My garage floor sweats - Charger home in Showcase car capsule.

[E86/A47]

On hot days, my garage floor sweats. Will my charger rust? Pretty sure it will. Any suggestions?

I was told the person who built it didn't put in the proper vapor barrier.

I've been researching dehumidifiers and it seems like every one I look at has a decent number of bad reviews.

[Alaskan_TA]

Vapor barrier on the ground before pouring the slab is a must. Concrete is porous, so the moisture will rise through it if not done right the first time.

If there is an after the fact fix, I have not heard of it yet. Leaving fans running all the time would help some though.

[Charger4404spd]

Dehumidifier 

[ws23rt]

It's true that concrete is porous and moisture can migrate from below.  If the water table is high and/or drainage is poor, water will come through from below.

Condensation is another situation. When the floor is cooler than the air (from the ground temp.) and the humidity is high, a dew point will be reached and water from the air will form on the cooler surface.

Will your charger rust? ---Sorry for laughing but our chargers were born to rust. It's the moisture on the car that does the rusting.

If extra water is coming through the concrete floor and adding to the moisture in the air it just adds to the work a dehumidifier has to deal with.

The concrete can definitely  be sealed to stop migration from below but even a well sealed floor will sweat if it is cooler than the wet air. The sweating comes from the air.

I'm not up to speed on concrete sealing but it should be an easy thing to research.

[E86/A47]

Thanks guys. I guess I should have asked if it will rust quicker due to the moisture on my garage floor.

I will research sealing the concrete and get a dehumidifier.

I do believe it is condensation.

[ws23rt]

That's still a good question. ----Will your car rust quicker?

I'm thinking that if you do get extra water from below it only adds to the humidity in the garage. And can add to condensate on the car when the temp. is right. In that case ventilation would help until the floor can be sealed.

[E86/A47]

Thanks again!

[XH29N0G]

I painted the floor and walls with a sealer paint, just something I went to Home Depot to get, and it has helped a lot.  I am sure it is not going to stand up forever, or even for that long, but I will redo the bandaid fix I have because it makes a difference.  My house is post war (WWII) and I assume was not sealed by today's standards.  I also have a dehumidifier in my basement and run the AC because otherwise, water condenses on the walls and pools the floor.  Humidity is a problem.

[stripedelete]

It's condensation.   I've got it too.  Like a cold beer on a hot day, I'm going to put a "kooziie" on it.

A sheet of Vizqueen/Plastic on the cement floor.  On top of that sheets of 1/2 inch styrofoam.  Tape all the seams, including at the wall with furnace tape.   Next, cover it with 5/8's plywood.   The plywood just keeps you from crushing the styrofoam.   Finally,  install a couple ceiling fans and make sure the roof is ventilated.

I've had success with this when building an apartment on the interior of a larger building..

I would think twice about it in a work area.  It will certainly trap fumes from fuel spills

[el dub]

  That's the first time I've heard the word Koozii outside of the song Pontoon. Never heard of it before. Always called them socks where I live. what part of the country do you live in stripedelete?

[stripedelete]

  That's the first time I've heard the word Koozii outside of the song Pontoon. Never heard of it before. Always called them socks where I live. what part of the country do you live in stripedelete?

Northern Ohio.   Socks is new to me.   

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Tear down & start all over. 

[E86/A47]

Thanks N0G and stripedelete.

Tear down & start all over.

Ha, I don't like that advice but I am considering building a new garage just for the Charger so I can keep the old garage for my daily driver, winter is brutal around here. Another design flaw is that the metal roof slopes towards the garage entrance so when the snow slides off I have a serious pile of snow to dig out from, DOH!

[green69rt]

Easy test to tell where the water is coming from.   Get a small square of saran wrap or other water proof film.  Put it on the floor and tape around all the edges.  Wait a day.   If there is water under the film then it came up thru the floor, dry under the film means the water is condensation from the air.

[E86/A47]

Great suggestion GreenRT. I will try that. I'm assuming I should dry the spot beforehand.

[green69rt]

Great suggestion GreenRT. I will try that. I'm assuming I should dry the spot beforehand.

yeap.

[jesterCT]

Or you could go like this.

It's pretty common to see some sort of climate controlled chamber like this all over Europe.

http://forum.bmw-02-club.de/img/uploaded/image3578.jpg

[E86/A47]

Interesting, do you know what they are called or where to purchase?

