Condensation

Creekbed · Feb 11, 2015

For condensation reasons do you guys think it's better to store tractors or equipment in a barn with a dirt floor or a three sided shed? Saying those were your two choices.

4020 electrician · Feb 11, 2015

I use both. Hay equipment except baler go in the 3 sided shed and tractors, planter, drill, balers,ect... Go in the barn. I don't like weather on my tractors or anything that has a lot of moving parts. 3 sided shed things can be exposed to weather.

paul · Feb 12, 2015

Full shed is better, a couple inches of gravel is better than my dirt for a floor.

But I'm in Minnesota, winter is brutal here.....

Most sheds codensate the first year, after that its not bad after you get the floor, wood, and any concrete to dry out the first time, locate and build with overhangs to keep the floor from soaking up wet, winters are often dry air here in the tundra.

Paul

Paul

Russ from MN · Feb 12, 2015

We have gravel floors in our sheds with plastic sheeting over, then covered with a heavy fabric. A lot of moisture comes up out of the ground.

Creekbed · Feb 12, 2015

Great idea, I have heavy plastic under the equipment in the barn and the plastic almost always has moisture under it.

Eric in IL · Feb 12, 2015

Since condensation is a function of water vapor in the air and temperature, I would say either type building would be nearly equal unless the barn was heated.

I have often seen machinery "sweating" while parked in my sheds. Usually in late fall or early spring. I always hope the inside of the engine blocks don't look as bad as the outside. I suspect the outside of the blocks look worse because of the unlimited supply of moisture-rich air. I would think as the air on the inside of the block condenses and rids itself of moisture, it should then stop.

Maybe we should put a cork in the blow-by tubes and oil fill tubes to minimize the introduction of more moisture rich air entering our engines ????

notjustair · Feb 14, 2015

The three sided will get breeze into it to equalize the temps faster. At least that is my theory. I have the balers, the planter, and the MoCo in three sided storage. Everything else is in the shed. Some dirt floor some cement. The dirt floor is far better but it has been up for decades. The dirt in there is just powder fine. It will wick moisture in at the edges but that's about it.

Roger46 · Feb 17, 2015

When I first built one of my sheds I had black shingles on the roof. That was really bad as any time the sun was shining bright in the winter the shed would warm up and the equipment would sweat/frost. I later reshingled it with white shingles and it wasn't so bad. Sometimes in the fall and especially in the spring it heats up outside quickly and especially the heavy castings end up with frost or moisture on them in the shed. I don't think you can prevent that unless you keep the shed heated.

Condensation

Creekbed

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4020 electrician

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paul

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Russ from MN

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Creekbed

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Eric in IL

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notjustair

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Roger46

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