You can dry out a wet garage by mopping up the water first, installing a water dam to prevent any water from flooding in. Alternatively, if your garage is wet due to condensation, installing a dehumidifier and a ventilation system will prevent condensation.
Why is my garage wet?
There are several potential reasons why your garage is wet. And, because water can travel far, identifying the source can be difficult. Your garage walls may be wet because of a leak from the roof, badly seamed entrances, cracks in the concrete or because of humidity and condensation.
leak from the roof
Wet garage walls are often caused by a leak from the roof. This can be identified by checking for damp wooden joists, as they can act as a conduit for the water. The flashing where the walls and the roof is a common point for entry. Flaws in the roofing materials can be the cause, too. You should check your roofing and remove and replace anything that needs replacing.
Window, door and other utilities that use seams are potential points of entry for water leaks. You should check the seams up and down. The seams between wooden internal walls and concrete floors, walls and ceilings must be properly sealed with silicone caulk.
Cracks in the walls
Cracks in the concrete of the walls should not be a problem for high-grade and well-built garages. However, this is still a consideration if you have wet walls. Because concrete is porous, water and moisture can leak through. You should check for any cracks and seal them with hydraulic cement. After sealing any cracks, the walls should then be entirely sealed with penetrating sealant.
Humidity level
High levels of humidity or condensation in your garage can make for wet walls. And, it’s a common issue. Condensation is often the result of uninsulated pipes in the wall. And, high humidity is common in garages with many concrete walls. To find out which is the problem, tape a piece of foil to a wall and leave for a few days.
If the moisture is on the wall side, it’s condensation. If it’s on the other side, it’s humidity. The fix to either problem, however, is the same. Seal the concrete walls with penetrating sealing, improve ventilation with vents and control the temperature in the garage with insulation.
Water dam barrier
Water dams are barriers that are easy and quick to install and can be done by one person. They lay on the floor to block the water from travelling farther. And, they can be used to easily divert pools of water out and away from garage equipment.
However, it will not be enough to soak up the remaining damp that will be left behind. For that, you will need to use a squeegee mop.
At this stage, you should remove the water dam barrier. Then, begin to mop up the excess with the squeegee. This can also help you divert any substantial leftover water. After you’ve cleared most of the water after this stage you may be able to see the root of the leak. If so, use the water dam at its source to prevent the spread. When there’s no more water leaking into the garage, you can move on.
You’ve not done most of the hard work. But, there are two more important steps to completely drying out your wet garage. The next step is to use a mop to soak up any water residue. Nothing too fancy is required. But, an electric mop can be super helpful here for doing the job quickly and effortlessly.
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How To Keep Your Garage Dry
It’s a good idea to keep your garage dry by fortifying your garage before rain and snow can penetrate. You should seal up existing cracks, check the windows and insulate them, shut your garage door tightly after use, always wipe down your cars and use a dehumidifier.
Seal up any cracks
One of the first things to do is seal up any cracks with caulk in preparation for the rainy seasons. This is one of the best ways to help prevent rain and moisture from entering your garage.
Windows and doors are easy points of entry for water and moisture. Over time, the sealing on them can loosen and allow for leaks to enter your garage. You should check all seals to determine whether they need to be resealed. Also, while you do this, you can check for damage to the windows and frames, which can be caused by animals.
Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is a cheap and effective way at keeping your garage dry. Maintaining a dehumidifier can also help protect your costly equipment by sucking up condensation that can rust tools. This will also help prevent mold which can be damaging to your health.
Wipe down your car when it gets wet
Another simple step is to always wipe down your car when it gets wet. It’s a small task that doesn’t take long which can help prevent condensation. And, it’s worth checking over to make sure your garage door fits properly so you can shut it tightly after every use. Water can easily seep through the bottom of a garage door that is not properly sealed shut. It’s another simple and effective preventative measure to keep your garage dry.
Eliminate the clutter
If you’re garage suffers from condensation, getting rid of clutter will help improve air flow. Reducing heat and prevent your garage from sweating, causing it to become wet.
Will a fan help with humidity in the garage?
A fan can help mitigate humidity by helping to ventilate your garage. They can do this by directing humid air outside and bringing fresh air in. Drawing in an air cooler than your garage can help to reduce water vapour in the air, which is caused by the concentration of humidity in the air.
Humidity is caused by highly concentrated water vapour in the air. Regional climate and temperature play a big role in the level of humidity your garage might have, as well as the other factors we’ve mentioned above.
A fan can be a useful tool in helping to mitigate humidity in your garage. A fan can help ventilate your garage by introducing cooler, exterior air, which should not be as humid, into your garage. This cooling will prevent the air from retaining as much water vapour. Fans can also be used in the reverse by pushing out and ridding of the humid interior air externally.
Where you place your fan is essential to help mitigate the humidity in your garage. For use of either pulling cool, external air in or pushing humid, internal air out, you should place your fan by a window, propped up by a table. Or, use a pedestal fan. This will help optimize the input and output of air.