[ACUDANUT]

Dehumidifier 

X2 

[64dartgt]

There are probably a bunch of them. 

carcapsule.com makes indoor and outdoor versions.  I may buy an outdoor one for my 73 Charger.  It is rusting just from begin on the driveway all winter.

[E86/A47]

Cool, thanks! They use a 68 Charger for the 18' indoor car capsule. Price seems reasonable.

Probably a stupid question but I guess I am interested in feedback, does anyone use an enclosed car trailer to store their Charger/classic car?

[Bandit72]

  That's the first time I've heard the word Koozii outside of the song Pontoon. Never heard of it before. Always called them socks where I live. what part of the country do you live in stripedelete?

Northern Ohio.   Socks is new to me.   

They are "koozie" here in Kansas too....never heard of one called a "sock"

That's all I have to ad to this thread...

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Easy test to tell where the water is coming from.   Get a small square of saran wrap or other water proof film.  Put it on the floor and tape around all the edges.  Wait a day.   If there is water under the film then it came up thru the floor, dry under the film means the water is condensation from the air.

God damn it Gump! Your a God damn genius! That's the most outstanding answer I've ever heard. You must have a God damn I.Q. of a hundred and sixty. You are God damn gifted Private Gump. 

[Aero426]

Probably a stupid question but I guess I am interested in feedback, does anyone use an enclosed car trailer to store their Charger/classic car?

Certainly can be done.    You want the trailer supported so the weight of the car is not fully loaded on the axles.    Torsion axles are not made to carry weight for long term storage.    Probably also need some air flow through the trailer.   Mine has vents on the LF and RR sides, so there is some air exchange.   Still, I bet it gets hot as a dutch oven inside on really warm days.  

[Old Moparz]

The same issue goes on in my basement & I run a dehumidifier to correct it. If you go that route, make sure you get a large enough one that will take care of the space in your garage.

http://www.dehumidifierweb.com/area-and-performance/

I put mine on a shelf that's above the adjacent window, drilled a hole in the window sill & ran the drain tube to the outside so I don't have to dump the 2 gallon reservoir every 3 days.

In the garage I just keep 2 ceiling fans going & since it's not an air tight, insulated building I don't have any issue there unless we have a lot of rain & humidity for weeks at a time.

[XH29N0G]

Or you could go like this.

It's pretty common to see some sort of climate controlled chamber like this all over Europe.

http://forum.bmw-02-club.de/img/uploaded/image3578.jpg

Not to be daft, but how did he get the car in that thing in the first place?

[ITSA426]

Mine used to sweat in the hot humid summer days.  Several years ago I redid my garage floor and put in a heated floor and then epoxy coated it.  It stays warm all winter so there isn't a lot of temperature change in the summer.  It hasn't sweat since.  Easy to keep clean also.

[Old Moparz]

Or you could go like this.

It's pretty common to see some sort of climate controlled chamber like this all over Europe.

http://forum.bmw-02-club.de/img/uploaded/image3578.jpg

Not to be daft, but how did he get the car in that thing in the first place?

How to get it inside.

[E86/A47]

Here are videos for the car capsules, http://carcapsule.com/videos/

I am thinking dehumidifier and one of these car capsules. The Showcase version is tempting as you can drive in and out while inflated but $1700 plus shipping is pretty costly, still cheaper than some of the other options....

[XH29N0G]

  wow on both.  Thanks.

[jesterCT]

How to get it inside.

sounds like : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR0lWICH3rY

[E86/A47]

I decided to get one of these to protect my charger. I know it seems like a lot but my garage is really moist and this will make taking it out and putting it back in a breeze. http://carcapsule.com/showcase

[E86/A47]

I've been researching dehumidifiers and it seems like every one I look at has a decent number of bad reviews.

I went to the site old moparz suggested and found some suggestions like the fridgidaire 30 pint http://www.dehumidifierweb.com/frigidaire-fad301nwd/ but then go to Amazon and there are some really bad reviews. I guess for $140 what can you expect, maybe I need to replace it every year or so....?

Anyone have any good experiences with dehumidifiers?

Thanks!

