Garage Dehumidifier and/or Heaters?

Garage Dehumidifier and/or Heaters?

Author
Discussion

JamesNash

Original Poster:

7 posts

1 month

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
I'm setting up my single car garage to store a 1980 sports car. I hope to be using the car regularly when weather is dry (so not that much!), however whist it's tucked up, I want to keep it dry. I've heard professional car storage facilities use dehumidifiers and not heaters. I welcome any advice on housing classics in optimum environment conditions. Also any recommendations on economical dehumidifiers and/or heaters for garages? Thanks

phil4

1,322 posts

245 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
There's broadly two types of dehumidifier.

The dessicant type a) will heat the room, and b) work even at really low temps.

The cheaper refrigerant type are a) quieter & cheaper but won't heat the room and don't work well at low temps at all.

For a garage unless you're adding heating yourself I'd go for a dessicant type. Meaco ones seem to be recommended, look for the DD8L at about 250quid.

JamesNash

Original Poster:

7 posts

1 month

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
Brilliant, thanks for that advise, I'll have a look at a desiccant dehumidifier.

snotrag

14,925 posts

218 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
Meaco Junior DD8L.

I have one bought for that exact use case - its brilliant. Uses little power, keeps the garage dry and habitable. Completely prevents things like tools rusting, I can put the car in soaking wet after washing it kicks in, stops the discs going rusty etc.



https://aircareappliances.co.uk/products/meaco-dd8...

JamesNash

Original Poster:

7 posts

1 month

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
great to hear Snotrag!

Krikkit

26,985 posts

188 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
Single-digit temps aren't a great condition for the refrigerant dehumidifiers, but don't discount them - mine keeps my garage below 45% humidity all winter no bother, and less than £20/year to run it.

s94wht

1,827 posts

66 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
snotrag said:
Meaco Junior DD8L.

I have one bought for that exact use case - its brilliant. Uses little power, keeps the garage dry and habitable. Completely prevents things like tools rusting, I can put the car in soaking wet after washing it kicks in, stops the discs going rusty etc.



https://aircareappliances.co.uk/products/meaco-dd8...
So one of these will sort a single garage? And what, you just empty it out every now and then? Sorry, I don't know how these things work, but I do know that stuff gets damp and rusty in my garage!!

JamesNash

Original Poster:

7 posts

1 month

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
Does the Meaco Junior DD8L provide any heat? I've fully insulated the garage, but wondering if any heating is necessary?

2172cc

1,221 posts

104 months

Monday 11th November
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phil4

1,322 posts

245 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
I normally empty my Zambezi DD8L out every other day, so much so I've used the constant drain and plumbed it out of the garage. Heating isn't massive, but a few degrees and it really will cope with anything close to zero, which even an insulated garage could get close to if there's no actual active heat source.

JamesNash

Original Poster:

7 posts

1 month

Monday 11th November
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Thanks for all the advice PHers... That old thread really useful too!

Hereward

4,374 posts

237 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
Be mindful that if you're running a dehumidifier you need the garage to be as air-tight as possible, otherwise you are essentially attempting to dehumidify the planet.

Conversely, when the dehumidifier is Off, try to make the garage as drafty as possible so that any damp can be flushed out.

Gericho

520 posts

10 months

Monday 11th November
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I would just use some dehumidifer tubs like these https://ebay.us/1eswJF

Mazinbrum

992 posts

185 months

andyxxx

1,208 posts

234 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
Gericho said:
I would just use some dehumidifer tubs like these https://ebay.us/1eswJF
They are ok in a very small area or cupboard, but really not suitable for the OP. A dehumidifier extracts way more moisture than they can ever cope with.

I have a large garage and run a dehumidifier all year. It does the job perfectly, drying the cars over night (and the pools of water on the floor if they are driven in wet.)

renmure

4,431 posts

231 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
s94wht said:
snotrag said:
Meaco Junior DD8L.

I have one bought for that exact use case - its brilliant. Uses little power, keeps the garage dry and habitable. Completely prevents things like tools rusting, I can put the car in soaking wet after washing it kicks in, stops the discs going rusty etc.



https://aircareappliances.co.uk/products/meaco-dd8...
So one of these will sort a single garage? And what, you just empty it out every now and then? Sorry, I don't know how these things work, but I do know that stuff gets damp and rusty in my garage!!
Rather than empty it you can connect a hose ( which they supply) and it will just constantly drain itself. Obviously you'd want it draining outside the garage.

If the OP is anywhere near Dundee I can offer one free. I had one running in my last garage and bought a spare incase it broke. It never did and now, having moved, I don't need either of them but don't fancy the hassle of selling them. Hey ho.

OutInTheShed

9,287 posts

33 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
JamesNash said:
Does the Meaco Junior DD8L provide any heat? I've fully insulated the garage, but wondering if any heating is necessary?
On high power, it can be using 650W.
So yes, it will put a small amount of warmth into the garage.

Depending on what tariff you're on and all that, running a dehumdifier can cost a few quid.
IMine is a refrigerant type, it's 300W. That's about 8p an hour, there are a lot of hours ina year.
I find it's only needed in Autumn and spring, it seems most effective to run it in the afternoons when it extracts more moisture per hour.
I'm running one in the workshop and one in the house sometimes.

Leptons

5,316 posts

183 months

Monday 11th November
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Single-digit temps aren't a great condition for the refrigerant dehumidifiers, but don't discount them - mine keeps my garage below 45% humidity all winter no bother, and less than £20/year to run it.
No chance is it that cheap, think you’d better recalculate!