Perfect Environment for Classic Car Storage

The CarSpace Ltd have chosen to dehumidify all our buildings with dehumidifiers which monitor and maintain a target RH of 55%. Be it Classic, to Supercars, we at www.thecarspace.co.uk will provide you with professional and passion driven service for all your classic car storage needs.

Car are manufactured with a multitude of different materials. Moisture is the cause of rust and mould and it’s this which needs to be managed. Here at www.thecarspace.co.uk we have researched the different options and ‘best practice’ for the storing your pride and joy in the best possible environment.

Heating

Whilst many believe this is the obvious option, there are several drawbacks. Firstly it’s expensive, not many garages are insulated? This means that the heater will be going a lot of the time, with a lot of the heat lost back into the atmosphere. Warm air does not mean dry air. By heating the air the amount of moisture it can hold actually rises. If you bring your vehicle out of the cold into a warm garage, condensation forms, adding to the problem.

Ventilation

By keeping the air moving in your garage it is possible to prevent condensation forming. The downside of this is that the air can still be laden with moisture and wherever the air is allowed to become still (under the car, engine bay, exhaust, interior etc) condensation can form starting the rusting or mould process.

Plastic Enclosures

The next step on from ventilating the whole garage is to place the vehicle inside a purpose built enclosure a little larger than the car. Several manufacturers supply systems that enclose the car completely in a plastic ‘bubble.’ Advantages are that 99% of dust is filtered out and air is continually being moved by fans to prevent condensation forming. These also have the additional benefit of preventing any objects accidentally coming into contact with the bodywork. 

Dehumidification

The preferred method of removing moisture from the air and regarded as ‘best practice’ in the vehicle storage industry is by dehumidifying the whole storage environment. Dehumidifying allows vehicles stored in a garage to remain condensation and corrosion free.. It is important not to dry the air too much as a relative humidity (RH) drier than 55% may dry any wood (dashboards) or leather too much, causing them to warp and crack. Anything ‘wetter’ than a RH of 55% will allow exposed, untreated metal surfaces to start the corrosion process. We have more advanced dehumidifiers with in-built humidistats to ensure that the air does not become too dry or too wet, turning the machines on and off as required.

Contact us,  and you’ll receive regular updates on what’s happening in the enthusiast and classic car world.