[64dartgt]

I saw the same type of reviews when i bought two cheap Kenmore dehumidifiers seven years ago.  I bought an extended warranty on one of the two, but I didn't need it.  Both have been trouble free and one has a pretty heavy duty cycle in summer.  I figured buy cheap and if I need to buy again than at least I didn't spend a lot in the first place.  But do yourself a huge favor and get one that has the capability to run a hose outside then break out your drill first thing.  I finally drilled a hole through the wall for the second unit (the first was easily run into the sump pump well) and wish I had done it seven years ago.  No more dumping the reservoir every two days.

[E86/A47]

Thanks 64! I may try to get a kenmore and will instal the drain instead of emptying it. Will also get an extended warranty.

[jesterCT]

Years ago I bought a $200 70 pint dehumidifier at HomeDepot. I was just making sure that I can hook it up to the drain, so I dont have to empty it.
It's running daily 12h from spring to fall and I never had a problem. Just sometimes the tank fills instead of draining directly. Not a problem for me at all.

For a garage I would properly use two units.

[Homerr]

What was the result of the saran wrap test?  That really should have been the starting point...


Assuming you don't have a spring under your garage or some other outstanding water issue it doesn't seem like an entire garage rebuild is needed.  Jackhammer out the slab, maybe put in an interior drain line?, vapor barrier, and new slab could be done for in the neighborhood of $6-8k, cheaper if you can do it yourself.

[E86/A47]

What was the result of the saran wrap test?  That really should have been the starting point...

I put 2 pieces on 2 days ago and so far, there is not much change under or around the pieces. When I was drying the spot, I needed a piece of wood to prop my fan to face down and the area around the wood was really wet, under the wood it was dry. There is a creek about 20 ft away from the garage and about 10 ft below the surface of the garage.

I don't think I will re-do the floor, if anything I would build a new garage and have the slab done correctly. My girlfriends brother is an experienced carpenter and will help me build it. If I do a new garage it will be for the Charger and my daily driver (company car) will go in the old one.

CT, do you really think I need 2 units for my garage? It is less than 500 sq ft. Also, I will have the Showcase car capsule to keep the Charger dry.

[Old Moparz]

I've been researching dehumidifiers and it seems like every one I look at has a decent number of bad reviews.

I went to the site old moparz suggested and found some suggestions like the fridgidaire 30 pint http://www.dehumidifierweb.com/frigidaire-fad301nwd/ but then go to Amazon and there are some really bad reviews. I guess for $140 what can you expect, maybe I need to replace it every year or so....?

Anyone have any good experiences with dehumidifiers?

Thanks!

I linked to that site only as a reference & for figuring out the size you need, never read any of the recommendations or reviews.

Based on experiences in the past, small appliances to me are disposable, period. Seems that nothing is made to last beyond the warranty & it doesn't matter how much you spend. I have had very good luck with the dehumidifiers I have bought & the one I have now that runs everyday 24/7 from spring to fall is a cheap model from Home depot that is now at least 7 or 8 years old. I spent less than $175 for it & knew if it didn't work I'd return it. If it died during the warranty I'd have tried to deal with it & if it lasted a few years it was worth what I paid to keep moisture out.

Prior to that one was another unit from a discount store (Caldor) that was about $150 that lasted close to 15 years. I never buy extended warranties, they are usually not worth the paper they are printed on. My time is more valuable than fighting with a company on the phone, emails & letters, to make good on something that is prorated & will end up paying you $12.49 on a $1249.00 item. 

[E86/A47]

I see you are in Newburgh, I hope to meet you one day, maybe at Mopars in the Valley or ADK Nationals...?

I used that site to size one but came up with 30 pints and am thinking I should probably spend a little more and get a 70 pint unit. What do you think?

[Old Moparz]

I see you are in Newburgh, I hope to meet you one day, maybe at Mopars in the Valley or ADK Nationals...?

I used that site to size one but came up with 30 pints and am thinking I should probably spend a little more and get a 70 pint unit. What do you think?

It probably depends on how damp the space is, how much stuff is in the space, the ceiling height & whether the space is insulated or vented. Won't be a bad idea to by a larger unit if you can afford it, it won't work as hard. I don't remember the size of the one I have, I just bought it in a pinch because the old one died. It has a setting to adjust how often it runs but right now I have it running all the time. I will adjust it when the humidity breaks.

One day I'll make it to Mopars at the Valley. Timing never seems to work but I keep wanting to get there. I was just up in Lake George on Sunday to drive my daughter's friend home. How far are you from that area?

