Garage dehumidifier questions

[98type_r]

We have a double detached garage that is fully finished (insulation and drywall), it's not heated but generally doesn't get that cold in there. The problem I'm finding is with with winters and any snow accumulated on the cars ends up melting in the garage, probably from the residual heat from the cars. It's not like I don't brush off my car and just park it in the garage at the end of the day. I'll even kick the snow that accumulates on my mud flaps when it's noticeable.

There is a lot of humidity on the garage, the window and doors both have a thin layer of ice on them. I'm just wondering if anybody else has dealt with this. I've started looking at dehumidifier options and how well the work or the size of unit I would need. Anybody have another solution or recommendation?

[sputnik]

You will need to heat your garage as dehumidifiers don't work well below 40-45F.

[sillysod]

Really easy fix for under $100.00

Install an exhaust fan.
(just a basic bathroom fan from Home Despot will do the trick).

[97'Scort]

Pretty much any kind of fan to the outside, like sillysod said, will work. You just need to keep the air circulating and it will dry itself out.

[ExtraSlow]

+3, dehumidifier is a waste, just use some fresh dry air from outside.

I often leave my garage door open a couple inches at the bottom overnight a couple days a month, dries out really good.

[roll_over]

maybe sweep/squeegee your floor.:dunno:

[sputnik]

Originally posted by 97'Scort
Pretty much any kind of fan to the outside, like sillysod said, will work. You just need to keep the air circulating and it will dry itself out.

You still need a source of fresh air for the fan to work.

[sillysod]

i have heated floor, so mine is always dry. My parents garage was always full of water.

we put in a ceiling fan and an exhaust fan. now it is dry by morning.

[97'Scort]

Originally posted by sputnik


You still need a source of fresh air for the fan to work.

Your garage isn't airtight. As long as you're venting it'll dehumidify itself. Not like it's going to develop a vacuum and collapse into a singularity or something.

...Unless...

[98type_r]

Originally posted by sillysod
Really easy fix for under $100.00

Install an exhaust fan.
(just a basic bathroom fan from Home Despot will do the trick).

Cut into the exterior wall and mount the exhaust through there? I would do the roof but with the amount of snow that accumulates that would render it useless.

[benyl]

Originally posted by roll_over
maybe sweep/squeegee your floor.:dunno:

That what I do right now... what a pain. Makes your driveway all muddy.

Can't wait for the new garage.

[sillysod]

Originally posted by 98type_r


Cut into the exterior wall and mount the exhaust through there? I would do the roof but with the amount of snow that accumulates that would render it useless.

Yes, you don't do it through the roof. Mine goes into the attic and then turns and goes outside through the wall. Just make sure you wrap the pipe in insulation so that in the winter it doesn't frost up and drip water on your cars.

[eblend]

Sorry to bump this from the dead, but anyone use one of these:

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Heating-Ventilation-Cooling-Home-Comfort/Home-Comfort/Dehumidifiers/Permanent-Mount/Garage-Unit-Air-Extractor-Dehumidifier/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I3824952?Ntt=humidex#

thinking of picking it up. It is identical to the wizz vent that you can google up, and costs cheaper, yet still pretty pricey, but an easy all in one solution that runs by itself as needed. heard good things about the wizz vent in doing the trick, so want to try it myself, but wanted to see what other people thought first

[lint]

Originally posted by eblend
Sorry to bump this from the dead, but anyone use one of these:

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Heating-Ventilation-Cooling-Home-Comfort/Home-Comfort/Dehumidifiers/Permanent-Mount/Garage-Unit-Air-Extractor-Dehumidifier/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I3824952?Ntt=humidex#

thinking of picking it up. It is identical to the wizz vent that you can google up, and costs cheaper, yet still pretty pricey, but an easy all in one solution that runs by itself as needed. heard good things about the wizz vent in doing the trick, so want to try it myself, but wanted to see what other people thought first

Old bump. Did you ever install the humidex?

[eblend]

Originally posted by lint


Old bump. Did you ever install the humidex?

Yes I did, and it does a great job. I just cut a hole on the side of my garage and fed it through, plugs into the plug on the inside and is humidity controlled, so it just runs when its humid. It was pretty expensive for what it was, but it does the job and was an easy install, so can't complain. Mine is about 1.5 feet off the ground by the man door, kind of in the middle of the garage.

[lint]

did you install it closest to where you have pooling water? I'm wondering how well it will work if it's installed on the other side of the garage and 2 cars away from where the water pools in my garage.

[sillysod]

Honestly, put a ceiling fan in and a bathroom fart fan.

I've got family and friends that all had the same problem and when they finally put the fans it the problem went away.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
I often leave my garage door open a couple inches at the bottom overnight a couple days a month, dries out really good.
I'm going to quote myself here. in an unheated detached garage, I don't see how you guys are having so many problems. Leave the door open on a somewhat regular basis, and the moist air will go away. We live in a fairly arid climate, moisture should not be a problem.