Wet vehicles in a finished garage - Dehumidifier?

[CO-guy]

Odd question, but maybe someone else has a similar issue. We have an oversized 2-car garage that is fully finished. The garage is extremely well insulated with hydronic in-floor heat. The in-floor heat really helps to dry out the car in the winter and comfy chairs and a sound system makes the garage a nice cozy space to hang out with friends to tune bikes/skis while listening to music.

However, occasionally we roll into the garage in the winter with our vehicle looking like a snowball, and that dampness can linger in the closed space for several days. I just purchased a dehumidifier with an automatic "dry" mode that will turn on when the humidity spikes. Has anyone else had this issue when bringing a vehicle caked in snow into their finished garage space? What was your solution?

Humidity is rarely an issue since we live in a desert environment, so local folks haven't been much help. This would be a more urgent problem if we didn't have such a small vehicle and such a cavernous garage space, but hopefully I'm on the right track with an automatic dehumidifier.

 

[Sunset]

I've knocked the snow off, especially the wheel clumps of gray salty snow/ice off the mudflaps before driving into the garage.
All in an effort to reduce the wetness that can linger for days to a week.

 

[braumeister]

In your shoes, I might consider using a leaf blower to get the snow off the car before putting it in the garage.

 

[pb4uski]

I solved the problem by snowbirding to Florida (and now Texas). Problem solved!

 

[N02L84ER]

We have a dehumidifier in our garage. We leave it unplugged until we pull the car in dripping wet.

 

[CO-guy]

We have a dehumidifier in our garage. We leave it unplugged until we pull the car in dripping wet.

Thanks! Nice to know I'm on the right track.

As far as removing snow, it's less white fluffy stuff and more frozen blocks of ice in the wheel wells and elsewhere.

 

[Jerry1]

Thanks! Nice to know I'm on the right track.

As far as removing snow, it's less white fluffy stuff and more frozen blocks of ice in the wheel wells and elsewhere.

Once it drops off the car, I’d get a floor squeegee and push as much of the water out as possible.

 

[427Vette]

I also have this problem. I put in a large bath exhaust fan on a humidistat, good floor drains, and two of those three blade industrial ceiling fans. Like you I also have a dehumidifier. The combination works great. It does help to push the snow off outside before you pull in.

 

[Piper20]

After 30 years our nailed drywall ceiling started to fall down. It’s a common occurrence in the North East.

 

[Healthy Lifestyle]

I think the snow and salt on the car can slowly damage or create fine cracks on garage floor.

 

[street]

Air movement ceiling fan and venting will help a bunch.

 

[CO-guy]

I think the snow and salt on the car can slowly damage or create fine cracks on garage floor.

Fortunately, we live in an area where they don't salt the roads in the winter. It gets cold enough that the salty brine will freeze, and the salt attracts wildlife.

*note: Rather than salt, they spread sand and pea gravel which does a different kind of damage.

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

Fortunately, we live in an area where they don't salt the roads in the winter. It gets cold enough that the salty brine will freeze, and the salt attracts wildlife.

*note: Rather than salt, they spread sand and pea gravel which does a different kind of damage.

Bringing a salt encrusted car into a heated garage really accelerates the rusting process.
I assume sand and pea gravel does a number on the paint finish?

 

[CO-guy]

Bringing a salt encrusted car into a heated garage really accelerates the rusting process.
I assume sand and pea gravel does a number on the paint finish?

And the windshield. We get it replaced about every 1-2 years.

 

[skipro33]

I covered my floor with raised plastic tiles and the water and melted snow drains towards the garage door since there's a slight slope to the floor. But to keep moisture to a minimum, I put down cardboard that soaks up most of the drips, then remove it. Many times it will dry in the sun and can be reused. Otherwise it goes in the recycle can.

 

[427Vette]

Interesting, tell me more about the tiles. Are they sealed down or interlocked together? Can the moisture get underneath them?

 

[Sunset]

After 30 years our nailed drywall ceiling started to fall down. It’s a common occurrence in the North East.

in the garage or the house ?

 

[Piper20]

in the garage or the house ?

In the garage.

