Garage fans

[Mad4slalom]

Hi all and a happy new year to everyone. Does anyone here use a fan in their garage ?
I used to keep my vehicles in air chambers which kept a flow of air over them and prevented condensation forming.
My vette is in its own room now and not in a chamber, I am going to try installing a fan to see-if it helps create a dryer atmosphere with the stream of moving air. It is insulated to a point and I havent seen actual condensation form on the metal parts yet but can tell on days of big temperature changes it is coming close.
Anyone ?

 

[teamzr1]

Have you thought of getting a wireless weather unit that reports temp and humidity ?
I have one that has worked fine for the last three years and only costs $22 US
It allows for up to 2 remote wireless channels sensors that work up to 600 feet and also reports the inside of the home at the same time
Works off of 2 AAA batteries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z6F5S2M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Would really help how much or little moisture is within your garage

 

[Mad4slalom]

Have you thought of getting a wireless weather unit that reports temp and humidity ?
I have one that has worked fine for the last three years and only costs $22 US
It allows for up to 2 remote wireless channels sensors that work up to 600 feet and also reports the inside of the home at the same time
Works off of 2 AAA batteries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z6F5S2M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Would really help how much or little moisture is within your garage

could be handy, thanks, although when the temperature suddenly jumped 12 degrees at the end of that cold snap, everything metal in the main workshop, outside of the vette room was as wet as if it had been hosed down

 

[Chuffer]

Hi all and a happy new year to everyone. Does anyone here use a fan in their garage ?
I used to keep my vehicles in air chambers which kept a flow of air over them and prevented condensation forming.
My vette is in its own room now and not in a chamber, I am going to try installing a fan to see-if it helps create a dryer atmosphere with the stream of moving air. It is insulated to a point and I havent seen actual condensation form on the metal parts yet but can tell on days of big temperature changes it is coming close.
Anyone ?

Is your new Vette Room a totally sealed environment ? You say it is insulated to a point . A certain % by volume of air changes over a given period of time would substantially reduce risk of condensation rather than just using a fan to keep stiring the same air round and round with nowhere to escape . I am lucky in that respect as the workshop where my Vette lives has a fair degree of natural ventilation due to single skin industrial corragated cladding construction that externally overlaps a blockwork wall perimiter wall about 4 ft 6 ins high . Condensation never seams to be a problem on the C3 or any of the cars in the unit . There is no heating at all and you can actually feel a slight draught on windy days . I was over there this morning having not been over since two weeks before Christmas . I was checking the car over , repositioning it to prevent tyres flat spotting and cranking it over on the starter to get 40 psi oil pressure around the engine . There was not a bead of condensation on the anywhere or surface rust on the brake rotors and all my steel tool boxes were dry . Interestingly I noticed when I went into the separate inner workshop for a chat where the precision work goes on with the F2 cars and the Spice that there was a light dusting of corrosion on the rotors of one of the stripped down F2`s . I put that down to the workshop being a sealed workshop within the bigger unit , has a reasonable degree of insulation in its construction and a low ceiling and the guys have a gas fired space heater going in cold weather . It gets toasty warm in there but then of course it will cool down PDQ when they pack up and go .

 

[Roscobbc]

Our double length garage is joined to the side of the house - a third of it has a felted timber flat roof - the remainder has a full height pitched and tiled roof with an open mezzanine storage area (but no insulation).
Even with our current minimal use of heating in the house (trying to keep energy costs minimal) like Chuffer there is zero condensation present even in the coldest weather, garage doors are timber and all kind of leaves and other crap blow under the doors at each end depending on wind direction........and yes I continually need to sweep up leaves, but that's OK (knowing that there is pleanty of ventilation).
Never ever had an issue with brake rotor rust and whilst I try to never put the car away damp - or when it hasn't warmed through thoroughly............if I did......the benefit of having a big block is that its a bit like an automotive equivalent of an electric storage radiator......the heat given-off by the engine certainly heats the garage space up for an hour or two and drys things out!

 

[Chuffer]

Like the idea of a Big Block storage heater . As my allocated space in the workshop is nearest the huge roller shutter door I also have the benefit of leaves blowing in , especially when a good old Sou ` Westerly is blowing across the open countryside that surrounds us . But that roller shutter also acts as huge radiator on sunny days and really bumps the temperature up . On a sunny summer afternoon when it`s in full sun you could fry an egg on it !! The downside of the gaps at roof / eves level in the corners that add ventilation is that birds get in a fly about and crap on your car so a dust cover is a must .

