Garage venting for humidity (winter) / heat (summer)
Wondering what the best option would be for some garage venting. Ive been toying with some options, and wondering what would be the most cost effective either over time, or initially.
Right now have a 3 car garage (heated) but without any floor drains. Don't have it heated very high, maybe 1-2 degrees for the most part just to keep the vehicles warm and melt off snow. Of course that's where the humidty issue comes in.
When it snows and the 3 vehicles melt, the humidity can hit as high as 80 or 90%. It doesn't stay like that for days mind you, I do what I can to get rid of it. Sweep out any water I can, open up the doors a little just to get rid of it, but when its 30 below out, not very cost effective since you have to re-heat the garage.
Some options I have been throwing around are.
1. Get the two windows replaced that don't open with ones that do. At least let some of the humidity escape and to allow a cross breeze for the summer over night and for the day. Day time isn't bad if we are home, just open the doors, but want more of a permanent solution. Winter would be back to taking the heat with the humidly, and have to reheat the cold air.
2. Get some warehouse ceiling fans installed to move the air around, but I think that would be more helpful for the summer. Winter it would move the air around, but not remove the humidity.
3. Exhaust fans (like bathrooms) to remove not only humidity, but any smells from cleaning vehicles, carbon monoxide, etc. But wondering what ones would work best on 12 foot ceilings, and how many. Or do they make special ones for garages?
4. Dehumidifier, while would help with the humidity, would cost a lot extra for electricity in the winter, and not help with the heat in the summer
Any other ideas would be appreciated, just looking to make it more efficient. IM in the process of pricing out a new furnace as well, since I have an old house floor model that's probably 50 years old I'm sure (Zenith model) and while it works, isn't the best, and replacing with a ceiling hung forced air, which will use the current stovepipe out the roof and wont have to move the gas line either, just tweak it. Clear up some floor space and use the high celling to my advantage
Right now have a 3 car garage (heated) but without any floor drains. Don't have it heated very high, maybe 1-2 degrees for the most part just to keep the vehicles warm and melt off snow. Of course that's where the humidty issue comes in.
When it snows and the 3 vehicles melt, the humidity can hit as high as 80 or 90%. It doesn't stay like that for days mind you, I do what I can to get rid of it. Sweep out any water I can, open up the doors a little just to get rid of it, but when its 30 below out, not very cost effective since you have to re-heat the garage.
Some options I have been throwing around are.
1. Get the two windows replaced that don't open with ones that do. At least let some of the humidity escape and to allow a cross breeze for the summer over night and for the day. Day time isn't bad if we are home, just open the doors, but want more of a permanent solution. Winter would be back to taking the heat with the humidly, and have to reheat the cold air.
2. Get some warehouse ceiling fans installed to move the air around, but I think that would be more helpful for the summer. Winter it would move the air around, but not remove the humidity.
3. Exhaust fans (like bathrooms) to remove not only humidity, but any smells from cleaning vehicles, carbon monoxide, etc. But wondering what ones would work best on 12 foot ceilings, and how many. Or do they make special ones for garages?
4. Dehumidifier, while would help with the humidity, would cost a lot extra for electricity in the winter, and not help with the heat in the summer
Any other ideas would be appreciated, just looking to make it more efficient. IM in the process of pricing out a new furnace as well, since I have an old house floor model that's probably 50 years old I'm sure (Zenith model) and while it works, isn't the best, and replacing with a ceiling hung forced air, which will use the current stovepipe out the roof and wont have to move the gas line either, just tweak it. Clear up some floor space and use the high celling to my advantage