Still getting wet in the garage!!

[Mimosa Stag]

I have at present got my Stag stored in a local Council garage while I build one at home to house it in, the problem I am having is that water keeps appearing on the bonnet and the sides show signs of damp, there does appear to be a leak in the garage roof at the front which explains the water on the bonnet, I thought I had fixed this by putting a breathable shower proof cover on the car (very kindly sent to me by a Stag member on here ) The garage in on the end of a row and I am wondring if this combined with the cold weather and the leak is causing condensation to form?? I checked the car yesterday and there was some water on the bonnet under the cover , the sides seemed ok.

Does anyone have any ideas of a way I can stop this happening? I have only owned it for about 3 weeks and the previous owner had kept it garaged nice and dry for 20 years... I should have the garage at home finished within a month so I know its not a long time to wait but I just want to keep it from getting wet as much as possible.


Also should I insulate the walls of the new garage at home ??

Cheers David

[keeny]

Try to find the leak on the garage roof and if poss fix the problem at sorce, if only a small hole or crack in roof try to patch with something called(flash band) available from most DIY stores this should provide a good temporary fix until you build your garage
Keeny

[Goldstar]

Hi David,

The main leak is, as th eother guys say, important to stem, it's quite likely that there is condensation on the inside of the roof at this time of year that eventually drips. Cold (and cooling) air outside ever so slightly warmer inside especially on a metal or composite roof. I get it in my garage and am looking to clad the roof with sheet timber with a vapour barrier to allow it to trickle into the gap and out to the atmosphere.

Not sure if we have a resident builder/roofer who can help???

Paul

[KOY 23]

Calling Bob the Builder.

[therat04]

I have at present got my Stag stored in a local Council garage while I build one at home to house it in, the problem I am having is that water keeps appearing on the bonnet and the sides show signs of damp, there does appear to be a leak in the garage roof at the front which explains the water on the bonnet, I thought I had fixed this by putting a breathable shower proof cover on the car (very kindly sent to me by a Stag member on here ) The garage in on the end of a row and I am wondring if this combined with the cold weather and the leak is causing condensation to form?? I checked the car yesterday and there was some water on the bonnet under the cover , the sides seemed ok.

Does anyone have any ideas of a way I can stop this happening? I have only owned it for about 3 weeks and the previous owner had kept it garaged nice and dry for 20 years... I should have the garage at home finished within a month so I know its not a long time to wait but I just want to keep it from getting wet as much as possible.


Also should I insulate the walls of the new garage at home ??

Cheers David

Hello David i had the same problem with my concrete garage, no leaks just rain blowing under and down the sides of the garage door also condensation forming on the roof and dripping on the cars cover, the car was getting covered in condensation mainly at the rear end under the cover, i was going around every day to leather it off.
The solution for me was fitting a garage door seal down the sides and along the bottom of the garage door making the garage wet and draught proof stopping the wet air from entering the garage, this has unexpectedly cured the condensation on the garage roof as well, i have been checking through the fog and cold weather recently and all i can say is job done....Steve

[Mimosa Stag]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tip, I see you are in Elsenham....is that the one near Bishops Stortford ???

Hello David i had the same problem with my concrete garage, no leaks just rain blowing under and down the sides of the garage door also condensation forming on the roof and dripping on the cars cover, the car was getting covered in condensation mainly at the rear end under the cover, i was going around every day to leather it off.
The solution for me was fitting a garage door seal down the sides and along the bottom of the garage door making the garage wet and draught proof stopping the wet air from entering the garage, this has unexpectedly cured the condensation on the garage roof as well, i have been checking through the fog and cold weather recently and all i can say is job done....Steve

[mjheathcote]

Condensation forming all over the car can be a problem with concrete pre-fab garages, I would say unavoidable.
I had the same problem when we moved house and the garage was a pre-fab. Knocked the garage down and built a proper double skinned garage, but still had condensation problems, but to a lesser degree. I bought a permabag sealed storage bag when we first moved house so it was not really a problem, the stag lived in that throughout the winter.
Moved house again and the garage is now integral under the house. No condensation problem at all now, always warm and dry, so sold the permabag.
So I would say to avoid condensation the garage must be double skinned walled, and have a source of heating, no heating and I think condensation is unavoidable, unless you have a lot a drafty air flow through the garage so it is like a carport rather than a garage.
Cheers
Mike

[therat04]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tip, I see you are in Elsenham....is that the one near Bishops Stortford ???

