Dehumidifier in garage/basement arcade????

kjeffery

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I am about to start painting and putting floor in my garage for the my dedicated arcade. My garage is actually below level. My driveway goes down and the garage is part of the basement but separated by a cinder block wall so its all one room. The two years that I lived here I have never had any leaking issues but the garage parts does get a slight bit of moisture due to humidity. Is it wise to get a dehumidifier? Will this cure the slight moisture on parts of the floor and the wall, its not bad but im afraid of putting floor down and getting moisture under neath. I will probably run it all summer and have a drain hose routed to were my sub pump is. I have less moisture problems during the winter so this probably would just be a seasonal thing. Anyone have any input?
 
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I am about to start painting and putting floor in my garage for the my dedicated arcade. My garage is actually below level. My driveway goes down and the garage is part of the basement but separated by a cinder block wall so its all one room. The two years that I lived here I have never had any leaking issues but the garage parts does git a slight bit of moisture due to humidity. Is it wise to get a dehumidifier? Will this cure the slight moisture on parts of the floor and the wall, its not bad but im afraid of putting floor down and getting moisture under neath. I will probably run it all summer and have a drain hose routed to were my sub pump is. I have less moisture problems during the winter so this probably would just be a seasonal thing. Anyone have any input?

Yes, put one in. Mine runs 24/7 most of the year. Shuts off in winter when its really cold. Make sure to get one that is rated for the square footage you have. It will dry it all up. Don't lay any floor if there is any moisture.
 
Yes, put one in. Mine runs 24/7 most of the year. Shuts off in winter when its really cold. Make sure to get one that is rated for the square footage you have. It will dry it all up. Don't lay any floor if there is any moisture.

my area im going to do is around 350 sq ft so im thinking on this and run it constant, i will let it run for ahwile before i do my floors or paint

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Frigidaire-50-pint-Energy-Star-Dehumidifer-White/13448972
 
I have one in my basement. Same as Gorfchampion, mine runs pretty much 24x7 except during the dead of winter when it's really dry. Unfortunately, they don't seem to last very long. I'm on my 3rd unit already in 6 years, which kinda sucks because they run about $300.
 
Definitely a good idea. Humidity bounces all over the place here in Iowa, at least it does waaaayyy over here about 10 minutes East of your house ;-) The floor sweats a lot this time of year in my garage, but mine's on ground level, unlike yours. Still, it's cheap insurance.

I know you've talked about sealing the walls, and using rubber flooring, but does anyone have any experience with floors sweating under those rubber floor tiles?
 
Definitely a good idea. Humidity bounces all over the place here in Iowa, at least it does waaaayyy over here about 10 minutes East of your house ;-) The floor sweats a lot this time of year in my garage, but mine's on ground level, unlike yours. Still, it's cheap insurance.

I know you've talked about sealing the walls, and using rubber flooring, but does anyone have any experience with floors sweating under those rubber floor tiles?

I was wondering the same, im sure ill be alright if i fully dry it out and then install them and run the dehumidifier constantly after, im not sure if im going to seal the walls, it doesnt leak at all just gets humid and gets moisture so im going to dry the walls out and just use regular paint since im cheap and lazy, i did that in another room in my basement and its been fine for 2 yrs and there is no dehumidifier in that room
 
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I have a dehumidifier running year-round. Between our high water table here on the flat Eastern Shore of MD, and an 85 year old basement, water is always a concern.

As an Architect, I would not recommend finishing the space if you have any water issues. Mold will grow.
 
I have a dehumidifier running year-round. Between our high water table here on the flat Eastern Shore of MD, and an 85 year old basement, water is always a concern.

As an Architect, I would not recommend finishing the space if you have any water issues. Mold will grow.

like i said before it doesn't leak just very humid in the summer and slight moisture , very slight,Im not truly finishing it either, im laying down the foam flooring and just painting the cinder block walls, will look very nice when im done and have an arcade feel to it
 
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Dude go to newegg.com and get the 70 pint frigidaire. Mine has been running like a champ for 3 years. Its worth every penny

My LG bought from Home Depot has been going 365/24/7 for the last 4 years. Before I started collecting, I just had it down there to be safe since we store a lot of clothes/books in the basement; we don't even get any water, but I figured it couldn't hurt. Now that I have more and more games down there, I'm even more glad I have it. I also hooked it up to a condensate pump that dumps the water into the slop sink on the other side of the basement. That way, no having to remember to empty the basin. Totally on autopilot.
 
I run my de-humidifier and a oscillating fan 24/7 all summer in my garage and basement, I can't stand damp air or the problems it brings. I've also UGL Drylocked the cinder block walls of my basement and will be finishing off the garage this year with it, seems to help a good amount and makes things look nice too.
 
I dropped an AC condensation pump in the dehumidifier bucket and added a hose from the drip hole into the condensate pump. That pumps the water up into a 3/4" line that traverses the basement ceiling and goes out a wall on the ground level side of the house. That line services two dehumidifiers and works great. Just remember to put in a "P" trap near the end so bugs and stuff don't inhabit the line during dry months.
 
I have that same 70 pint fridigere dehumidifier in my basement. Works great.
I have it piped in my sump pump hole. Keeps it nice and dry.

I think amazon has it really cheap.
 
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