How important is a climate controlled garage?

[kcobean]

So my garage is about as insulated as a soda can. During the summer months, it's usually hotter in my garage than it is outside, and in the winter, you could freeze the boobs off a bull. Just wondering if anyone has any insights as to how detrimental temperature extremes are to our snakes. I've been seriously thinking about adding some serious insulation and adding a stand alone AC/Heat unit. What's tolerable in your opinion?

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I dont have a very insulated garage and my Viper has lived there for 1.5 years and my Eclipse lived there for 5. Both are still running and hitting on all 10 (and 4)

 

[29OUTLAW]

Just try the insulation first without the heat or A/C. A well insulated garage will remain almost the same temp as the inside of the house even with no heat or A/C in it.

Whatever you do, don't put a pool table in a garage with no climate control.

 

[GTS Bruce]

I don't think temp makes too much difference.Humidity at 50% is more important.Higher equals rusting etc.Lower can **** moisture out of leather etc.Ideal is probably 68 deg and 50% humidity per some upscale car storage facilities. Bruce

 

[EastTnMan]

I know my garage is well insulated, but one thing is missing...and I plan on fixing this soon....a De-Humidifier. I keep my GTS, Boss Hoss and BMW in the garage at all times, and I have noticed that I can detail all of them, and in a day or so, the chrome on the bike as well as the polished finishes on the Viper will be dull, and seem to have a film on them. This is because of the garage being sealed up, and the summer humidity. I am in the process of searching for a de-humidifier with a pump that will automatically get rid of the excess moisture in the air, without having to empty it by hand. I have found several models that have adjustable humidity levels, and are basically maintenance-free. I think this is the solution to my problem, and the solution is fairly cheap, according to the square feet of your storage area as to which unit to purchase.

 

[ViperCrazed]

Whatever you do, don't put a pool table in a garage with no climate control.


huh????

 

[Flash Gordon]

Whatever you do, don't put a pool table in a garage with no climate control.

Yeah, you lost me on this, as well. I've had a one piece slate, bar room, fast play table in mine for years. Plays as straight and level as the day I installed it. Of course, there's not alot of wood, leather etc. on an old coin-op bar table...

 

[29OUTLAW]

Whatever you do, don't put a pool table in a garage with no climate control.

Yeah, you lost me on this, as well. I've had a one piece slate, bar room, fast play table in mine for years. Plays as straight and level as the day I installed it. Of course, there's not alot of wood, leather etc. on an old coin-op bar table...

This topic brought back a bad experience I had with a pool table in a humid garage. Like most things, some are better than others.

 

[GTS Bruce]

Before you dehumidify get a cheapy temp humidity checker.I thought I would have to dehumidify but not so.Never varies beyond 10 points of 50.Of course its insulated,sheet rocked,well sealed and has no bare concrete.Floor covered with white vinyl tile. I have passive heat.My hot water tank is in the garage and when the temps drop below zerro outside there is enough heat loss to keep the garage around 50 degF. Bruce

 

[ViperJoe]

I think just keeping it out of acid rain, snow, bird droppings, UV ray damage, REALLY blistering sunlight with REALLY high interior temps (in the hot months), along with the possibility of hail, the errant baseball or golf ball, not to mention vandalism.........just the Viper being IN a garage has more of a benefit than that of one that is climate controlled.

 

[418viper]

Sometime I read a post about a guy who lived in a very hot climate (like the Sultan of Brunei) who had an AC garage and he had a constant problem with flat spotting tires. Apparently he would pull in with extremely hot tire temps and the cold AC would partially deflate the tire pressure and so-on ???

 

[GTSPOWERED]

I store my Viper in a car capsule no moisture build up in the spring keeps the dust bugs and anything else off of it. Also prevents damage from accidents.

 

[Bob K]

My garage is insulated (2x6 constuction), sheet rocked and vinyl tiles on the floor. It has a furnace for the winter but no AC. This summer when it was above 90 degrees outside it was 70 inside. It was a great place to cool off. In the winter I set the thermostat between 50 and 60 degrees unless I am spending time in there - then I increase it. The doors are insulated as well. I have a hygrometer but have not put it in the garage to check the humidity. I haven't noticed any issues.

Bob K

 

[syldogRT/10]

My garage is also insulated and I have a small gas heater for the winter. In the summer as long as I keep the garage doors closed it's nice and cool in there. I would just insulate it and go from there. Good luck!

 

[Jim Peffers]

I think that the biggest advantage to having a climate-controlled/insulated garage is that you can avoid rapid temperature changes which can lead to condensation and moisture problems. This is especially important in the Spring when the nights are cold and then the air warms rapidly during the day. One of the places where I lived when I was younger had an uninsulated garage/shop and sometimes in the morning, every cold metal surface would be literally dripping with condensation - very bad for machinery

 

[ViperJoe]

OK..............here is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing about having a climate controlled garage............

