Register now to get rid of these ads!

Technical Battling Mother Nature in the shop.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Raunchy, Feb 28, 2018.

  1. Raunchy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2007
    Posts: 379

    Raunchy
    Member

    In East Texas we have been getting a lot of rain. I work in my shop and have no problems. But when we get a wind from the South it brings the warm gulf air in. And that's where the problem begins. Everything in the shop gets covered in condensate. Tools in drawers included. I understand the cause. I usually set up some fans and open all the doors and it dries out some. Is this happening to any body else? I have several engines in the shop and I am concerned it could be happening inside them. Any ideas? [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  2. i had that problem last week. temps warmed up and it rained, the garage my car was in was still cold and sucked the moisture in. looked like it rained inside. next day i pulled the cars out and opened all the doors till temps equaled out. when they dried off i pulled everything back in.
     
    Bruce Fischer likes this.
  3. Man that is a lot of condensation. I'm not sure a dehumidifier would completely cure your problem but it would help. Most of them come with a container that shuts it off when full but you can tap the bottom and run a hose outside. Maybe put it on a timer so it has a chance to cool off now and then.
     
    Bruce Fischer and loudbang like this.
  4. I have the same problem my shop is all concrete except for the roof. So the shop is in a deep freeze and then it warms up and it looks like it rained in there it has only happened one time this year the first time we had a warm day after supper cold weeks. I have a wood burner so I just get that going and that takes care of it. We'v had some strange weather this last month and I've been good. Open up your shop and use a torpedo heater to equal out the shop.
     
    Bruce Fischer, bct and MMM1693 like this.

  5. Mike Colemire
    Joined: May 18, 2013
    Posts: 1,428

    Mike Colemire
    Member

    Weather has been crazy here to, I keep some fire in the wood furnace to keep it as dry as possible.
     
    Bruce Fischer likes this.
  6. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    Your only real solution is to insulate and vapor barrier the heck out of your shop in other words to seal it up like you would if you wanted to heat it in a really cold climate.

    Then you can keep the doors shut when the humidity is high and at the same time you’ll need a source of heat to remove any humidity.

    Warm and dry is the answer.
     
  7. Oilguy
    Joined: Jun 28, 2011
    Posts: 663

    Oilguy
    Member

    I live in SW Washington and have no experience in your environment. But I too have had this happen if I open the shop doors on an unusual winter's day when the temps may approach 5o degrees or so with the sun shining and the humidity is very high. Everything gets wet in a matter of minutes, or less. I close the doors and fire up the propane heater and can get things dry again in a short time. With everything closed up I have no problem. So I learned not to open the doors when the sun comes out. That sunlight on the wet pavement outside creates a major fog bank and it drifts into my shop. But again, this is far north of where you live.
     
  8. Raunchy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2007
    Posts: 379

    Raunchy
    Member

    It has the spray on foam insulation on the ceiling and walls and insulated doors.
     
  9. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,263

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    I have a small unheated antique shop with a concrete floor that had the same problem when the temps hit 50 degrees. Had furniture warp and metal rust. Got soaked.
    I found the answer by installing a large attic fan with a humidistat to control it. This fan shoot air outside through a vent and at the opposite side of the ridge I install another vent for the intake. Problem solved.
     
    loudbang, harpo1313 and stillrunners like this.
  10. aerocolor
    Joined: Oct 7, 2009
    Posts: 1,209

    aerocolor
    Member
    from dayton

    Easy fix. Just takes discipline.
    My buddies all open the garage doors and bitch about the water everywhere.
    I keep my doors shut.
    That's all it takes.
    After a couple of days it equalizes and you're good.
    Don't leave any doors open.
     
  11. RMONTY
    Joined: Jan 7, 2016
    Posts: 2,540

    RMONTY
    Member

    How big is your shop? I just invested in a 24000 but mini split heat pump. I'm anxious to see how it does this summer. The heat works good. I'm about 90 miles N/W of Lindale so our weather is very comparable.
     
