Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Painted Signs with Damage GETTING WORSE in garage!

Heat the garage all winter, even keeping it at a steady 40 degrees will help.

Yes! Gas geezer, I was thinking on the same line a little, but with cans of paint stripper or MEK. Maybe it's where I live, but smog and acid fumes from catalytic converters seemed more likely.

You guys may save some new guys stuff with this thread. Garages and outbuilding with no temperature control or dehumidifier are no guarantee that items will be protected.. I have pulled many items out of garages,sheds, barns,etc. that were rusted beyond recognition due to condensation(brought about by temperature changes) and humidity. These simply destroy painted signs over time. I have seen old country stores in the south with signs and thermometers mounted on the backside of shutters(to display when open and prevent theft when the store was closed)become pieces of rust in 20 years....see photos. Control the temperature and humidity. Ventilation can help in certain cases also.Regional and elevation differences have to be taken into account. Dave

Install a couple of overhead fans , keep them on low all the time. The air moving will help. A lot of car collectors do this.

It's a similar situation with my shop tools. Humidity levels and lack of air movement is the problem. I really suggest a dehumidifier. Keeping the building a fairly even warmed up temp. during the winter will help as well. When I went to using a dehumidifier, my tools stopped rusting. Cost of losing your things to rust vs. the cost of the machine and running it are a no brainer IMO. Otherwise, you're going to need to move everything into your home.

When the garage was built things were getting dusty because there are open eves along the entire edge all the way around. Not open see through but open where air and insects can come in. I spray foamed all those sealed...I have been thinking of scraping it all out and just letting the building breath some. I can run a dehumifier year round no problem BUT I still will have major heat spikes in the summer months. I really have no way to heat the building without investing tons...any thoughts.

A ridge vent along the peak will help some but not heating it won't help. is it insulated? if it is you can get a modine heater installed for under 2000. Or find a used one. Show a picture of the inside and outside and the size I can give you some heating options.

I am not sure exactly how to fix your issue... I have swore I hung a few tin signs and they were 8s...look at them a year later and they look to have worn while on the wall lol...I have a fairly small shop garage...insulated with OSB on in and outside so it holds similar heat (still seasonal...hotter than ***** in summer)...check ridge vent like KZ said...and use a dehumidifier.... our basement here stays damp...we run two all the time (full blast). You must have a lot of moisture in the air...it has been very wet up your way too (Mass right?). Zap moisture issue and you will slow wear on metal painted items. Good luck...

Rick, Building isnt insulated it's simply a metal building with metal roof and roll door. Simple but solid. It's fairly air tight but not everywhere like I mentioned. I've already begun looking into getting an industrial strength dehumidifier for the spring summer fall months. I will have soem months to consider my heating options. From what I've read, I would want a more expensive unit that can perform in a wide temperture range. Apparently you can spend 1500+ on a dehumidifier...

If not insulated heating won't do any good, It's a garage you would not need anything oversized, you are not trying to maintain 70. Insulating the building without heat would make a huge difference also, but I hear it's not cheap to insulate those metal buildings.
You could bring your stuff to me and I could hang it in my Heated garage for you.

Cheaper to insulate then to replace part of a collection.

I agree the temp swings is making everything sweat. Even the 40 degree constance temp would be better that Rick mentioned. Many years back I kept my motorcycle in one working midnights I would go to get on it and have to dry it off from the temp change.My current garage didn't have insulation in the overhead attic,just something I never done. It would reach the 100 degree temps you spoke about,had it sprayed and it was like daylight and dark.I can run a fan when its hot summer and its never uncomfortable.-- Good luck let us know what you do sure their is others that are in the same boat.