Afternoon,

We've recently moved and my new garage is gradually getting sorted but the new garage seems to be really damp to the extent that every surface on the car is wet to the touch and surface rust is developing everywhere.

The bike is also wet to the touch and the exhaust is really suffering around the clamps and other non-stainless bits.

Im reckoning that if it carries on at this rate I'll pop out in the spring to go for a blat and there'll be nothing left but a pile of rust and some ally bits in the middle!

So...whats the answer?

I was thinking of running some convector heaters in there for a few days non-stop to see if thats gets it a bit drier but then its obviously the humidity of the air outside thats the problem so perhaps a dehumidifier coupled with some sealing around doors and windows?

Anyone who has succesfully dealt with their damp garage problems, I would be grateful of your top tips!

Cheers

Geoff

Mines exactly the same today everything’s soaking wet, I think it's the humidity today as the temperature is 10 degs and all the ice has melted. Not much I can do about it in my garage certainly can't paint anything till it clears.

What about a few of these

My late mother in law used to swear by bowls of salt left lying around to soak up the moisture. Apparently its an old trick and it did seem to work in the caravan but your area is that much larger.

don't know, would have to seal the garage pretty well for them to work I think, mines far to drafty

[Edited on 13/1/08 by Mr Whippy]

Hmm,

Ok those crystal things int he bags are the same as the salt idea then? You stick em up for a bit then chuck 'em when they are all wet?

Hmm, I dont know for sure but it just seems so damp out there that I reckon I might get through millions of them before the spring.

I was thinking about a stove maybe or something a bit more permanent? How good are dehumidifiers that you plug in?

Kinda dont want to spend a fortune though.....thing is theres me 7 and me VFR turning into iron oxide in there - ahhh its a dilemma!

quote:

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Originally posted by stevec
What about a few of these[/url]

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so does the silica gel do the biz?

How much do you need to get your garage reasonably dry then?

Frustrating isnt it?!

had the same problem i used king span on the roof and dont get the problem any more

Hi Geoff

Living just off Dartmoor we have the same problem. It is heart breaking to see all the things bought with hard earned money corroding away.

Anyway, I think the problem is now solved. I have insulated the workshop with polystyrene insulation sheets including the floor over which I have placed moisture resistant tongue and groove chipboard. The floor is really nice, good to sweep and warm to the touch and yes even with polystyrene underneath it is solid and easily supports a half ton lathe and a one ton English wheel. That in itself doesn't solve the problem but it helps. I bought a dehumidifyer for £50 on Ebay and that runs constantly and I normally remove a gallon of water a day so it really is doing its job.

This has done the trick and I have no more rust problems.

atb

John

insulation is the single biggest thing you can do. What is happening is that everything in there gets really cold overnight, and then come midday, its covered in condensation as wet air blows in. So you need to do 3 things:

stop stuff getting so cold overnight
stop wet air coming in during the day
remove water that does get in.

simple. John has covered two of them, all you need to do is that and make it a bit less draughty!

covered the garage in insulation and mine is fine!

put a gas fire on for 10mins and its warm
no probs now!
can work in there all day long

[Edited on 13/1/08 by ch1ll1]

Excellent cheers everyone,

It is a draughty old thing - I'll see what can be done to seal up some of the draughts - currently have 4kW of heaters on the go overnight to see what effect that has - if nothing else it'll cost me so much money I'll have to sell everything in the garage anyway and - in a roundabout way - problem solved!

Cheers

Geoff

Hi Geoff

Sorry to hear that your new garage is damp.

I'd agree with Joel's three point plan, seal up the drafts, insulate it, and add a level of low / background heating.

Something like Kingspan insulation with the foil on both sides is pretty good. Much better than bare polystyrene.

I could come round and have a look if you like?

Cheers

Mike

Yo dude!

Yeah thatd be cool - I need a super locost solution mind you - incredible how much we've spent moving and I dont feel as though I have anything to show for it!

I keep looking at the washing machine and having it morph into a pair of alloy billet brake calipers in a tom and jerry stylee!

Ive just been out there and the floor is incredibly cold but the walls less so - I wonder if a bit of this kingspan stuff on the floor would do it?

How does it work then - do I just lay it and then stick something over the top and drive in?!

Excuse my ignorance!

hi i all so had a simula prob ive since fited pvc double glazing to the rear window and fitted a double glazed pvc back door painted the walls and the floor then sealed them with a patio sealent from BnQ it still gets cold but its never damp or wet still got the roof to insulat but BnQ do big sheets off polistireen for not much dosh so as soon as it dry longanf to get the car out ill do that to
i all so put some carpit on the base off the front door so when it shuts it draft free

[Edited on 13/1/08 by repper]

The Kingspan was for the walls / ceiling Didn't realise the floor was cold / damp. First step for the floor would be to paint it (assuming it's bare concrete. That should stop any mositure coming up through it.

The floor is going to be a bit more complex. Get a roll of the black damp proof course. Build a 600x600 grid / frame out of 2x2" on the floor with the dpc under the timbers. Then fill the squares with 50mm of polystyrene sheet. Then stick a plywood / sterling board sheet over the top. Nail / screw it down. Obviously you'd need a ramp at the door.

Cheers

Mike

Ah I see...

Ive always wanted to build a house - perhaps I could start with a floor!

Yeah makes sense - gives you the cavity that you need and a damp proof course.

Would still be good for you to see it and give me an idea of how much / how long it'd take me...

Any way of doing it without the wood? COuld you damp proof it and then pour concrete on it or something?

That may well not work of course!

Ours was a problem, its now dry lined with polystyrene behind the plasterboard, loft insulation above a plasterboard ceiling, polystyrene on the door and old carpet on the floor.... and just bought a dehumidifier.

Unfortunately I think its one of those 'do it right, or do it cheap' things...

Chris

Be aware that Kingspan is incredibly expensive.

I spent 2.5K on the stuff when I converted my loft. Building regs wanted it everywhere, under the floor, behind the walls, all over the ceiling.

Mind you it does a cracking job. Its really warm up there even when the heatings not on!

Current building regs about floors are;

1. DPC Thick black damp course stuff
2. 4 inches of concrete
3. 4 inch Kingspan or similar
4. 2 inches of screed that can have underfloor pipe work fitted.

Not exactly locost but kills 2 birds with one stone. Insulated floor that becomes a huge radiator.

I have a sectional door that seals out all the draughts and keeps the garage warm enough to work in. Every thing is dry as well, although I suspect thats cause its attached to the house....

Steve


[Edited on 13/1/08 by coozer]

Due to the cost of kingspan I used rockwool to insulate my workshop, much cheaper but not nice stuff to handle & mabye needs to be fairly think to work well. My workshop is a small steel framed building with 6" wide pillars & beams so it was easy to fill 6" with the rockwool & line with chipboard sheet.
It's made a huge difference to the condensation, never needed a dehumidifier & being at the top end of Cumbria we gwt plenty damp weather.

the building reg are for areas that are habited garages don't need to be to same standard! the questions are do you want to seal the car up till the warm weather? of sort the garage to work in? first step paint floor and fit old or cheap carpet( bathroom carpet is rubber backed)! next step thermo tube (see link) under the car to stop frost (on a timer during the night) then insulate the garage roof if needed!
cheep to run heater (like a light bulb!)
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4150808/Trail/searchtext%3EHEATER.htm
do ebay search for Tubular Heater

[Edited on 13/1/08 by tomblyth]

if you insulate it well then a 100W incandescent bulb will keep it warm enough. We used to have an aviary in the garden, only heat in winter was a light bulb and it easily melted the snow off the roof around it. Mind you, so did the 16 budgies!