Need to be warm and dry

[Tom Miller]

While some people are trying to keep their shops cool this summer, I thought I'd just mention that on Saturday it was about 60 degrees in my basement shop!

In my attempt to lower the humidity in the shop, I tapped into a furnace/AC vent. I seemed to get lots of cool air, but not much dehumidification -- gage read over 70%.

So, I finally broke down and made room for a dehumidifier. (I had to redo some DC ducting, and make a shelf about 15" off the floor so it'll be high enough to drain into some waste plumbing I still have to tap into.) With the help of a shoe horn and some grease, I got it in. Now my shop is about 45% RH, and 72 degrees.

Anybody else running a dehumidifier in the shop? I'll be keeping a close eye on the filter, anything else to watch for?

Thanks,
Tom

[Jim Boyd]

Never had a dehumidifier. I believe your cure , other than what you did, would be to add a cold air return in the shop. But that would add a [u]TON</u> of other possible problems so the dehumidifier is probably the best bet.

[WEG]

Hi Tom;
I have one in my shop/cellar and what a difference it makes. No more musty smell, real nice in there this weekend with the NE weather about 90/90 outside, my cellar was "cool" and dry. I may not come out until Fall . I emptied the thing each day to water the plants in the back. I don't know how much electricity it uses, but right now with this weather I don't care. Keep cool...
WEG

[dedaddy]

I have two dehumidifiers running in my basement, one in the shop and one in another room. Since I don't have access to drains, I have to empty out about 5 gallons of water every day. Also I had to install a radon abatement exhaust because I started to glow in the dark. Anyway, I could not have a shop during the summer if I did not have a dehumidifier. Keep the filter clean and pull off the cover at least once a year and vacummn the whole system out.

[Tom Miller]

quote:Originally posted by Jim Boyd

Never had a dehumidifier. I believe your cure , other than what you did, would be to add a cold air return in the shop. But that would add a [u]TON</u> of other possible problems so the dehumidifier is probably the best bet.

I didn't mention it, but I had also tapped into a cold air return. I'm kind of relieved it didn't work to lower the humidity, because as you say, it would add a TON of other possible problems. (I haven't been using the shop much in the last month, so no dust circulation yet.) So, I'm closing everything up again, and bought the PVC for tapping into a drain line. (Once you use the drain line, there's no going back.)

Glad to hear others successfully using a dehumidifier in the shop -- I had pictured hopelessly clogged heat exchanger fins after two days.

I wish I'd bought the old style dehumidifier rather than one with an electronic front panel. Every time the electricity goes out it stays off until restarted, unlike the old (analog?) that come back on by themselves. Hmmm, guess I'll just have to remember to check the shop more frequently.

Regards,
Tom

[Jim Boyd]

quote:Originally posted by Tom Miller

quote:Originally posted by Jim Boyd

Never had a dehumidifier. I believe your cure , other than what you did, would be to add a cold air return in the shop. But that would add a [u]TON</u> of other possible problems so the dehumidifier is probably the best bet.

I didn't mention it, but I had also tapped into a cold air return. I'm kind of relieved it didn't work to lower the humidity, because as you say, it would add a TON of other possible problems.


"Snip"


Regards,
Tom

Be sure the tap has a good filter or you evaporater fins will be clogged with sawdust

[Brian G]

quote:anything else to watch for?

A nice bump in your electric bill.

I have a dehumidifier running in our basement, some of which also happens to be my shop. It makes working in the shop and other parts of the basement much more enjoyable. It's worth the extra $20 per month to be that much more comfortable. I need to use mine from about mid-May to late October.

[Tamarack]

I will be retiring to the SE Kentucky/northern Tennessee area in a few years and have been thinking about this subject as I plan my dream shop. What are some thoughts on brands, sizes, etc? I really like your idea, Tom, about the drain.

Paul in Idaho

[Tom Miller]

Well, I got the drain plumbed in -- not any too soon, either, since it wasn't making it 24hrs between emptying the bucket. Thanks to an incorrectly roughed in basement bathroom, I had an extra 1.5" stub pointing into my shop that I used. Now it's a hands-off operation. [8D]

Luckily (?), I won't even notice the extra $$ in electric bill, since I've been running this thing for the last few years prior to having the basement finished last fall.

Paul, mine is a Sears, guessing 40 pints/day, with electronic front panel which, as I mentioned, is not such a good thing. I think for my small shop (~200 sq. ft), 40 pints/day may be overkill. It's definitely enough.

Regards,
Tom