Dehumidifiers (click if you dare)

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Bean

Sliver, I'm in the same position as you and thought I'd bump the thread to see how your solution to the humidity problem is going.

Well, the attic problem has been solved. I added two more vents on the top of the roof (to make three) and four vents down each side of the garage under the soffits. There's great airflow in there, now. I can give you a number for the guy that did that if you like. His whole business is going around doing roofing-type fixes like this and he seems very good.

Spoiler!

As for the humidity within the garage, I'm still running my dehumdifier and I have the humidity down to 40-45%, which is where I want it, but I do have to manually empty out the water at least every couple of days and sometimes every day. I also have my attic door propped slightly open to allow some venting to the outside, which is fine in this weather, but not a solution for the winter.

I have a guy lined up to install two exhaust fans, but I'm losing faith that will happen as fast as I want it to. I will have that done somehow, someway before winter, though.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Also, we need pictures of your garage man...

Okay, here are a few. Ignore the floor for now, though. I'm going to be doing a white epoxy with grey and red speckles in it soon.

Spoiler!

And here are a couple with my LED lights on:

Spoiler!

April 24, 2015 edit (finished the garage last weekend so here are the pics with the complete floor):

Spoiler!

[GoinAllTheWay]

Hmmm.

I may find a few of your views on the world a bit odd, but your vision for garages is bang on, well done.


Are those snap on shelves? They look pretty damn slick, did you buy them?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Hmmm.

I may find a few of your views on the world a bit odd, but your vision for garages is bang on, well done.


Are those snap on shelves? They look pretty damn slick, did you buy them?

Haha, thanks.

Yep, Snap-On shelves from Costco. I bought four sets at $179 each and strung them together like you see. I made the black seat cushions out of a chunk of foam sitting on some leftover wood I had, then wrapped them in vinyl.

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by Bean

Sliver, I'm in the same position as you and thought I'd bump the thread to see how your solution to the humidity problem is going.

I had humidity problems in my detached, fully insulated garage last year during winter (after I dry walled and painted) so I installed a Wiz Vent. You can order them online or through Home Hardware here:

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Heating-Ventilation-Cooling-Home-Comfort/Home-Comfort/Dehumidifiers/Permanent-Mount/Garage-Unit-Air-Extractor-Dehumidifier/_/N-ntl27/R-I3824952

It’s a Wiz Vent with a different name/sticker on it. Drill a hole, install the unit and plug it in, its super easy. Set the humidity level in winter/summer (it has both settings) and it takes care of all the moisture in my 22’x22’ garage no problem. I also leave the garage door cracked on chinook days to really dry it out in the winter. Doing a humidistat and bathroom vents works just as well (and maybe cheaper) but I wasn’t going to rip drywall out after just finishing it.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by rohara66

I had humidity problems in my detached, fully insulated garage last year during winter (after I dry walled and painted) so I installed a Wiz Vent. You can order them online or through Home Hardware here:

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Heating-Ventilation-Cooling-Home-Comfort/Home-Comfort/Dehumidifiers/Permanent-Mount/Garage-Unit-Air-Extractor-Dehumidifier/_/N-ntl27/R-I3824952

It’s a Wiz Vent with a different name/sticker on it. Drill a hole, install the unit and plug it in, its super easy. Set the humidity level in winter/summer (it has both settings) and it takes care of all the moisture in my 22’x22’ garage no problem. I also leave the garage door cracked on chinook days to really dry it out in the winter. Doing a humidistat and bathroom vents works just as well (and maybe cheaper) but I wasn’t going to rip drywall out after just finishing it.

Okay, I'm tired of messing around with other solutions. I just ordered this. Thanks man.

[Bill Bumface]

^Inferior to the Broan 509 and more expensive! Inferiorrrrrrr!

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

^Inferior to the Broan 509 and more expensive! Inferiorrrrrrr!

...says the Broan 509 rep.

j/k, I've just been looking for somebody to install this for me for like a month. This whizz vent business looks easy for a DIYer and I have a plug in I'll use right beside where I'll put it. I opted for ease of install over quality of hardware this time around hah.

