Tarp Garage Moisure problem

Hey. Put up tarp garage for winter storage of car and parts.Put plastic down first then tent.This is a older unit so i was concerned about leaks.Bought some big plastic tarps and covered her up good.Went in it yesterday to do mouse control and noticed it is sweating inside a bit.Things havent frooze up here yet.
I was told today by a friend to hang a burlap bag with salt pellets in it over a bucket.Absorbs water and drips down.Has anyone tried this???Next thing would be some kind of vent system but how without cutting tarp.Thanks

 

It's a no-win never ending battle.

 

...something about salty air and tin that doesn't sound too good...

Venting works as long as the air you bring in is drier than the air inside. A small bathroom type fan with the 4" flex ducting run out of a corner will move air around.
You can try hanging a couple trouble lights in there, or a couple halogen fixtures, or find a small dehumidfier and let it run.

On days when the rain/snow aren't coming in sideways then open the ends and let the cold-dry air blow through.

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Make a lean-to with no sides. The intent is to shed water off, but let it breathe. The tarp should not be touching the car anywhere.

 

A couple 60 w. lightbulbs work to keep mine dry. I've had one up for 2 years now doing day to day upgrades, plus storage on my g***er. I've got fluorescent lighting for working, but leave the incandescent for when I'm not in there.
Wont be as bad once it's cold and dry, but extreme temp changes make more humidity.

 

Venting is the key - with that inability, keeping the air moving is another choice using a fan preferably from above. I have to do that in my garage until I find a good way to vent it.

I do like the lightbulb trick, though - alot of guys use that in their small well water pump-house enclosures so I know it works/helps.

 

X2 on venting. It's a must, just like on your house.

Buy some gable venst at your local home improvement store

and install them. It wont' be warm, but it will be dry.

Good Luck !

 

Never tried it but have heard from boaters to get a bag of charcoal, like you burn on your grill and just slit the bag open it supposedly draws in the moisture ?

 

There are some products out there, mostly designed for the travel trailer people, that draws in moisture. Only name I can think of is Dri-z-air, but there are others brands. I have been told they work great. Also fairly inexpensive. Hope this helps.

 

The tarp should not touch car, period....Nothing will keep it from sweating if it does...my 2 cents worth

 

If you want to install vent or even a door get 1" x 2" x 8' sticks cut pieces to the size of your louvered gable vent bought from your lumber yard make 2 sets of frames, cut whole in plastic near the roof, screw from the outside of one stick through plastic into stick on back in other words sandwich your plastic with frames on the outside & inside... install vent.