How to Dehumidify a Garage

Depending on where you live, humidity can be a significant problem in a garage space. This is especially true in the hot summer months when there tends to be a lot of moisture in the air—particularly in the Southeastern and Northeastern United States. Once that wet air sneaks its way into your garage, you may struggle to get it out, and damage to your stored items could result. This article will dive into how to dehumidify a garage.

Starting with an excellent design for your garage is an essential piece of the puzzle, so if you are going to build one soon on your property, make sure to team up with American Carports, Inc. for that project. Since you can customize your design with our Build & Price tool, you’ll be able to include features that help with humidity management. Contact us today for more information!

Reduce Sources of Moisture

While it might go without saying, there is nothing you can do about the humidity outside. If there are certain times of the year when the air tends to be quite moist, that’s just the way it is, and you’ll need to adapt as necessary. With that said, you can do your part to bring the humidity down in your garage by eliminating moisture sources that add to the water in the air.

For an obvious example, leaving a bucket with water in the garage for an extended period would be a bad idea. That water will gradually get picked up by the air, and the air will become more humid. This is especially a problem when the doors are closed, and there is no ventilation available – the atmosphere will continue to get heavier, and you might wind up with issues like rust and other damage to your things.

Of course, a bucket of water is a pretty blatant example of a moisture source you’ll want to eliminate, but that’s not the only possibility. For example, it could be that your garage has a small leak in the corner that you haven’t even noticed. Or, you could be habitually dropping wet clothes inside the garage to dry after you’ve been out in the rain. Whatever it is, pay attention to anything damp that might land in the garage, and don’t let it stay there for too long.

Focus on Ventilation

We mentioned ventilation above, but this topic needs its own section here.

Properly ventilating a garage space is one of the best things you can do to keep the humidity down. When you can open up windows and doors to let air from the outside come in, you will neutralize the moisture in the garage and bring it to level with what is going on outside. So, if the humidity is low outside but the air in your garage is heavy because it has been contained in the space, opening up a few windows could make a huge difference.

You obviously can’t open up windows that you don’t have, so keep this point in mind when designing your new garage with American Carports, Inc. Include a few windows in the design, along with your door or doors, so it will be easy to invite the outside air to come in when the conditions are right.

Soak It Up

It’s also possible to use absorbent material to soak up extra water in the air and bring down the humidity. Cat litter is a common choice for this task, as it is designed to soak up moisture and hold onto it until the litter is disposed of and changed out. And, since cat litter is so affordable, placing a box in the corner of your garage won’t cost much to deal with humidity issues. Just remember to change that litter from time to time – more frequently during the humid months – so it can continue to get the job done.

Consider Using a Machine

Speaking of the humid months, you might find that your only viable option for keeping humidity down when the air is thick outside is to use an electric dehumidifier. These devices are not particularly expensive, and they are portable. Just plug one in, place it in the garage, and let it run. Of course, you won’t want to use this method all year, but it can be a great help when the humidity is high and none of the other methods are working.

American Carports Has You Covered

We hope you enjoyed this guide on how to dehumidify a garage! While you can’t control the climate outside, you can take steps inside your garage to manage the situation and keep the humidity as low as possible. To build a durable metal garage that will stand the test of time, get in touch with American Carports, Inc. today to learn more about what we offer.

With countless customization options, it’s easy to make your new garage a perfect match for what you need. So whether you need a huge metal garage or a modest space, we can make it happen. Remember to explore our free Build & Price tool when you are ready to start building. Thanks for visiting our blog, and we hope to serve you soon!