[E86/A47]

I'm in Saratoga so about 20-30 minutes. You must know Brian S. Back when I was looking for my 1st Charger, he was nice enough to go look at one down there with me and advised against that one. I was then a dumb ass and bought one sight unseen on eBay. It was a matching #'s RT/SE which I did get my money back but the buyer made it into a GL.

Before mycharger1 by Loon Lake Landing, on Flickr

After mychargerasgenerallee by Loon Lake Landing, on Flickr

[Old Moparz]

Yeah, I know Brian. I see him at some of the cruises but I haven't been to any this year yet.   

Is there still a big car show / cruise at Lake George? Labor Day weekend I think?

[E86/A47]

Yes, that is the ADK Nationals. Sept 11th to the 13th. Registration is closed but I wouldn't enter my car anyways, just cruise up and check out the other cars. Last year there were only bout 6 chargers or so.

[jesterCT]

CT, do you really think I need 2 units for my garage? It is less than 500 sq ft. Also, I will have the Showcase car capsule to keep the Charger dry.

Just dont know your conditions, how bad is it? How humid is it at your place normally.

I bought one at first, tried it out and realized that I need to empty the bin every 3-4 hours. I thought thats bad (personal feeling). So I returned the first one and bought two new ones which have the direct drain ability. Thats why I have two.
I would suggest try it out, get one, let it run and see how it turns out. Scaling up is always a possibility later on.

[miamivice]

I decided to get one of these to protect my charger. I know it seems like a lot but my garage is really moist and this will make taking it out and putting it back in a breeze. http://carcapsule.com/showcase

Ive got 2 of these, 1 for my Charger and 1 for my Trans Am.   Have been very happy with them, both for the moisture problem, as well as just generally protecting the car while it is sitting in the garage.   Worth the $$

[E86/A47]

thanks CT. I will try 1 for now.

Thanks miamivice for the feedback. I talked with the owner Phil who was very nice and did a good job of up selling me to the showcase.

[ACUDANUT]

Years ago I bought a $200 70 pint dehumidifier at HomeDepot. I was just making sure that I can hook it up to the drain, so I dont have to empty it.
It's running daily 12h from spring to fall and I never had a problem. Just sometimes the tank fills instead of draining directly. Not a problem for me at all.

For a garage I would properly use two units.

On the flip side, they burn a lot of electricity.

[jesterCT]

Years ago I bought a $200 70 pint dehumidifier at HomeDepot. I was just making sure that I can hook it up to the drain, so I dont have to empty it.
It's running daily 12h from spring to fall and I never had a problem. Just sometimes the tank fills instead of draining directly. Not a problem for me at all.

For a garage I would properly use two units.

On the flip side, they burn a lot of electricity.

true. its really a lot..... $30-$35 a month......

[64dartgt]

One comment about my cheaper dehumidifiers.  The seem to cycle on and off quite frequently, which can be annoying.

I suggest one of these timers, which as a bonus will off surge protection.  That way you can give the units a rest too.  I started using one for my electric litter boxes to give them a rest four hours a night and they are both running much quieter.  It will probably prolong their life span.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002K8M9HM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

[E86/A47]

One comment about my cheaper dehumidifiers.  The seem to cycle on and off quite frequently, which can be annoying.

I suggest one of these timers, which as a bonus will off surge protection.  That way you can give the units a rest too.  I started using one for my electric litter boxes to give them a rest four hours a night and they are both running much quieter.  It will probably prolong their life span.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002K8M9HM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

Others have said they run their dehumidifiers for 12 hours a day. I was planning on doing the same but using a timer. Is this a good idea and similar to the above suggested surge protector?

Ever since I put the syran wrap on the floor, humidity has been down and my floors are pretty much dry.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Others have said they run their dehumidifiers for 12 hours a day. I was planning on doing the same but using a timer.  

[Daytona R/T SE]

If your dehumidifier isn't cycling on and off on it's own, then it's not big enough to dehumidify the room/building you are trying to dry.

Don't fool around with a timer, get a big enough unit to do the job.


Is your garage insulated ?

If it's not, you're wasting your time with a dehumidifier or car capsule, or anything else until it is.

Rapid changes in indoor temperature due to an uninsulated building will cause the floor, and any other

relatively cool items, like the car, metal tools, etc. to have condensation form on them.

