Sheds and condensation - problem and solution

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yeadon_m
Posts: 7401
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:10 am
Location: Canterbury Kent

Sheds and condensation - problem and solution

Post by yeadon_m »

Folks,
For those of you lucky enough to have an attached garage for the ongoing 750A project & the only commissioned bike I run through the winter (GSX1400) AND a separate big shed for storing finished projects - a watch out.
In the big detached shed, I parked up both a GT750B and a GT380B in November, emptied the carbs, put fuel preserver in the tanks, brimmed them, smeared ACF50 on the shiny bits, put them on Optimates then covered them up with big sheets.
Checked under the sheets today - shock horror, metal parts streaming with condensation and dripping onto the floor.
Bit of googling - dew point issue. At night, everything gets so cold, then warms up more slowly that the outside temp, so all the moisture likes to be plastered onto my shiny treasures.
Solution - raise temp of the metal (ie air in shed) to outside ambient or above (thermostatically controlled heater) and ventilate (extractor fan running 24/7 and an air inlet grille.
4 hours later - everything dryzabone.
Outlay - £60. Result - peace of mind till springtime!
Might be a useful tip for someone.
Cheers all!
MikeY
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malky
Posts: 1096
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 3:25 pm
Location: swansea south wales

Re: Sheds and condensation - problem and solution

Post by malky »

I had the same problem a couple of years ago after re-roofing the garage with box profile sheeting everything soaking wet -it was worse than the old leaky roof!The remedy was to line the new roof on the inside with the thin polystyrene sheeting that you can get on a roll from b&q and the like and as a secondary defence a couple of heavy duty outside quality motrax motorcycle covers were bought-bingo no more damp bikes -the alloy stays nice and shiny all through the winter now and I dont even have to spray everything with waxoil & wd40 any more.Hope this tip is of some use.
bod750
Posts: 292
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:08 pm
Location: Isle of Sheppey, Kent
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Re: Sheds and condensation - problem and solution

Post by bod750 »

Hi, thought you might like to see my shed with my old FZR1000 in mid rebuild about 2 years ago, Compact and Bijou springs to mind.
When I built the shed I completely covered the roof in bitumen before putting the felt on and have never had any problems with
condensation or leaks, probably more luck than judgement.
We have no off road parking but have recently aquired a garage, albeit about 300 yards away from the house, there is no power but
enough room for my wifes car, an old mini and a couple of bikes, Kawasaki VN1500 and the GT rolling chassis, but all the work is done
in the shed and under the lean to outside.

Bod750
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1. Shed and Bike.JPG
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yeadon_m
Posts: 7401
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:10 am
Location: Canterbury Kent

Re: Sheds and condensation - problem and solution

Post by yeadon_m »

Good stuff! apparently never a problem in lean tos....this is essentially outside (though out of the rain) and the temp differential that drives the condensation won't occur.
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