Dehumidifying a Garage | Safe & Effective Strategies

Are you here to learn about dehumidifiers for garages? Then you’ve come to the right spot.

This article will discuss the best dehumidifier for a garage, factors to consider before buying one, and the features of an excellent dehumidifier. Save time, and let’s get started.

Dehumidifier in a Garage

Garages are multipurpose areas used for various tasks, such as storing goods and parking cars. They can also be utilized as workshops for various do-it-yourself tasks.

However, garages can suffer from excessive humidity. Most homeowners need help identifying an appropriate humidity management solution, particularly when lowering the moisture in a detached garage.

Like humidity in a basement or crawl space affects living space, garage humidity also affects dwellings. It may result in many problems, including condensation, mildew growth, rust, and offensive musty odors.

Using a dehumidifier is a feasible solution to these issues.

Dehumidifiers effectively balance the moisture content in a space, warm the air, and remove surplus moisture.

What Humidity Does in a Garage

There is no benefit to humidity in a garage. Instead, it detracts from the area.

The rate of dampness increases in a space when the relative humidity is higher than 60%. Elevated relative humidity can hasten the processes of rust and corrosion.

The external surface and undercarriage of cars are especially prone to the damaging effects of rust and corrosion. If left unattended, rust can break connections for electronic and mechanical parts and corrode metal surfaces.

Rust can cause metal parts like the exhaust system, body, chassis, and suspension to deteriorate over time.

Conversely, corrosion weakens the car’s structural integrity, can result in expensive repairs, and even makes the vehicle unsafe to drive.

The corrosion of electrical connections, wires, and components typically causes electrical failures and system faults.

Moreover, a climate with more than 70% relative humidity may promote mold and mildew development within the vehicle. If mold and mildew are present, the space may smell musty and unpleasant.

Spore exposure can cause lung issues or other allergic reactions and irritate your eyes and nose.

The Best Dehumidifier for Garages

Considering the damage humidity can cause in your garage, knowing the best dehumidifier for your parking lot is critical.

An industrial dehumidifier, such as a compressor or desiccant, is often the best solution for handling such problems. The device collects and extracts the excess moisture from within a space.

Additionally, it will physically remove water from the atmosphere, causing the relative humidity to drop and dry air to circulate. Compressor dehumidifiers function best in heated conditions.

Otherwise, regions where the mercury rises above 15 °C Desiccant dehumidifiers, on the other hand, function well in far lower temperatures—even below freezing. These machines work incredibly well to control humidity levels in chilly, unheated areas.

In addition, a few other dehumidifiers work well when dealing with high humidity levels.

All you have to do is identify the model that best fits your garage’s needs. They are simple to install, keep your garage dry, and guard against mildew, moisture, and water damage to the goods within.

Most dehumidifiers can be freestanding, wall-mounted, or placed into rafters and cavities. Nonetheless, some versions have built-in water tanks that catch condensate.

Such devices can be manually emptied.

Additionally, some dehumidifier units come with pumps or outlets, allowing you to attach a hose and feed water into a sink, an exterior grid, or an additional container.

What Should a Garage Dehumidifier Have?

What features are there in a garage dehumidifier?

Knowing the critical parts of a garage dehumidifier is vital. This will assist you in purchasing a long-lasting and efficient gadget. The timer is one of this device’s many great functions.

You may program the timer to turn the device on and off at specified intervals. This will save you time and eliminate the need for manual intervention.

Additionally, when the unit uses little power, the timer can switch on automatically, reducing the electricity bill.

Your dehumidifier should include an automatic draining horse in addition to a timer.

It’s redundant to constantly watch the bucket and empty it by hand. Constant humidity oversight is achieved using either gravity-fed drainage or condensate pump technology.

Last, a decent dehumidifier needs to be able to run in cold weather.

Extreme weather can occur in garages, particularly in the winter. If your equipment can operate at such temperatures, you won’t have any humidity problems during the season.

Things to Take into Account Before Installing a Dehumidifier in a Garage

Before installing such equipment in your garage, consider a few things. By examining these variables, you can choose the best dehumidifier for your needs.

Some items to consider are the size and arrangement of your garage, possible moisture sources, and ventilation. It would be best if you also considered safety and accessibility.

  • Dimensions And Design Of The Garage

It’s vital to consider this aspect before purchasing a garage dehumidifier.

This apparatus is made to manage a certain number of square feet. Thus, it is critical to select a dehumidifier that fits the garage’s size and circulation patterns.

Positioning it in an area with open-air movement will eliminate humidity more efficiently.

  • Safety And Accessibility

Safety and accessibility are two other crucial factors to consider. To prevent mishaps, dehumidifiers must be positioned far from combustible objects and other possible dangers.

They should also be placed in easily accessible locations for maintenance work. To ensure continuous efficiency, regularly clean the filter or empty the water tank.

  • Determine Possible Moisture Sources

Before installing a dehumidifier, it is critical to locate any possible moisture sources in the garage. Damp automobiles, water leaks, or heavy precipitation can cause elevated humidity.

Try putting your device near these sources of moisture to see if that helps solve the problem. This could result in a more effective reduction of moisture levels, preventing harm.

  • Ventilation Conditions

When installing a dehumidifier in your garage, you must consider ventilation.

You’ll get the most out of this device if you place it in an area with good ventilation. Adequate air circulation allows the dehumidifier to remove moisture more effectively.

Open all the doors and windows, then. A fan is another tool you can employ to improve ventilation.

Having a dehumidifier in the garage is crucial for handling moisture problems. As stated earlier, the unit effectively inhibits mold growth, moisture, and condensation.

Additionally, it stops corrosion and rust, which can harm the gear and equipment kept in the garage. Use the above guidance to select the ideal dehumidifier for your parking lot.

Leave a Comment