[DownhillGoat]

I still love those snap-on couches.

[BigNumbers]

How well does the Wiz Vent work if you have an attached garage that insulated and drywalled, painted, etc?

I get some humidity issues when I park wet cars in the garage -nothing crazy, but this seems like a good solution.

The only issue is my garage has a cement footing about 2.5ft up - whereas these require that the wiz-vent goes no more than a foot above the ground...

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by BigNumbers

How well does the Wiz Vent work if you have an attached garage that insulated and drywalled, painted, etc?

I get some humidity issues when I park wet cars in the garage -nothing crazy, but this seems like a good solution.

The only issue is my garage has a cement footing about 2.5ft up - whereas these require that the wiz-vent goes no more than a foot above the ground...

They say to mount it closer to floor (I guess it picks up more moisture then?) but it would help at any height. I also put mine as far away from the o/h door as possible as it already has some air leakage out the door so figured the back wall worked best.

Attached/detached makes no difference.

[mikephoen]

I'm also having this problem with my new garage. Wizz Vent ordered!

Sliver's best thread ever!

[Bill Bumface]

Except for the part where someone posted a cheaper/better solution than a Wizz Vent that is only more difficult to install if you count wiring a light switch as difficult

I should just buy a pallet full of fans, wire them to a dehumidistat, add a plug, and sell them for $10 less than a Wizz Vent

[calgarywinning]

Your garage is seriously worthy! Love the fridge, stools, lighting. It's a man cave above ground. I almost thought the opener was a projector for a 100" image. Thanks for posting images. Let us know how your solution works for humidification. Right now I think your garage envelope has no venting so that your humidity problem. What BTU is your garage heater and what temp does it keep over the winters?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Your garage is seriously worthy! Love the fridge, stools, lighting. It's a man cave above ground. I almost thought the opener was a projector for a 100" image. Thanks for posting images. Let us know how your solution works for humidification. Right now I think your garage envelope has no venting so that your humidity problem. What BTU is your garage heater and what temp does it keep over the winters?

Thanks! Yeah, I have a small LCD TV, but sadly no projector in there. It would get in the way of my disco ball haha.

Garage heater is 45,000 BTU. I'm not sure how it will perform in the winter as I just finished my garage this spring. I got it off Kijiji (never been used) for $500 including all the ducting, chimney, etc. so it was a sweet deal. But to be honest I'm slightly concerned it's not going to cut the mustard. When I do my room cubic footage calculation 45,000 BTU is fine, but 60,000 would make me more comfortable. I'll find out in a couple of months I guess.

So after I ordered the Whiz Vent, an HVAC guy I had given up on ended up coming over the next day. I'm installing basically a beefy bathroom fan on his recommendation connected to a dehumidistat. Then the thing that's really cool is he's going to run some intake tubing into the garage that will draw in fresh air to is replace the humid air I'll be exhausting. My garage is sealed so insanely tight because of the one-piece vinyl walls that without the intake tube there is no fresh air drawing in even if I do have just an exhaust fan.

If anybody wants a Whiz Vent, let me know since I won't be using the one I ordered. I think it came to $209 to my door. I'll sell it to you for $170 if you want it (once it arrives...should be next week).

[Bean]

Sliver, now that winter is here, how has your system been working to decrease humidity?

[Sliver]

Yes, everything is great, thanks. I have high-capacity bathroom fan hooked up to a dehumidistat in my ceiling. It comes on automatically when the humidity hits 30%. I still keep the dehumidifier in the garage, but don't run it too often.

Yesterday my truck and my wife's car had snow on them when we came home from work, so I flicked the dehumidifier on to help the fan. The humidity hit a high of 43% as the snow was melting, but by morning it was back to 30%, which is perfect. I just sweep out the melted snow before I go to work and I'm off to the races.

[Sliver]

Oh, by the way, I didn't run any intake tubing as I said I was going to in my September 19 post. It just doesn't seem to need it.