 

[Mad4slalom]

Is your new Vette Room a totally sealed environment ? You say it is insulated to a point . A certain % by volume of air changes over a given period of time would substantially reduce risk of condensation rather than just using a fan to keep stiring the same air round and round with nowhere to escape . I am lucky in that respect as the workshop where my Vette lives has a fair degree of natural ventilation due to single skin industrial corragated cladding construction that externally overlaps a blockwork wall perimiter wall about 4 ft 6 ins high . Condensation never seams to be a problem on the C3 or any of the cars in the unit . There is no heating at all and you can actually feel a slight draught on windy days . I was over there this morning having not been over since two weeks before Christmas . I was checking the car over , repositioning it to prevent tyres flat spotting and cranking it over on the starter to get 40 psi oil pressure around the engine . There was not a bead of condensation on the anywhere or surface rust on the brake rotors and all my steel tool boxes were dry . Interestingly I noticed when I went into the separate inner workshop for a chat where the precision work goes on with the F2 cars and the Spice that there was a light dusting of corrosion on the rotors of one of the stripped down F2`s . I put that down to the workshop being a sealed workshop within the bigger unit , has a reasonable degree of insulation in its construction and a low ceiling and the guys have a gas fired space heater going in cold weather . It gets toasty warm in there but then of course it will cool down PDQ when they pack up and go .

Hi chuffer, HNY the air chambers work by pulling air from outside the chamber so it pressurises then it escapes through the zips so as you correctly say that the air is changed do many times an hour. I was thinking of the same in the vette room, pull air from out in the main workshop into the vette room and it will escape though gaps or I will add some vents if needs be. Have a humidity gauge arriving tomorrow so will see what it is. Apparently around 50% is best for storing vehicles, as like pianos they dont like extremes. Am looking at dehumidifiers as well for this winter, By next winter I will hopefully have heating in there. Alternatively I can put up one of my chambers for the winter but its nice to have the working space around without the chamber.

 

[Roscobbc]

Hi chuffer, HNY the air chambers work by pulling air from outside the chamber so it pressurises then it escapes through the zips so as you correctly say that the air is changed do many times an hour. I was thinking of the same in the vette room, pull air from out in the main workshop into the vette room and it will escape though gaps or I will add some vents if needs be. Have a humidity gauge arriving tomorrow so will see what it is. Apparently around 50% is best for storing vehicles, as like pianos they dont like extremes. Am looking at dehumidifiers as well for this winter, By next winter I will hopefully have heating in there. Alternatively I can put up one of my chambers for the winter but its nice to have the working space around without the chamber.

Interesting to know how people deal with older timber framed pianos in centrally heated houses........guessing most of them have fallen apart and its only the iron framed ones that survive?

 

[Chuffer]

Hi chuffer, HNY the air chambers work by pulling air from outside the chamber so it pressurises then it escapes through the zips so as you correctly say that the air is changed do many times an hour. I was thinking of the same in the vette room, pull air from out in the main workshop into the vette room and it will escape though gaps or I will add some vents if needs be. Have a humidity gauge arriving tomorrow so will see what it is. Apparently around 50% is best for storing vehicles, as like pianos they dont like extremes. Am looking at dehumidifiers as well for this winter, By next winter I will hopefully have heating in there. Alternatively I can put up one of my chambers for the winter but its nice to have the working space around without the chamber.

Sounds like a plan .

 

[Mr. Cricket]

I have to deal with this issue soon but I'm limited on what I can do until I get a planning issue resolved on the garage. We get some wild weather here with huge temperature swings and I started getting condensation on all things metal in the garage if I hadn't been in there for a few days. I dug out a small dehumidifier that must be at least 20 years old and that is doing a good job of keeping the moisture levels in check. My previous garage had climate control (being in that field) and I want to do something similar on the current one in time. For now I'm going to install an air-to-air heat exchanger and the smallest one available will be more than enough for my 36' x 36' and only requires two 100mm dia holes through to outside. These are perfect for changing the air in the garage while recovering heat for those lucky enough to have heating in their garage. Very cheap to run and few parts to go wrong. Electric heat or air conditioning can be added to keep the garage and cars perfect.




This is from the Toshiba range where we get 49% of list making these a cheap option.

 

[Roscobbc]

How much would one be?

 

[Mr. Cricket]

How much would one be?