Yes thats the correct Dave where they used to make jam,we will have to have a meet up and discuss garage leaks and the dambusters i have a few signatures ..Steve

[therat04]

Condensation forming all over the car can be a problem with concrete pre-fab garages, I would say unavoidable.
I had the same problem when we moved house and the garage was a pre-fab. Knocked the garage down and built a proper double skinned garage, but still had condensation problems, but to a lesser degree. I bought a permabag sealed storage bag when we first moved house so it was not really a problem, the stag lived in that throughout the winter.
Moved house again and the garage is now integral under the house. No condensation problem at all now, always warm and dry, so sold the permabag.
So I would say to avoid condensation the garage must be double skinned walled, and have a source of heating, no heating and I think condensation is unavoidable, unless you have a lot a drafty air flow through the garage so it is like a carport rather than a garage.
Cheers
Mike

Hello Mike as you say the air flow probably explains why the condensation has stopped in my garage, mine is in the middle of a block but the walls do not go all the way to the ceiling so there is the air flow, most of my wet air was coming past the gaps around the door now thats sealed it is fine. a warm double garage as part of the house can only be dreamed about ..Steve

[Guest]

David,

As has been said more or less, condensation forms when there is moisture in the air (warm air holds more moisture than cold air) which meets a surface with a temperature lower then the air causing the water vapour to reform as a liquid. It usually becomes an issue where there is poor ventilation preventing the escape of the moist air and the surface where the air condenses isn't "breathing" - timber breathes well, bricks in cement mortars aren't great and concrete itself is hopeless. If you have a timber pitched roof with traditional bitumen based felt over the rafters that wont breathe and condensation forms (people think it's actually leaking).

The first step to the current issue is to eliminate any source of water ingress, so that you then deal only with condensation. If the garage is wringing wet, then I would really suggest leaving the car outside in preference even for 4 weeks if it is at all possible. If their is power there you could buy a dehumidifier - which would benefit you when you are in the new garage too - these run from about £50 (don't expect miracles for this money) upwards or a heater. The heater would raise the air temperature which means it can hold more mositure without condensing but that warm, wet air would still need to be removed so, on it's own, isn't really a solution.

When you get to the new garage you could tackle things in one of two ways once you solve any obvious leaks. One way - although I wouldn't recommend it - is to seal the garage up so there are virtually no air gaps and insulate it, but whenever the doors are opened in damp weather and / or the car is put away slightly wet all that moisture becomes trapped inside. Alternatively eliminate major gaps and ensure there is effective cross ventilation (usually at roof level) and then insulate. Be aware though that insulating alone doesn't remove the moisture issue, but moves the point where the temperature change takes place to within or behind whatever is used as the lining material. i.e. the condensation forms within or behind the lining material.

Ian

[Goldstar]

Yes thats the correct Dave where they used to make jam,we will have to have a meet up and discuss garage leaks and the dambusters i have a few signatures ..Steve

Hi Steve if you are interested in the Dambusters we can have a yarn, I was a modern day Dambuster having served on 617 '92-96. Met a few of the originals and interesting chaps they are/were too

Cheers

Paul

[jleyton]

If their is power there you could buy a dehumidifier - which would benefit you when you are in the new garage too - these run from about £50 (don't expect miracles for this money)

Ian is, of course, right in that you won't get a brilliant one for £50. However I bought two cheap dehumidifiers - one for my garden shed and the other for the car when it's under a cover. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they worked with the very significant exception of the air intake freezing up in cold weather (in fairness the instructions said not to use in cold conditions)

Anyway I bought a cheapo heater (greenhouse type) and pointed it at the dehumidifier and fed it through a cheapo time switch that I set to run for two 15 minute bursts during the night, to prevent, or melt, the icing.

Believe it or not, it all works - not that I'm a cheapskate mind you.

Cheers

Julian

[Bandit1200]

Since warm air packs more moisture than cold, try allowing the car to cool down before garaging.

I did this with my motorbike when I found a nest of mice under the saddle. No doubt attracted by the warmth of the engine. No problems now.

I don't know how the Dambusters got into this thread but I used to stay frequently at the Petwood Hotel in Woodall Spa Lincolnshire which was the officers mess of their squadron during the war. I think this would make a great venue for a meet.

Steve

[therat04]

Hi Steve if you are interested in the Dambusters we can have a yarn, I was a modern day Dambuster having served on 617 '92-96. Met a few of the originals and interesting chaps they are/were too

Cheers

Paul

That would be tornado's then paul, greatest respect mate im well impressed, i have been collecting medals and documents also researching them for years now, on my travels i have collected a few 617 squadron auto graphs usually on a first day stamp cover, just to mention a few Leonard Cheshire VC. awarded for target marking, Willie tait bombing Tirpitz with tall boy bombs, George Johnson DFM bomb aimer on the Dams raid he bombed the sorpe dam i believe, Les Munro pilot on the dams raid never made to the dams because his plane was badly damaged by flak he had to turn back, Bob knights operation against the Tirpitz again with the 20,000ib tallboy bombs, Sir Barnes Wallace inventor of the bouncing bomb used against the dams and the tall boy earthquake bombs , and Andy Greene world land speed record holder who served in tornadoes i am not sure he was in 617 squadron though.
Better leave it here or i will bore the backside of you...Steve

[therat04]

Since warm air packs more moisture than cold, try allowing the car to cool down before garaging.

I did this with my motorbike when I found a nest of mice under the saddle. No doubt attracted by the warmth of the engine. No problems now.

I don't know how the Dambusters got into this thread but I used to stay frequently at the Petwood Hotel in Woodall Spa Lincolnshire which was the officers mess of their squadron during the war. I think this would make a great venue for a meet.

Steve

Hello Steve i bet there wouldnt be a nest of mice under the saddle if i sat on it! I mentioned the dambusters in the thread because David (mimosa stag) has 617 squadron as an interest on his profile page so i was just reciprocating my interest...Steve