Evening, Went to check on the bike in the garage and theres a lot of condensation in there. tyres feel wet etc. Any good iddea to stop it? The garage isn't next to the house but at the end of the garden Ta
Is there a decent damp proof course? Has earth or anything been piled up or is it built lower than the surrounding ground? Decent ventilation should help. Wait a bit longer and maybe the roof will blow off...........
There's little you can do without properly insulating the garage and/or installing heating/ventilation. I have an external garage, well built, but i suffer with condensation when the temperature changes dramatically. I have a dehumidifier but it can't cope with size of room and amount of condensation (poor insulation). I just keep an eye on it and increase the ventilation (open the main door) when it occurs. Does my head in but i can't be arsed to insulate and heat.
Depends on temperature and humidity. If you maintain constant inside temp and due point is at external skin then you're fine.
As some mentioned only way to really stop it is to insulate and vent Two options depending if its sealed or not. If not sealed, extractor fans good and few air brick type vents - airflow will defo be the easiest win in terms of cost and getting something done quickly If its sealed properly, Dehumidifier a good idea (Otherwise more damp air coming in than it can get rid of) but need to ensure you can put a drain hose to outside, ideally down a drain or a bit away from the garage or down a drain if you can
Cost wise a dehumidifier is cheaper than heating a garage. Heating a garage especially a single wall brick built garage will be more expensive.
Brick garage, separate from the house, no power. I use a couple of these, a pack of four refills last a couple of months swapping out once per month. Need checking and emptying every week. Can't say that it's the best solution but it does help a bit.
Damp and condensation can result from a variety of issues. But fundementally, it is this... Air can hold a quantity of moisture dependant upon either its pressure or temperature. If we assume constant pressure, ie 1 atmosphere, then the only variable is temperature. So when warm air hits a cold surface, the moisture condenses out. For what happens is that the air temp lowers but its RH or relative humidity increases above a point where it can hold the water. This is known as the dew point temp. Maintaining humidity levels helps, but maintaing the temp above the dew point helps the most. So a mix of heating and humidity control will help. Insulation keeps the internal surface of the wall at a temp greater than the outside temp. This would be my 1st stop before adding heat. No point adding heat for it all to waste away. Take care at junctions etc to prevent leaks, as no point increasing insulation if there are numerous air leaks which allow moist air ingress. So insulate and ventilate to 1 or 2 air changes per hour. As for heating, use a radiant heater. This will ensure all cold surfaces are not cold. An air heater just warms the air and allows it to hold more moisture. It can be counter intuative. But for most general uses, insulation and ventilation will do the trick with less input energy needed. I would only add humidity control if insulation and heating doesnt help. Becuase i would only try passive, less energy intensive means first. Humidifiers are like washing driers, theyre essentially energy hungry devices for the lazy. Of course all the above is a gross simplification. I dont want to get all Psychrometric chart over it. For a garage, I'd control temp to 15-18°C during winter. This should see it mostly sit above the dew point. The dew point of 15°C and 50%RH is circa 4.5°C. The dew point for 18°C 50% RH 7.5°C. So what this says, is that if any surface is at or less than that DP temp, condensation will arise. Humidity RH between 40-60% would be a good compromise on energy. Dont try to control to strict regimes. You'll need sensors and all sorts to get close control of temp and RH. which will likely cost £shitloads in equipment and energy costs. Yes a dehumidifier will cost less than insulating. But insulting it, your garage is warmer in winter and your hands wont stick to the spanners and you'll be able to spend more time fiddling in it. A humidifier is only a sticking plaster. With energy costs doubling, a humidifier will cost in energy terms. Disclaimer: all the above a simplification.