 

[Sittinginthesun]

I have a full built in HRV system in my heated garage that removes all excess humidity very quickly. Pull snow covered cars in there and by morning they are completely dry and humidity back down under 50%. Did the same thing in my shop, great systems and very economical to run unlike a dehumidifier.

 

[Sittinginthesun]

I also used Trusscore panels for my walls and ceilings in the garage and shop, great product that doesn’t absorb moisture and you can spray it down with a hose to clean it. Zero drywall.

 

[street]

Kind of off topic but a floor mat that does under car will catch all ice, rain and mud etc. They have a high out edge to contain all moisture. Very light material and easy to just pull out door and sweep off.

Just research floor mat for garage that hold moisture etc.
It keeps all matter contained and the rest of the floor clean and dry.

 

[skipro33]

Interesting, tell me more about the tiles. Are they sealed down or interlocked together? Can the moisture get underneath them?

The tiles were purchased from COSTCO:

https://www.costco.com/motofloor-modular-garage-flooring-tiles-48-square-feet-per-box-1'-x-1'-tiles.product.100009181.html

The interlock and not sealed. I did lay down a sort of insulating plastic material used for click-lock indoor flooring, taping all the seams, before laying the floor. Not only does this keep moisture from getting into the base concrete, but any moisture will either channel away via the slope of my garage floor or evaporate out the tile joints. Mostly though, I put in the underlayment because some reviewers said the floor had a loud, echo-like sound without it. And I tested that with a 10x10 assembled chunk and sure enough, it was loud to walk on the floor. Adding the underlay eliminated that.
When the tiles get wet they sort of are concave, allowing water to pool towards the center. When flooded, it will seep into the joints, but since there's a base layer of plastic, no concerns. I can easily mop the floor to clean it, using a standard mop and bucket with some Mr. Clean added.
I keep several layers of cardboard from large boxes we receive folded and under the cars. This will catch all that melting snow and excess rain runoff. I will usually wipe the car down when I pull in if it's wet, or wait until the next day if it's snow. The garage stays about 60 degrees in winter regardless of the outdoor temperature. It is a well-insulated garage!
One other note: dropped parts do not bounce and roll away on this stuff. It's very 'dead' when something drops on it like a screw or other part you might drop. To me, that is one of the floor's best features as I can now find stuff dropped. Also, spilled motor oil from oil changes wipe right up. I won't even leave a sheen film on it using a good terrycloth rag. The photo with the white car in it is very dirty. It's taken this morning after pulling in 3 or 4 times from returning from a ski trip with all that sand and stuff thrown on the roads frozen up in the under carriage and wheel wells. I mop the floor with those wet mop pads maybe every couple of months now instead of wet mopping. Quick and easy to do.
Here's some photos attached:

 

[OldShooter]

Usually a dehumidifier accumulates the water it collects in a tank or bucket that has to be emptied periodically. So it is not "fire and forget." You might want to see if there is a way to connect a hose to your always-on unit and send the water outside.

 

[CO-guy]

Usually a dehumidifier accumulates the water it collects in a tank or bucket that has to be emptied periodically. So it is not "fire and forget." You might want to see if there is a way to connect a hose to your always-on unit and send the water outside.

Agree that it's hardly a set and forget situation with a dehumidifier, but we don't arrive home with an ice caked car all that often, even in the winter.

Also, fantastic solution skipro33, though I'm having some garage storage envy

Our garage floor is stained and sealed rather than tiled. We're 'close' to having our gear storage sorted for bikes, skis, camping and other assorted outdoor gear. We even have a little charging station for lights, speakers, and power banks. However, our tool storage is woefully lacking for the volume of tools we have.

 

[CO-guy]

Update: We had our first snow crusted car experience since setting up the dehumidifier. After returning from Nordic skiing where we drove several miles on an unplowed dirt road, the car dropped a bunch of water from the ice crusted wheel wells. However, the dehumidifier had the floor dry by morning. It filled the tank about half-way before automatically shutting off once the humidity dropped below 35%. Seeing a wet floor a day later is what made me buy a dehumidifier, so it seems that the problem has been solved.