I have a 24x24 insulated garage I use for a fur shed. Heated mostly by freezers, and supplemented by electric heat. But usually only to 50-55*.

At the point where trying to thaw the ice off and dry wet beaver, while trying to dry beavers on the board id getting to be a slower process than what I would like. Thinking a dehumidifier will solve some of this problem.

Anyone run a dehumidifier in their fur shed? Any brands to buy, or stay away from? Anything else I need to know?

I bought a used one at an auction. It lasted about 4 years and I bought another. Its lasted a lot longer. Stuff dries lots faster with one. Keep it warm in there for the best results.

I would think the low humidity of winter air would not need a dehumidifier. A fan makes a big difference in my fur shed. I'm just trying to speed up the drying of fox so I don't run out of boards though. Maybe all those wet beaver really add a lot of humidity to the air inside the garage?

Our winters aren’t near what you experience in MN, but I like a wood stove going slow, and a box fan on low.

John

Dehumidifier will help, but it is amazing the amount of moisture 30 or 40 beaver drying will put out.

danny how warm do you keep your fur shed?

I try to keep my fur shed around 50 to 55deg. not sure if thats warm enough.

The last couple days in the 60s and 70s with high humidity was'nt good for drying fur, i started the gas furnace in the garage to try and take some humidity out of the air
things changed after we had the storms roll thru last night got the dry air back sure could tell the difference.

I like it to be at least 70 when its full of fur. My shed is small. Warm and dry is a good thing. I freeze a lot of skins. Then thaw out some and stretch all at the same time. That dehumidifier makes a big difference in a small space with a bunch of just fleshed skins. Both the ones I have had have a fan in them.

I run one in my fur shed. I also have alot of metal working tools in there so I run it whenever the propane heater isn't on. I keep the temp around 50° also. It certainly speeds up the fur drying. The one I have now has a drain hose that I ran out the wall so I don't have to mess with emptying the water container. The unit also puts out alot of heat. I will check on a brand/model when I'm in my shop tomorrow evening.

Thanks for the info danny.

My fur shed is in a three car garage i dont think i can keep it 70deg, i do have a couple fan's running all the time.

I have never thought about it in those terms. I try to keep a rotation and have 40 beaver up at a time, and put up 6-8 a night.

A fleshed blanket beaver, to dried off the board probably has 1/2+ a gallon or more moisture that dries off (Often weigh 6-7 lbs fleshed to 2.25-2.5 lbs dry) . If I put up 8 blanket beaver a night...I am adding 4 gallons of moisture into the air. Do that for 5 days straight to fill the boards, and I just added 20 gallons of water in the air.

Cracking a window helps too. I have a wood stove so heat loss isn’t really an issue. I bring in wet carcass animals every day which creates a lot of moisture. Certainly would not be against a dehumidifier, may be necessary with electric heat.

Years ago, in my fur shed, I put in a Panasonic vent fan (nearly silent), wired to a dehumidistat control switch. It works great, and solved all my moisture control problems, since you can just set the dehumidistat to whatever percentage of humidity you are targeting for your interior air, and it will turn the vent fan off and on, accordingly.

Never had the need to run a humidifier until late March or April. I suspect not having an open flame heat source is the difference. A humidifier will make a heck of a difference Mike.

I have an electric heater in my fur shed that keeps the temp around 55-60 degrees. I run a fan on the opposite side of the fur room. Never had a problem with drying and thawing but then my fur shed is only 24 x 12. Suspect over the years I have rune several thousand beaver through it along with numerous other animals.. A humidifier most likely wouldn't hurt in the larger fur shed.

A dehumidifier is very important in my fur room. Mine is 24’ x 30’. I heat with freezers as well lol.
Tubs of scrapings and carcasses will add moisture to the air as well. Keep that outside if possible.
Get a good unit. I got mine at Lowes. It was around $200. Your beaver will dry faster for sure.

Get one that will drain into a sink or you will always have to empty a one gallon reservoir and drive your self nuts
OH wait your a beaver trapper so already 1/2 nuts.

I have a 3 way heater/ dehumidifier/ air conditioner that has an exhaust fan that goes in a window, probably a old Sears model

So you saying you would put In a humidifier? I don't think adding moisture Is what you want.

I don't think we should be adding moisture to the fur shed.

My typo. DEHUMIDIFIER. I'm not perfect like you Gary

Air at 68 degrees can hold twice the moisture that air at 50 degrees at the same RH, so look into the increased cost of adding more heat with a fan versus the cost of a dehumidifier. If you are already supplementing heat then to me increasing the temp and moving air would work as well, maybe better.

Bryce