simonjrwinter Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I have always had my car in a Carcoon over the winter months when I don't drive it. However, as I've been working on it (engine work, gearbox out etc) the car has be up on axle stands in an unheated (and well ventilated) garage. Well, when I Went to work on the car I was truly staggered by the state of it! Almost every part of the car was wet. Water dripping off the brake calipers, the side of the engine, the heater....everywhere I looked there was condensation. Even the aluminium rocker covers have started to fur up! Even the seats have mould on them! If there's anything that's brought home to me the usefulness of a Carcoon, this was it. Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richardtr3a Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) I am very lucky. The previous user of my garage ran a marijuana farm and it is well insulated. But he had no electrical supply so he was no good at farming. But it does mean that I have no damp or condensation. Try 50 mm of insulation all round and the roof.. good luck. Richard & H. Edited January 24, 2016 by Richardtr3a Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 AND.......all my tools were damp. Yes insulation may be the way to go (as well as putting the car in the Carcoon!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I seem to hold a lot of condensation at bay by keeping a strong fan (more a blower used for industrial floor drying, in fact) running in my detached brick, uninsulated garage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Freer Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 My downright draughty garage seems to do the same Don! i.e. ventilation and air movement is key. I have noticed some condensation on dank murky days like today when the air is still. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvark Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Must be the day for it. I opened the garage door today to get some natural light in and I noticed immediately my garage floor going damp before my eyes. Humidity is around 90% in the garage and temp around 12c. I've had the dehumidifier on all day as a result! Cheers Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunC Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I noticed the same today! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR5tar Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Must be the day for it. I opened the garage door today to get some natural light in and I noticed immediately my garage floor going damp before my eyes. Humidity is around 90% in the garage and temp around 12c. I've had the dehumidifier on all day as a result! Cheers Dave That's really strange Dave, because mine was at 94% today, the highest I've ever seen it. My old garage was pretty good in this respect, but the one at the house I've just moved to doesn't seem so good. Perhaps the ventilation isn't as good in this garage as it was at the old one. Anyhow, got the dehumidifier going at full blast now, so that'll help. Think I might get a fan going too. Darren Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I think it's the difference between the really cold days then really mild days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Hi Simon, you have it in one. It is not the ventilation or lack of it. The last few days have been very cold. If you have an unheated garage then everything inside will get cold. Today was very warm and very humid for January. The moist air hits thecold surfaces and bingo - water. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewMAshton Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Hello, I recently moved house and under the cover of my wife's excitement over her new kitchen I got her to agree to underfloor heating in my garage, I can do most if not all the work myself, anybody any experience on whether electric or hot water is the way to go, cheers, Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvark Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Andrew. Electric is easiest but hot water will be best (unless all you want is trace heat). Make sure you get some insulation in there too and if you go for hot water you will need a reasonable depth of screed over especially if you plan to jack your car off the slab! Cheers Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) I think it's the difference between the really cold days then really mild days. +1 The metal cools down in the cold , below the dew point of warmer more humid air. and as Roger says. Peter Edited January 24, 2016 by Peter Cobbold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR5tar Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Of course, I forgot that we had a rapid and quite marked change in temperature yesterday. It was about 15c here, compared to 5-6c the day before. I usually try to keep the relative humidity to below 55%, as at that level dew should not be able to form at any temperature (according to the dew point calculator at least). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim D. Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Noticed the same in my wooden garage. Mind you dried off by the afternoon.. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Had the same problem as Simon several years ago, so bought a X-Dry dehumidifier which controls condensation nicely (removes up to 2.5 lts overnight) - there's some good info on car storage and controlling RH here: http://www.dry-it-out.com/dehumidifiers/car-storage A couple of years ago I also bought an Air Chamber which is excellent and a value-added benefit is that it also reduces the volume of garage air, so the dehumidifier is even more efficient! Cheers Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 I was amazed to see (the sump was off the engine) the crank journals also a milky white colour where the condensation had mixed with the residual oil clinging to the engine internals! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark69 Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Andrew. Just a word of warning, unravel your extension lead. I have seen one like yours overheat and catch fire. Not sure what draw the chamber and dehumidifier draws, but not worth the risk . Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Mark, That's an old photo, but thanks for concern. Cheers Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stallie Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Wow, what a saga. I shan't complain about our winters here in one of the coldest places in Oz ever again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Wow, what a saga. I shan't complain about our winters here in one of the coldest places in Oz ever again. mmmmmm, I do think that whoever, in days gone bye, decided to send the bread pinchers down south whilst we stay in damp, dank, dark cold lump of mud... might have got it the wrong way round Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Daz Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 It's strange how we spend money to keep the dog, £500 telly, the spare bedroom we haven't even been in for years and the wife warm and dry but neglect our £20k (and often more) pride and joy. My garage was built to the same spec as my kitchen with insulted floor, walls, roof and door along with central heating. I told the wife it was in case we ever wanted to turn it into a study, and she fell for it. The Joker sits in there snug as a bug in a rug. Magic Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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