The 'E' Type Forum

Hi All
I’m in a bit of a dilemma.Will be getting my E back after restoration shortly.I was originally thinking of a carcoon veloce,but this would take up most of the garage and result in removing most of my storage racks.The other alternative is to put a dehumidifier in the garage? The garage is brick under pantile roof with metal up and over door.Can anyone out there advise me the best route to take.
Many thanks

Hello 5733, do you have a name as 5733 is rather impersonal.

An up and over door will never give you good enough seal for a dehumidifier as you'll have cold damp air coming in through all the gaps. Perhaps change the door to a roller or shutter type that can seal?

Geoff

Thanks for the advice Geoff was thinking about fitting a roller shutter anyway.By the way it’s Karl sorry for the omission was in a bit of a rush.
Cheers

Geoff is right that moist air can easily get past garage doors.
I have a double length garage with an ordinary up and over door with my E-type in.
For the past six years I have had a dehumidifier on continuously in the garage and it seems to have coped very well.
Its a Meaco dessicant type which samples the air regularly and only switches into dehumidify mode when needed. Highly recommended https://www.meacodehumidifiers.co.uk/me ... humidifier

Just be aware that there have been several reported instances of portable dehumidifier units malfunctioning and catching fire in garages over the years....obviously with dire consequences. Presumably they were cheap units with compressors not intended for extended use unsupervised in a garage. If you operate one in a garage make sure it is suitable for extended use and make sure the power supply is protected by an rcd. Check it regularly and fit a smoke alarm in the garage.

You need a desiccant humidifier for a garage as they operate at lower ambient temperatures than the refrigerant (compressor) types. Also look for one with a continuous drain facility otherwise you could be emptying the tank twice a day. I have a desiccant one and it has operated satisfactorily for many years.

Thanks all for your response.Very interesting I was heading towards the carcoon until David mentioned he’s had a dehumidifier in the garage for years.Is your garage well insulated David?.Have you gone to any special lengths to make it airtight around doors roof etc.Sorry about the interagation but mines just a big standard brick garage so would take quite a bit of work /money to make it air tight and insulate.
Thanks again al
Karl

If you are to use a dehumidifier then, yes, the garage needs to be reasonably sealed from the outside. So draft excluders and snug fitting doors and windows. If you have huge gaps you will just be dehumidifying planet earth and that won't work! And your dehumidifier will be worked to death with no significant improvement to the humidity level in the garage.
There are those that say that a well ventilated garage with generous air circulation is really almost as good. The worst case is a well sealed garage with no air movement, dehumidification or exchange as once damp it will remain damp.

Hi

I agree. The important thing is to reduce, or control, the extent of temperature difference between the garage and the outside world.

The most effective way of achieving this is to add a ceiling and about 300mm of rockwool insulation. You can add more insulation and draught exclusion as you go but you face the law of diminishing returns.

You can add a dehumidifier but a better solution is to use some low-power heaters coupled to a humidistat. A few tubular greenhouse heaters fitted low down on the walls is ideal. This avoids having to deal with getting rid of condensate.

The aim is to keep the garage temperature within about 6 degrees Celsius of the outside temperature. You can do this using thermostats but it's a bit more complicated than using a humidistat.

Of course we could go to extremes and hermetically seal the garage and heat and power it using ground source, solar and wind power and add climate control but I think what I've outlined above is perfectly satisfactory for preserving our cherished cars.

Regards

Hi Karl...i have a detatched brick built garage with slate roof and no ceiling, open rafters with the roof felt showing, so no way of sealing from the elements ( cant fit a ceiling as i have a lift that needs the height)....what i have found that works well is good airflow...during the winter months i have a desk fan on the floor blowing air under the car..i also have a standard compressor type dehumidifier on very low setting and just switch it on when we have those very damp misty Feb days......i also have a man made fibre cover over the car..cotton covers are not good and will attract and adsorb moisture......inside the car i put the crystal type dehumidifier....just the cheep plastic type container thay you fill with water absorbing cristals.....without the fan moisture will form on the exposed surfaces.....Steve

Again thank you all for your help.It as been very interesting and informative reading all the responses.
I now need to sit down and way up the pros and cons.
Once again thanks for your help.
Cheers
Karl

Karl, one thing that concerns me and probably others is that you are getting your car back from restoration and the first thing you are thinking of is how to store it.
Put simply: DON'T store it! Get out and drive it, lots

Post a few photos and let us know how you get on putting some miles in. And get that happy smile on your face!

Geoff