Condensation is likely to happen in garages where vapor in warm air makes contact with cold surfaces or colder gasses. When garage doors are insulated and garages are heated, they become the perfect environments for high condensation especially during the cold winter months. Nothing is good when it comes to condensation in the garage. They can affect the entire home and will influence the condition of the garage door. So fighting condensation as quickly as possible and as effectively as possible is a must.
Why garage condensation occurs
Excess moisture happens during the winter and especially if you own an energy efficient garage door but also when the humidity levels increase in the spring and summer. So, this is an all-season problem. Condensation happens when the car is driven inside the garage when there’s still snow and rainwater on it. Other sources include running appliances in the garage without proper ventilation or dealing with water leaks.
Due to its large size, the overhead garage door allows more air to come in and a bigger surface where droplets can be found. And it’s not just that. A sectional door has several sections and thus at least 5 entry points for the air to come in. You won’t find droplets only on the surface but also on the sections where the panels intersect and around the garage door weatherstripping.
Ways to fight condensation in the garage
Condensation is not entirely avoidable but there are some things you can do to eliminate it.
- Prefer a rubber garage door bottom seal to make sure it sits on the floor well and doesn’t allow moisture to come in. Avoid aluminum weatherstripping which can warm up and create condensation if the levels of humidity are high.
- Insulate the joints between the garage door sections and use thermal breaks so that the exterior and interior skins do not come in contact.
- Seal the perimeter of the garage door to stop air infiltration.
- Try to keep the levels of humidity in the garage as low as possible. One method to achieve that is by keeping the garage door open for a while to let cold air in. You can always use a dehumidifier to control moisture.
- If you notice condensation or fogging on the garage door windows, check if the problem goes away. If not, you need to call a garage door company.
- Install a vapor barrier to improve the conditions inside the garage.
- Dry off your car before you drive in the garage to keep the indoor moisture levels down.
The secret to fight garage condensation is to control moisture in the space and try to keep the temperatures down when it’s cold outside. There is no doubt about the effectiveness of proper weather seals around the door and windows and the necessity of garage door weatherstripping replacement when they are worn.
Take action today – condensation is bad for the garage door & home
The effects of condensation are not good. Wood garage doors might rot. Mold infestations are very possible at different parts of the garage and these can easily move towards the main house while they will cause damage to all the items you keep in the garage. Moisture is not good for your health while wood or steel garage door damage will translate into a large expense. It’s wise to take drastic action to minimize the levels of moisture.
