Damp car in the garage. How best to speed up drying time?

[zed4]

Hi,

Is there a simple way of reducing the amount of time it takes for a wet car to dry in a garage?

I sometimes have to put my TVR in there damp, and even days later it is still damp. I can also see condensation on the chassis, which can’t be good for it! It’s a modern garage, built in 2003 with the house. It’s a high spec house with an expensive door (so I don’t want to change that) and a plastered ceiling. There’s a cut out in the ceiling to get up into the loft space which is a void (pitched roof). There’s no insulation up there, just the trusses and the bare side of the plasterboards.

Is there anything I can do? I think a dehumidifier would be quite expensive to buy and to run, but I’m happy to be proved wrong. Would adding vents help, if so, where?

Some pics (mine is the garage on the left)


2012-11-26 at 18-03-45 by danyeates, on Flickr


DSC_4600 by danyeates, on Flickr


DSC_4601 by danyeates, on Flickr


DSC_4603 by danyeates, on Flickr

Cheers,

Dan

[zed4]

The Nur said:

Is there any airflow at all?

Don't think so. Not sure if there's vents in the soffits, I'll have to look later.

[zed4]

Wozy68 said:

Should never drive a car into a garage when its wet, especially something classic like a TVR, your doing more harm to it in there than leaving her out.

Rusty chassis or damp carpets?! To be honest, I rarely use it in the wet, it's just that when I do, I usually need to put it away straight away. I don't have much driveway space either and don't like to leave the cars on the road.

Would I be best increasing ventilation, or sealing it up and adding a dehumidifier?

If I go for the dehumidifier route, any tips on what I need to look out for when buying?

[zed4]

ruaricoles said:

I have a Ruby Dry dehumidifier and use it to dry the Griff if I have to put it away while still wet; works fairly well even in a good sized double garage, and (as said previously) is apparently more efficient at low temps than the usual compressor type.

Thanks. So I can get an idea of running costs, how long do you leave it running for? How long does it take to dry the car and garage floor? Do you know what power your dehumidifier is?

[zed4]

DocArbathnot said:

226bhp said:

Put a radiator in there and insulate the ceiling, it might not be difficult to tap into the system in the house.
Carpeted floor is making it worse as it holds water....

Warm and wet. That will increase corrosion.
Ventilation is the key.

That's what I thought. Can't do that anyway, as next door's garage is in between my garage and my house!

Edited by zed4 on Tuesday 14th January 22:36

[zed4]

CaptainSlow said:

Leave the window and door open slightly

Good point regarding the window. I don't have a key for it, but I should get one. Need to get a locksmith round.

[zed4]

Think I'm going to go for a dehumidifier.

These guys emailed me back within minutes of my enquiry to them and recommended this: http://www.dry-it-out.com/DD822-Graphite-dehumidif...

[zed4]

Aviz said:

zed4 said:

Good point regarding the window. I don't have a key for it, but I should get one. Need to get a locksmith round.

Get some keys off a friend/neighbour etc , there's only a few different ones generally for upvc windows. I quickly found that my mums window keys worked in my house and seeing she had loads of them ,she just gave me a few.
Edit - assume you've tried the ones for your house windows?

Didn't get any window keys!! But the garage ones are locked shut.

[zed4]

Excellent, I'll get one on order and see how I get on with it then.

Will it actually dry off a soaking wet car?

[zed4]

I’ve bought this: http://www.dry-it-out.com/DD822-Graphite-dehumidif...

I’ll keep you updated and let you know how good it is.