  12. thirtytwo
    Joined: Dec 19, 2003
    Posts: 2,639

    thirtytwo
    Member

    To answer your engine question , I have used fogging oil a lot pull plugs hose down cylinders , you can dump some oil topside

    I knew a guy who stored a 340 for 30 years by filling it completely full of oil "pickling it" , drained it recently, fired it up , didn't skip a beat
     
  13. DAMN...glad you posted - I've been trying to figure out how to post this with out sounding wimpy....but HELL...I hate it and it scares the creepers out of me to walk in and see metal dripping....when my cabinets are sweating it just doesn't seam right....oh...and my engines....lordie lordie...
     
  14. choptop40
    Joined: Dec 23, 2009
    Posts: 5,113

    choptop40
    Member

    Yes you have to insulate and have air flow...I'm in houston and damn...it's a condensate convention.....tin roofs suck..tin wall suck....you could keep a fan running ..that would assist...
     
  15. Raunchy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2007
    Posts: 379

    Raunchy
    Member

    70' X 40'

    Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  16. Raunchy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2007
    Posts: 379

    Raunchy
    Member

    I have fogging oil. I will try that "Don't cost nuthin"

    Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  17. Raunchy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2007
    Posts: 379

    Raunchy
    Member

    Shop is over insulted according to the Co. that did the spray foam on it. But I don't see how you can over insulate. It has 8" of open cell foam on the walls and 3" of closed cell foam on roof , beams and purlins.

    Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2018
  18. Raunchy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2007
    Posts: 379

    Raunchy
    Member

    This is happening with the doors closed. I open them and it equalizes out and mostly goes away and dries out.
     
  19. treb11
    Joined: Jan 21, 2006
    Posts: 3,947

    treb11
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I too am suffering from condensation problems. I had to have a fresh crank re-ground and buy new bearings. the humidity worked in through the smallest tear in the heavy duty bag the crank was in. I thought it was safe but no. I live in Sugar Land.
     
  20. 392
    Joined: Feb 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,206

    392
    Member

    My dad was a cement mason for 30+ years and the biggest mistake is no vapor barrier under the concrete floor. Once surface is prepped a layer of plastic sheeting then steel etc. night and day difference.
     
    MMM1693 likes this.
  21. rustymetal
    Joined: Feb 18, 2003
    Posts: 557

    rustymetal
    Member

    I will second that no vapor barrier under cement floor is a real disaster when the humidity
    changes.
     
  22. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    My garage looked just like the OP's a couple of weeks ago! No vapor barrier either. 70* out after deep freeze weather. Best thing I found is to get some air moving in there. Big fans help a lot. I've heard if you leave a small fan running fulltime in the weather transition period it helps combat the condensation too.
     
  23. MMM1693
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 1,152

    MMM1693
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    X3 on the floor barrier. In the spring I leave the ceiling fan run and keep the big door closed till midday.
     
    leadfootloon likes this.
  24. 56shoebox
    Joined: Sep 14, 2011
    Posts: 1,106

    56shoebox

  25. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    We get that here to jus about as bad.
    I have a big exhaust fan and it helps a lot.
     
  26. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,442

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    As stated not having a vapor barrier in the floor is big issue..I would get a big dehumidifier and run it keeping doors etc closed; mite take a while to catch up but in the long run thats what has worked the best for me..
     
  27. unklgriz
    Joined: Sep 12, 2005
    Posts: 290

    unklgriz
    Member

    This is about your best answer. I had to install one of these in a customers attic. Problem solved. The humidistat will turn the fan off and on as humidity increases or decreases. Yes you can over insulate. All it does is mess up the "R" factor of the previous layer. Eventually all you have is a lot of wet insulation and a place for mold to grow. You need airflow for heat and cooling.

    Larry
     
    Petejoe likes this.
  28. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,174

    manyolcars

    Open cell spray foam will hold moisture like a sponge. Closed cell is preferred. I too hate it when everything in my shop is drenched.
     
  29. bonzo-1
    Joined: Oct 13, 2010
    Posts: 342

    bonzo-1
    Member

    Turn on the heat. If your stuff inside the building is warmer than the outside moist air there will be no condensate.
     
  30. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,263

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    Agreed Larry.
    During those bad humidity days the shop dries out in one day and stays that way until the weather changes.
    No exaggeration here.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.