Dehumidifiers (click if you dare)

[Sliver]

So I finished my garage this year and I've found the air to be pretty humid now. I'm worried in the winter with all the melting snow off cars it could lead to problems.

I bought a plug-in floor unit on Saturday that was able to bring the humidity down from 75% to 40% and it's been working like a champ for the past few days since I bought it. I've just been emptying the bucket every 24 hours and it usually is only half full.

Last night, though, with two wet cars in the garage, the bucket went from empty to full (it probably has a six liter capacity) sometime during the night, which shuts the unit off. This morning the humidity was over 80% in there.

I think I need a hard-wired unit that vents to the outside. Anybody know who I'd call to make this happen? Is there something else I should do to lower the humidity?

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Is there something else I should do to lower the humidity?

Shut down the grow op?

Attached or detached? How is the ventilation for the attic space?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Sliver

So I finished my garage this year and I've found the air to be pretty humid now. I'm worried in the winter with all the melting snow off cars it could lead to problems.

I bought a plug-in floor unit on Saturday that was able to bring the humidity down from 75% to 40% and it's been working like a champ for the past few days since I bought it. I've just been emptying the bucket every 24 hours and it usually is only half full.

Last night, though, with two wet cars in the garage, the bucket went from empty to full (it probably has a six liter capacity) sometime during the night, which shuts the unit off. This morning the humidity was over 80% in there.

I think I need a hard-wired unit that vents to the outside. Anybody know who I'd call to make this happen? Is there something else I should do to lower the humidity?

I blame this on the slough you live by.

[Bill Bumface]

I just hooked up a through the wall fan to a humidistat. The disadvantages are:

1) It can only get you to outside humidity, and may run a lot on a humid day
2) It cools your garage off quite a bit in winter

I think my setup set me back about $120 for an 8" fan, which is likely a lot cheaper than a dehumidifier.

[rain_e]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think I need a hard-wired unit that vents to the outside. Anybody know who I'd call to make this happen? Is there something else I should do to lower the humidity?

Anyone who works with furnaces can do this for you.

[Hanni]

http://www.wizzvent.com/

I know a couple of people who have installed these and swear by them. You can only order online but I was told the shipping was reasonable. Install was apparently very easy for DIYers.

Disclaimer: I have no actual first hand experience with the product.

[DownhillGoat]

I'm just happy you started adding a warning label on your threads.

However you might want to send pics of your garage for posterity.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Madman

Shut down the grow op?

Attached or detached? How is the ventilation for the attic space?

Detached. I'm not really doing anything to vent the attic space except for a passive vent in the ceiling. Do you think a better/more active vent in the attic would help much in the main garage?

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

I just hooked up a through the wall fan to a humidistat. The disadvantages are:

1) It can only get you to outside humidity, and may run a lot on a humid day
2) It cools your garage off quite a bit in winter

I think my setup set me back about $120 for an 8" fan, which is likely a lot cheaper than a dehumidifier.

That is cool, but I am worried about all the heat I'd lose in the winter. Did you mount yours in the ceiling or though the wall? How high up on the wall?

Originally Posted by Hanni

http://www.wizzvent.com/

I know a couple of people who have installed these and swear by them. You can only order online but I was told the shipping was reasonable. Install was apparently very easy for DIYers.

Disclaimer: I have no actual first hand experience with the product.

I looked at it and watched the video, but I think I'd rather have something a bit more industrial. It looks a little LD to me. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Detached. I'm not really doing anything to vent the attic space except for a passive vent in the ceiling. Do you think a better/more active vent in the attic would help much in the main garage?

My concern is maybe you have the interior sealed up too tight - spaces need to breathe.

I'm no expert, but I do know proper attic ventilation aids in the removal of excess moisture, so that was my thought in this.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

I'm just happy you started adding a warning label on your threads.

However you might want to send pics of your garage for posterity.

Hmm, I don't have any of just the garage right now. All the pics have my friends in them, so I probably shouldn't post. I'll take some tonight, though.

Remote controlled LED lights all around the perimeter in the ceiling shining down on walls that are white for the top five feet and red on the bottom three feet. The lights kind of change the colour of the white part of the wall to any colour I want depending on the vibe I'm going for.

I incorporated two 6' long couches (I custom made the cushions) into red snap-on pallet racking. Ceiling mount furnace I bought off Kijiji. Old Bose stereo given to me by an uncle and I pre-wired the satellite speakers before I finished everything to keep wires hanging down to a minimum. Cheap LCD TV. A disco ball in the center of the room. Beer fridge. And it's reasonably neat and tidy. I spend tons of time in there haha.

My favourite part is the walls, though. I boarded them with OSB, then covered the wood with white/red fire-######ant 18oz vinyl (same material you'd use for an oil rig cover or that a semi would use to cover a load of lumber/drywall/etc.). It'll never need painting, you could basically hose it off if you wanted to, and I can screw anything into the walls anywhere and not have to worry about drywall plugs/anchors/hitting a stud.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Madman

My concern is maybe you have the interior sealed up too tight - spaces need to breathe.

I'm no expert, but I do know proper attic ventilation aids in the removal of excess moisture, so that was my thought in this.

