occurred.

You can use an air mover to dry a fresh coat of paint on the wall much faster, or to quickly dry out a carpet or floor after a leak or flood. They can also be used to quickly dry a ceiling that has been water damaged.

There are also air movers that can be used to boost airflow within an HVAC unit to help remove exhaust and odours from places like bathrooms and workshops, and to better ventilate basements and attics.

What should you look for in an air mover?

Look for something that is compact and lightweight so it’s easy to bring out of storage when needed or to carry from one floor of a building to another, or one project to another. Some have wheels or luggage handles, making transport even more convenient.

If you’re using more than one in a building or office, you might appreciate daisy-chaining capability, which allows you to connect multiple units together without needing an extension cord.

Check the horsepower to ensure it’s sufficient and powerful enough to meet your needs, as well as the cord length if you might be using one where there aren’t many available power outlets close by, or where you want a long reach to cover a wide area.

Also consider energy efficiency so they don’t suck up too much electricity. Check for relatively quiet operation, and for an air mover that can be safely used both indoors and out. Some have a convenient flat outlet, which makes it easy to blow the air under carpets, cabinets, or in other cracks and crevices.