Condensation! AHHHH!

Asking on the off chance because this is driving me bonkers.

Have a single brick garage with a up and over door and a corrugated concrete asbestos roof. At the moment, I'm suffering really badly with condensation (I Think), to the point it's dripping on the floor. I don't think it's a leak, all the fixings and joins have been coated with a roof sealant and inside it's been filled with silicone.

Has anyone else suffered with this? Is ventilation the way to go?

Regards

Mike

Moisture Traps?
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There are piles more in varying sizes via a Google search.
(Might be worth buying a small one first to see if it actually works in the garage)

Yep, air vents to allow through flow of air, I had the same trouble when I kept my bike in a wooden shed, when the outside temperature alterered very quickly the bike would actually condensate, you could even see how much fuel was in the tank by looking at the outside of it!

That's a possibility, Wooster, think I'd be replacing them constantly though.

robertcains wrote:Yep, air vents to allow through flow of air, I had the same trouble when I kept my bike in a wooden shed, when the outside temperature alterered very quickly the bike would actually condensate, you could even see how much fuel was in the tank by looking at the outside of it!

I know, its ridiculous. I'm thinking a few air bricks and maybe a fan with a humidistat to get the air moving when it needs to?

Regards

Mike

I recall the old man using a small paraffin heater that hung on a hook.
Curiosity got the better of me and it turns out they are still being sold   : LINK

Doubt it would work if the garage roof is actually leaking though.

I was wondering about introducing heat as well, but apparently warmer air holds more moisture which just adds to the problem of condensation. I was previously thinking of installing a tubular heater on a frost stat.

Regards

Mike

I had the same problem, i solved it by adding three vents along each side of the garage,
and i used two of those vents you see on the roof of some vans,
i put them on the roof of garage and it sorted the problem.

As in brick vents? Did you put them at low or high level? Can't do the roof vents due to the asbestos but could do the vents.

Regards

Mike

Those whirly jobs?   

I rent a garage from the council to store my bike, which has a single airbrick high on the back wall and I've never had any problems with condensation.
It is pretty exposed though, so the draughts rattling through it probably helps. (Five of the garages next to mine had their roofs ripped off with the wind last month)

I suppose the easiest place to fit vents would probably be on the door.

-edit- As to where they'd go?: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
One on the bottom, one on the top?

The very ones wooster

Mike, do you park your bike/car in the garage?
That will play a big part in your problem, warm air caused by warm engines soon turns to moisture in a cold dark place with no insulation.
Even breath or body heat with do it.
Adding vents just gives that warm air a place to go.

Brick vents would do the job i think, i put my vents nearer the top because warm air rises and circulates( i sound like a weather man!) when it hits the roof.

As for the swirly van extractor fan thingy, i'm sure you could find an alternative and maybe put it high up on the door or back wall?

the fan will help mix the warm and cold air so i would add one somewhere.
i've got an extractor fan in my shower room that comes on when it detects moisture in the air, you could rig something like that up with little effort or cost.

Good luck mate!

Well I thought earlier, what are the chances the asbestos has turned porous and is letting the rain through?

I park the bike in there but it hasn't been ridden for 2 weeks, not had the weather!

I can get a humidistat controlled fan easily enough, just don't want to spend the money if it's not the cause. Tight-ass!!

Regards

Mike

mikeyzf600 wrote:Well I thought earlier, what are the chances the asbestos has turned porous and is letting the rain through?

Spray coating?

Any suggestions?

Regards

Mike

Google?

(I'm not in the business)

i.e. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Applied with a paintbrush on a stick? (Drop a ladder over the roof and work your way along?)
(Asbestos roofs are notorious for being poor load bearing surfaces, that much I do know.  )