Damp in the engine bay!

[domcross]

OK, I know this is going to sound like a strange one but maybe some creative genius on here has come up with an answer.

I went to a meeting in the M400 yesterday in nice dry conditions and returned home in the same. I tucked the little toy away in the garage last night with the engine still warm from the journey home. It was a cold night... I got the car out today to give it a clean and decided to check the oil level for the first time as I've just passed the 500 mile mark. To my amazement, the engine and everything under the clamshell were dripping wet! Thinking it through I guess that by putting a warm engined car in a cold garage and closing the door I was inviting condensation.

Although the garage is only a couple of years old it's a single skinned building with no heating and limited ventilation. Other than tearing it down and building something as well insulated and heated as the house (a little expensive me thinks!) can any of you suggest a solution to this British winter problem? And before you say it, I'd love to more to Spain or California but that's almost as drastic as building a new garage

I did think of putting one of these de-humidifiers in the garage but I'd surely be out there emptying it every 10 mins in winter?

Despite the corrosion issue I can't think it does the engine or electrics much good to be soaking for days on end... Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance,
Dom.

[Siban]

Dom,

Had exactly the same issue in my garage.

I bought a dehumidifier, but have connected a piece of hose pipe to where the water normally comes out, and then drilled a hole in the wall the same diameter as the hose. The other end of the hose is then fed out through the hole so all the water drains out of the garage without any maintenance required.

I've tried my best to seal the gaps around the garage door etc' but generally it works a treat. Nice and dry garage!

Cheers,

Simon.

[Extra 300 Driver]

You could get yourself a dehumidifier. As long at the garage is quite well sealed this will stop the damp getting into your car. We have a massive system in the hangar ar work for controling humidity, they work really well.

[gtr-gaz]

Definately get a dehumidifier!

I had a similar problem before Christmas, plugged it in and got 4 litres of water out of the air in a week.

Since then it's been fine. I can feel the difference in the garage now. The air smells better.

You will need to try and seal the gaps around the doors though. I have used some long bristle draughtproofing and it works fine.

It costs about 50p a day to run in econonomy mode.

>> Edited by gtr-gaz on Saturday 15th January 19:08

[domcross]

Thanks all for the feedback... I though this might be the case so will get onto e-bay right away for a de-humidifier!

Cheers,
Dom.