You can WORK on your junk in COMFORT.

End of story

 

[Leslie]

OK..............here is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing about having a climate controlled garage............

You can WORK on your junk in COMFORT.

End of story

I was reading this thread and waiting for someone to say that!

I am thinking abour insulating my garage also before winter hits-just so I can get some winter mods done in comfort

 

[Jay Herbert]

OK..............here is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing about having a climate controlled garage............

You can WORK on your junk in COMFORT.

End of story

I was reading this thread and waiting for someone to say that!

I am thinking abour insulating my garage also before winter hits-just so I can get some winter mods done in comfort

I third this motion! In the part of the US I live in, A/C for summer in the shop was one of the best things ever invented. Winter is easy here, all it takes to keep a well insulated shop warm is the few BTU's from pulling the daily driver in after the drive home from work!

A non-temp controlled garage will in general not harm cars... if you are driving a car in a Northern state, only concern is viscosity of fluids when started cold. A heated garage will eliminate that worry for all fluids in the vehicle. A block heater on a timer will take care of the most important: engine oil For Northern WI, this was a must.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Something to remember for those keeping a heated garage in the winter. If you also have cars in the same garage which are continually exposed to salted roads---the heat becomes a catalyst for the oxidation process. I have stored cars in unheated garages for almost 25 years with no problems. Our garage is 2x6,insulated,dry walled, and most of it under living space. Even in sub zero temperatures, it seldom gets below 35 degrees. Normal winter garage temp is 40-45 at 10-20 outside temp. I have a permanently mounted natural gas vent free heater hooked up to pour some heat in there when necessary to work. I can get it up to 50+ no matter the temp outside. Plenty warm enough to work. You should not need a block heater at all if your car is kept in a insulated, unheated garage given the garage temp is around 40 degrees. That's not very cold.

Steve

 

[Jay Herbert]

Something to remember for those keeping a heated garage in the winter. If you also have cars in the same garage which are continually exposed to salted roads---the heat becomes a catalyst for the oxidation process. I have stored cars in unheated garages for almost 25 years with no problems. Our garage is 2x6,insulated,dry walled, and most of it under living space. Even in sub zero temperatures, it seldom gets below 35 degrees. Normal winter garage temp is 40-45 at 10-20 outside temp. I have a permanently mounted natural gas vent free heater hooked up to pour some heat in there when necessary to work. I can get it up to 50+ no matter the temp outside. Plenty warm enough to work. You should not need a block heater at all if your car is kept in a insulated, unheated garage given the garage temp is around 40 degrees. That's not very cold.

Steve

Excellent point! Heat melts salt filled shush and ice running it into joints... result = "northern car rot".

Vipers frame is done in a process called a "Galvaneal" to prevent corrosion, not that many Vipers ever get salt covered...

At least cars now-a-days are usually fully dipped in a corrsion resistant primer before paint. Not like the old days, our family had a Fiat that litterally disappeared before our eyes.... ever wonder why Fiat fled the US market? It didn't, it's cars "disappeared"

 

[carguy07]

My garage is attached but not insulated. We use the garage door to go in and out year round. The best thing that I have found is to run a dehumidifier until the temp goes below 40 degrees. Below that the air does not hold much water anyway.

 

[IEATVETS]

Also, if you have a well insulated garage or storage facility, if you have a dehumidifier in said place you probably will not need A/C. A friend and I own an old warehouse in Ashland, Wi. that we keep cars in. Spent a lot of coin to insulate and redo the inside and have never needed A/C. We keep 3 dehumidifier's going all summer long. Another advantage is no dead batteries!!

 

[RAYSIR]

Guys, the worst thing on a car is heat and humidity. When I was in the Air Guard and working in Supply ALL rubber tires and moldingss for C130s were kept in the "rubber room", it was kept at 34 degrees and at that temp no humidity was recorded either. I have owned a car storage here (since 1981) and store 130 cars in the winter. It's 3 story enclosed building and NOT heated. Never have had any problems with tires or interiors or engines (batteries are cheap)but I know of problems when heated storage is too warm. Leather cracks.Tires check. Seals dry out. Give me cold before heat ant day for storage. Where do you keep your meat fresh, It AINT the heat.

 

[sparty116]

I store my Viper in a car capsule no moisture build up in the spring keeps the dust bugs and anything else off of it. Also prevents damage from accidents.

I use the same capsule and it is great. Stored my car from Oct-April and there wasn't one spot of rust on any of the break rotors, even though it went through a Michigan winter with tons of condensation when things begin to warm up.

 

[Racer Robbie]

I live in Ct and keep my viper under my beach house on the waterfront in a garage. I keep a CoverKing cover on it at all times and have seen zero rust or corrosion in 4 years