When buying a dehumidifier get one that's made for "low temp" operation, usually good down to 41 degrees.

Use it year 'round. 



I've been dehumidifying my garage 24/7 365 for 20+ years.  

[E86/A47]

Dag nab it, I received my car capsule yesterday. I would say my garage is semi insulated, there is some pink stuff in the walls (not sure how good of a job was done) and a drop ceiling basically made of rigid insulation but there is a large hole in the drop ceiling, say about 4' by 8'. I guess now I need to insulate it better, DOH!

I still haven't bought the dehumidifier and was planning on getting a 70 pint while caculations called for a 30 pint. My car is not home yet, it is in my buddy's shop getting the wiring sorted out.

Thanks everyone for the help!

[ACUDANUT]

If your dehumidifier isn't cycling on and off on it's own, then it's not big enough to dehumidify the room/building you are trying to dry.

Don't fool around with a timer, get a big enough unit to do the job.


Is your garage insulated ?

If it's not, you're wasting your time with a dehumidifier or car capsule, or anything else until it is.

Rapid changes in indoor temperature due to an uninsulated building will cause the floor, and any other

relatively cool items, like the car, metal tools, etc. to have condensation form on them.

When buying a dehumidifier get one that's made for "low temp" operation, usually good down to 41 degrees.

Use it year 'round. 



I've been dehumidifying my garage 24/7 365 for 20+ years.  

My garage is fully insolated, but you still need a dehudifier.  My eclectic bill was was over 300 bucks last month, for both the house and the garage.

[Daytona R/T SE]

My garage is fully insolated, but you still need a dehudifier.  

No shit, Sherlock.  

[ACUDANUT]

My garage is fully insolated, but you still need a dehudifier.  

Nice.  


No shit, Sherlock.  

Such nice people here.

[E86/A47]

Finally got my Charger home. Was out driving her today with a BIG smile on my face!  It needed some wiring work and I changed a couple things and she ran really nice.

Here are a couple pics of her in the showcase car capsule.

[tan top]

Finally got my Charger home. Was out driving her today with a BIG smile on my face!  It needed some wiring work and I changed a couple things and she ran really nice.

Here are a couple pics of her in the showcase car capsule.

 
looks a good set up ,   been thinking about getting something like this my self 

[JB400]

Important question:  How big is your garage space, and how much additional room did this take up?

[E86/A47]

looks a good set up ,   been thinking about getting something like this my self

I am happy with it so far. What I can say is that the owner Phil has been great to work with. I was on the fence between the original car capsule and the showcase and decided on the more expensive one ($1700) because you can drive in and out while with the original (about $400) is more work to get in and out. The original pump I got had a leak (actually in the hose that goes to the showcase) so the pump was not shutting off, they quickly sent me a new pump + hose that works like a charm. Give them a call with any questions. Plus they will cover shipping if you call.

Important question:  How big is your garage space, and how much additional room did this take up?

My garage is pretty small and this takes up a little extra room. I have about 6 feet or so on each side and a couple feet in the front and back (with another 3 feet for my work benches.) I can walk all the way around it and have a bunch of my junk stored on all sides but the front (obviously.) I did have to take my riding mower out and will probably have to take my snow thrower out as there is not enough room to get in and out. No big deal, I build a little A frame type garage for the mower out of some old sliding glass doors and extra ridge cap I had lying around.

They increased the size for future models so if you want a smaller one for smaller space, you should order soon (I have no idea how many of the smaller size they still have but would ask.) Overall Dimensions of the original is: 18' x 9'-3" x 7'-2" (LxWxH) and the new ones will be 18'8"x9'3"x6'6" (I am not sure when these will start shipping.) My Charger just fits in with about 4 inches to spare in the back and 2 in the front. The new size would fit in my garage but it would make the space even tighter. I am 6'5" so having the taller one is better for me too.

[miamivice]

Nice!!

[Stegs]

Easy test to tell where the water is coming from.   Get a small square of saran wrap or other water proof film.  Put it on the floor and tape around all the edges.  Wait a day.   If there is water under the film then it came up thru the floor, dry under the film means the water is condensation from the air.

God damn it Gump! Your a God damn genius! That's the most outstanding answer I've ever heard. You must have a God damn I.Q. of a hundred and sixty. You are God damn gifted Private Gump.