Condensation in garage

[MarkBowie]

Hi all,

currently boiling my first AG. Couple of hiccups but really enjoyed it so far. I am in the garage with the door open.
Dosing in my chair next to the boiler (yes I know what could possibly go wrong..) and looked up at the boards. I have attached the picture. They are obviously getting a bit of steam on them as directly above the boiler. They are supposed to be damp proof, however, I would rather not explain to the boss why I broke them.
Any suggestions of possible coverings?

 

[AdeDunn]

A big fan to blow the steam out through the door maybe? This why my wife kicked me out into the back garden under a gazebo, as even with a massive extractor hood condensation still ran down the walls, especially in winter. lol Covering them you'll just end up with it dripping on you, or worst back into your boiling wort, better to blow it out before it gets there.

 

[An Ankoù]

Brew Outdoors.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Outdoors is best

 

[Arrakus]

All of the above and if you’ve got money to burn - a portable air conditioner

 

[DarrenSL]

+1 outdoors (and if it's raining put up the 'brewzebo')

 

[SamBrewster]

I have a bathroom extraction fan above the kettle, vented to outside. Works well, never noticed condensation.

 

[foxy]

Someone on here made up a vent using a galvanised rubbish burner lid and some vent pipe similar to this.

 

[MarkBowie]

Thanks all for your replies. I will have a look,

 

[An Ankoù]

When you consider that a 90 minute boil is going to turn up to a gallon of water into steam, you have to ask yourself whether you'd just splash a gallon of water around the garage and then just leave it!

 

[crowcrow]

Ha, had the same issue with my first ag brew in the kitchen, the ceiling and one wall was soaked! Always brewed outside since then.

 

[AdeDunn]

Ha, had the same issue with my first ag brew in the kitchen, the ceiling and one wall was soaked! Always brewed outside since then.

Whoever painted our kitchen DIDN'T use a proper kitchen paint.... My wife is still on my case from the mess I made over a year ago, which was when I last brewed in there.... One day we'll repaint it and remove the streaks....

Seriously, have a look at the Brewzebo thread I started in the equipment section (if anybody else has a gazebo they brew in, please do post pics on the thread. I should have gone with a more open title, but heh, hind sight is wonderful... lol).

 

[Pappa skelitor]

As a chef, I know that extraction is key in a kitchen. Home extractor hoods ar basically useless. If you need to build you own use the galvanized bin lid one posted earlier but in the middle use a blower from a kids bouncy castle to extract the condensation and blow it out the window. And if you can a dehumidifier will help also.

 

[AdeDunn]

Not saying it's on a par with a commercial hood (those things are huge), but the cooker hood we have is a big stainless steel thing, with a massive extractor unit up inside it, and it didn't come close on doing the job. The normal hoods are those slim things that take disposable filters aren't they? It extracted about 80% of the steam. 20% however is enough to absolutely wreck the paint on kitchen walls if it's not water resistant kitchen and bathroom paint.... There was also always the problem of steam condensing on the filter mesh, and trying to drip back into the boiler in colder months.... Drip back is not good, and why you have to be careful when building any sort of extractor hood that nothing can drip back into your boiler.

 

[Bigjas]

I brew in a conservatory which I am turning in to a utility room. I bought a large industrial extraction fan from eBay for about £40 and attached it to some plywood that then sits in an open window above the boiler. This works really well and keeps the room condensation free. I then take the fan down when I’m not brewing so it’s not permanent. Brewing can be done inside if the room is set up for it.

 

[DarrenSL]

As well as drip back and paint damage, there is also the risk of mold developing from the high humidity. Over time and if not dealt with, the environment becomes unsuitable for brewing as the mold spores can get into your (cooled) wort.

 

[IanG]

Just google damp and you'll get lots of articles. The basics are to keep the windows open and wear a sweater and long johns!(wooly hat, gloves ,scarf and coat) You need to keep the moisture wall outside..(not an actual wall just a notional wall)

 

[IanG]

On the not outdoors option (definitely the best and cheapest solution), there is always the pressure cooker option. These produce very little steam. However they open a whole new can of worms.
They're expensive especially if you're doing more than 3-5L batches. 10L pot with lid £10 but 5L pressure cooker £50
They can't be opened during cooking so you're cooking blind.
They cook fast so a minute difference in cooking time is important

On the plus side buy the missus an instapot or pressure king pro for xmas she'll love you for it then borrow when she's not looking

 

[cheeseyfeet]

My lo-fi solution is to use a cheap fan placed just behind and above the boiler to blow the steam towards the open garage door. Seems to work fine even with a cheap one like mine -

FAN

 

[AdeDunn]

Or, if you are loaded, buy a Braumeister. You can then buy the optional hood for it, and duct it outside.... lol

Anyway, apparently experts want us all to spend more time outside anyway, so heh.... Get yer coat on.... lol My gazebo soon warms up once the boil gets going, and come the really cold months I guess it might come in handy that our barbecue doubles as a fire pit...... lmao