Dude, it's sealed up insanely tight. As you can see from my post above, I have the interior covered in vinyl. One continuous piece of vinyl wrapping the entire interior walls. I'm sure that's a factor. Sounds like I definitely need a vent, eh? I don't think the dehumidifier I bought is going to cut it. I should probably improve the attic airflow at the same time I do the interior venting.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Dude, it's sealed up insanely tight. As you can see from my post above, I have the interior covered in vinyl. One continuous piece of vinyl wrapping the entire interior walls. I'm sure that's a factor. Sounds like I definitely need a vent, eh? I don't think the dehumidifier I bought is going to cut it. I should probably improve the attic airflow at the same time I do the interior venting.

Oh wow, yeah I think that is a major contributor to your problem right now. If the garage can't breathe, then it's just like a big ziploc bag.

I'd get this problem fixed asap so you aren't having any moisture get and stay in behind those walls - with those humidity levels, that may happen quite fast.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Madman

Oh wow, yeah I think that is a major contributor to your problem right now. If the garage can't breathe, then it's just like a big ziploc bag.

I'd get this problem fixed asap so you aren't having any moisture get and stay in behind those walls - with those humidity levels, that may happen quite fast.

Yeah this is my top priority right now. I'm not at home, but I'd bet the dehumidifier has brought things down to a sane level already right now, but I clearly need to take more extreme steps. Hopefully I can get a furnace guy over to my place today or tomorrow.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Hanni

http://www.wizzvent.com/

I know a couple of people who have installed these and swear by them. You can only order online but I was told the shipping was reasonable. Install was apparently very easy for DIYers.

Disclaimer: I have no actual first hand experience with the product.

That's basically what I set up with some very mild DIY wiring, except the Wizz Vent is 75 CFM for $179 and a Broan 509 is 180 CFM and $70.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah this is my top priority right now. I'm not at home, but I'd bet the dehumidifier has brought things down to a sane level already right now, but I clearly need to take more extreme steps. Hopefully I can get a furnace guy over to my place today or tomorrow.

I know new homes that get sprayed with closed cell insulation are sealed up tight, and I think it was Mike Holmes that said you need to have a source of fresh air circulating in those environments to keep the humidity in check.

I wonder if Keith, (EVERLAST), would be able to assist you?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Madman

I know new homes that get sprayed with closed cell insulation are sealed up tight, and I think it was Mike Holmes that said you need to have a source of fresh air circulating in those environments to keep the humidity in check.

I wonder if Keith, (EVERLAST), would be able to assist you?

Good thought. I just called him, but it's not something he can help with.

[GoinAllTheWay]

One small vent is not going to be enough to circulate the air in a well sealed anything. Chuck wet/hot cars in there (especially in the winter) and you will have major humidity issues, to the point where mold will start to grow. Not a huge concern in a detached garage but still best to avoid.

One solution is to add at least one more vent as far away from the current one as possible.

If you really want to get crazy, there is a new product out now (names escapes me atm) where you basically shave off the top to inches of the peak of your roof and you add a cap that runs the entire length of the roof line creating one large vent at the very peak of your roof.

Likely overkill for a garage but ya, your issue is most certainly due to inadequate ventilation.

I guess the easiest solution would to replace the current passive vent with a powered fan variety linked to either a timer or humidity sensor.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

One small vent is not going to be enough to circulate the air in a well sealed anything. Chuck wet/hot cars in there (especially in the winter) and you will have major humidity issues, to the point where mold will start to grow. Not a huge concern in a detached garage but still best to avoid.

One solution is to add at least one more vent as far away from the current one as possible.

If you really want to get crazy, there is a new product out now (names escapes me atm) where you basically shave off the top to inches of the peak of your roof and you add a cap that runs the entire length of the roof line creating one large vent at the very peak of your roof.

Likely overkill for a garage but ya, your issue is most certainly due to inadequate ventilation.

I guess the easiest solution would to replace the current passive vent with a powered fan variety linked to either a timer or humidity sensor.

I'll get a powered one for the attic for sure, but I don't get how that would help the main interior of the garage. I'll still need venting there, right?

[Madman]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

One small vent is not going to be enough to circulate the air in a well sealed anything. Chuck wet/hot cars in there (especially in the winter) and you will have major humidity issues, to the point where mold will start to grow. Not a huge concern in a detached garage but still best to avoid.

One solution is to add at least one more vent as far away from the current one as possible.

If you really want to get crazy, there is a new product out now (names escapes me atm) where you basically shave off the top to inches of the peak of your roof and you add a cap that runs the entire length of the roof line creating one large vent at the very peak of your roof.

Likely overkill for a garage but ya, your issue is most certainly due to inadequate ventilation.

I guess the easiest solution would to replace the current passive vent with a powered fan variety linked to either a timer or humidity sensor.

Ridge vent.

He still needs to get air circulating in the main air space and into the attic too though.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Attic? Do you have a finished flat ceiling?

Or do you just mean the peaked part of the roof, the portion above the walls?

But to answer your question, yes, roof venting wont do much unless there is a source of incoming air at ground level. Normally most garages aren't sealed up airtight as air can still get in around the main door for the most part.

Any garage is going to feel humid shortly after you park a hot wet car in there but it should clear within a few hours.