Dehumidifier

Sal Gerace · #1 (**permalink**) 08-04-2003, 09:20 PM

A lot of guys running Dehumidifiers in your garage? Really curious about these since I live near the bay hear on the east coast. The garage gets muggy at times and I think maybe I should use one. I would apprciate any input, thanks Sal.

wilf leek · #2 (**permalink**) 08-05-2003, 05:46 AM

Sal - I finally gave up and bought a dehumidifier just after Xmas this year. I found things had begun to corrode from the winter damp - bolt threads, bare ally panels, etc. Now I wish I had a few oil leaks under the car to keep it safe! There was a fair bit of condensation on the engine block etc.

The dehumidifier stopped all that - one of the best things I ever bought for my garage. Of course, we do get a rather damp winter here!

Even now, there is still a fair amount of water coming from the discharge pipe every day , so I guess it works as well in summer. The only "hitch" I have found is that the unit tends to freeze up solid during really cold winter days - around the zero mark on the thermometer (OK, I know we don't get "really" cold days in comparison to some of you guys!)

HTH

Jackffr1846 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-05-2003, 05:50 AM

Instead of a dehumidifier, you can buy a small air conditioner. It does the exact same thing, but blows the hot air outside and cools the air inside. When it starts getting cold enough to freeze it up at all, stop using it, as the humidity will be low at that point anyways.

WBofTN · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2003, 06:36 AM

I'm in the southeast, and summers here bring 80%+ hummidity.
2 day ago it was 99% - and it was not raining. I have noticed
some pitting on some of my chrome. I use a Calilfornia Cover on
my car wich is water proof. I was wondering if this cover traps in
moisture and if I should switch to a light cotton cover.
WB

Sal Gerace · #5 (**permalink**) 08-06-2003, 12:30 PM

Wilf that's what Iam afraid of,,The rust and oxidation on the aluminum and other metals. I guess I'll check out Ebay and see what I can pick up. Thanks for all the input, Sal.

Chaplin · #6 (**permalink**) 08-06-2003, 12:38 PM

Sal-
I'm having the same problem and am considering another possible solution. I was at the Englishtown Auto Show & Swap meet last spring and a guy was selling an inflatable "tent" (for lack of a better word) that you park your car in. You drive your car on it, zip your car up in it and turn on a small fan which keeps the air inside the "tent" constantly circulating. Apparently, these things work well to keep dust and condensation off the car. Someone on CC has a picture in their gallery with a titanium SPF parked in one, but I can't remember who. May be worth browsing the picture gallery. When I get home tonight I'll see if I can dig up the flyer that I picked up.

Ron61 · #7 (**permalink**) 08-06-2003, 12:56 PM

California Car Cover has a clear inflatable cover listed in their magazine that uses a fan to circulate the air. It completely seals the vehicle. The magazine says that the clear capsuls must be used indoors only.

Ron

Sal Gerace · #8 (**permalink**) 08-06-2003, 01:00 PM

I like the idea of keeping the dust off too.. Good Idea! I will check into these.. Thanks

Chaplin · #9 (**permalink**) 08-21-2003, 05:13 PM

Sal-
I found the flier that I picked up. It is called a Car Capsule.

Go to www.carcapsules.net

They had one at the auto show and it really was pretty cool. If you order one, let me know how it works. I'm thinking about ordering one myself.

Mike

edit- now the link works

Double Venom · #10 (**permalink**) 08-21-2003, 06:30 PM

Try this link:

http://www.carcapsules.com/images/carcapsule.gif

Great little item fellas. Keeps them dry and the cats off!

DV...

Chaplin · #11 (**permalink**) 08-21-2003, 08:01 PM

thanks DV. I'll get it right one day

Double Venom · #12 (**permalink**) 08-21-2003, 08:19 PM

Chaplin,
Just pick a blank spot on the page you want, right click, highlight the entire properties line, close it down and then just paste where you want it.

Don't know how yours came out ".net" when I think it's a .com address??

DV...once in awhile I get it right

mrmustang · #13 (**permalink**) 08-21-2003, 08:28 PM

If the air bubble is too much for you, what your going to want is a large rubber floor mat similar to the following:

http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/onepiecdurga.html

I use a 7X16 rubber floor mat to keep the humidity from wicking up through the floor. I used to have to re-detail my show cars every spring until I found one of these heavy duty rubber mats. An inexpensive solution to a simple problem. As for high humidity in the garage itself, two ways to go about things, either a dehumidifier for the warmer months, or "Desiccant Bags for the winter months.Both work equally as well for different situations...........

Bill S.

Rick Parker · #14 (**permalink**) 08-21-2003, 08:37 PM

Where can desiccant bags be purchased, how long do they last?

Rick

Double Venom · #15 (**permalink**) 08-22-2003, 03:15 AM

Rick,
The cheapest and easiest desiccant bags I have found are bags of "charcoal briquets". Just grab a couple of bags open the tops and let them do their thing.

Change every two or three months, load the old ones up with lighter fluid and have a BBQ!

DV... Nice to have a few chemists as friends

Sal Gerace · #16 (**permalink**) 08-22-2003, 08:55 AM

OK I'll bite..Why the desiccant bags in the winter and not a dehumidifier..

mrmustang · #17 (**permalink**) 08-22-2003, 09:12 AM

The dehumidifier will freeze up over the colder months, unless of course your garage is at least 60-65 degrees all year round. Mine is unheated, so the desiccant bags are my only option along with the heavy rubber mat underneath (this is really the key to the whole thing)..........

Bill S.

Quote:

Originally posted by Sal Gerace

OK I'll bite..Why the desiccant bags in the winter and not a dehumidifier..

SNAKEYES · #18 (**permalink**) 08-22-2003, 10:31 AM

does anyone know if the epoxy- type paint that can be applied to a concrete floor is effective in preventing moisture from coming up during the summer and/or winter months?

just poured the floor in my newly built timber framed barn and am looking for the most effective way to prevent condensation from being a problem which it was in my previous garage. (did not use a dehumidifier,but sounds like a reasonable thing to do)

thanks

Chaplin · #19 (**permalink**) 08-22-2003, 11:13 AM

Snakeyes-
I have the UCoat It expoxy floor paint on my floor (great product by the way- I would highly recommend using it if you're going to paint your floor), and it seems better than bare cement at keeping the moisture down, but there is still quite a bit coming through. You (like me) will need something else to stop the moisture.

dkjos · #20 (**permalink**) 08-22-2003, 01:27 PM

Rather than moisture coming up through the concrete, I'd bet most of the moisture problem on garage floors is condensation caused by the concrete being colder than the dewpoint temperature of the air. This being the case, no coating is going to solve the problem unless it is a pretty good insulator, like Bill's big rubber mat.