I'll check Monday Ross

 

[Mad4slalom]

Hi chuffer, HNY the air chambers work by pulling air from outside the chamber so it pressurises then it escapes through the zips so as you correctly say that the air is changed do many times an hour. I was thinking of the same in the vette room, pull air from out in the main workshop into the vette room and it will escape though gaps or I will add some vents if needs be. Have a humidity gauge arriving tomorrow so will see what it is. Apparently around 50% is best for storing vehicles, as like pianos they dont like extremes. Am looking at dehumidifiers as well for this winter, By next winter I will hopefully have heating in there. Alternatively I can put up one of my chambers for the winter but its nice to have the working space around without the chamber.

I have to deal with this issue soon but I'm limited on what I can do until I get a planning issue resolved on the garage. We get some wild weather here with huge temperature swings and I started getting condensation on all things metal in the garage if I hadn't been in there for a few days. I dug out a small dehumidifier that must be at least 20 years old and that is doing a good job of keeping the moisture levels in check. My previous garage had climate control (being in that field) and I want to do something similar on the current one in time. For now I'm going to install an air-to-air heat exchanger and the smallest one available will be more than enough for my 36' x 36' and only requires two 100mm dia holes through to outside. These are perfect for changing the air in the garage while recovering heat for those lucky enough to have heating in their garage. Very cheap to run and few parts to go wrong. Electric heat or air conditioning can be added to keep the garage and cars perfect.

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This is from the Toshiba range where we get 49% of list making these a cheap option.

Looks a great bit of kit , have you any thoughts on a free standing, room air con unit? Looks like a large dehumidifier, I think they maintain a set level of humidity but can put out cold or heated air as well . Anything that heats tho seems to cost a lot of money to run

Interesting to know how people deal with older timber framed pianos in centrally heated houses........guessing most of them have fallen apart and its only the iron framed ones that survive?

almost all pianos had some steel , or mainly cast iron frames , the cheap and poor quality ones just had less. I can think of one make, (monnington and weston) that as well as the cast frame that hold the strings they have another frame underneath the grands and on the back of the uprights . This was supposed to make them more stable and hold their tune longer but made them almost twice the weight for their size of similar other makes ! as you say chuffs most really old wooden framed pianos are no more and would have been good fuel in your old engine’s firebox

 

[Mad4slalom]

Have you thought of getting a wireless weather unit that reports temp and humidity ?
I have one that has worked fine for the last three years and only costs $22 US
It allows for up to 2 remote wireless channels sensors that work up to 600 feet and also reports the inside of the home at the same time
Works off of 2 AAA batteries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z6F5S2M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Would really help how much or little moisture is within your garage

hi teamZ.
My humidity gauge arrived today. I was shocked at the level of humidity even in the vette shed which is unheated at 9 degrees and 88% humidity . I think the only reason it hasnt reached dew point is that the insulation has so far prevented the sudden shock temperature changes that the main workshop encountered after the recent cold snap and following sharp temperature rise.
I have put a ventilation fan in there just to see if it makes any difference. Tomorrow I will make a duct to feed air from the main workshop into the vette shed to enable regular air changes. If that does’nt improve things then I will have to erect an airchamber within the space.

Have you thought of getting a wireless weather unit that reports temp and humidity ?
I have one that has worked fine for the last three years and only costs $22 US
It allows for up to 2 remote wireless channels sensors that work up to 600 feet and also reports the inside of the home at the same time
Works off of 2 AAA batteries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z6F5S2M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Would really help how much or little moisture is within your garage

 

[Mr. Cricket]

88 is like Bali a fan will not help just circulating damp air you need fresh air. WTF did 88% come from? You doing laundry service on the side

 

[teamzr1]

Almost 90%, that is not good
How about getting a dehumidifier, which would help to get down to like 40% ?

 

[Mad4slalom]

Almost 90%, that is not good
How about getting a dehumidifier, which would help to get down to like 40% ?

that is my job today , get a dehumidifier

 

[Mad4slalom]

that is my job today , get a dehumidifier

it is wierd tho as it still has not reached dew point and left condensation on the car, whereas the main workshop does when temp warms suddenly.

 

[Mad4slalom]

88 is like Bali a fan will not help just circulating damp air you need fresh air. WTF did 88% come from? You doing laundry service on the side

I presume the gauge is correct, it did shock me. Should I pull air from the main workshop or from outside in your opinion . I will put the gauge outside and see what the humidity is outside. We are in warm /wet cornwall too

 

[Mad4slalom]

I'll check Monday Ross

Be interested to know price too