Anyone else having moisture problems in your shop this season?

[greymann]

Living in western North Carolina, I have been complaining about being two feet above normal precipitation to anyone who would listen.  That is until people out west started getting their seasons worth in a day or two.

Anyway, I have been building base cabinets for one side of my shop replacing old second hand cabinets one at a time as I built them and sliding them under a ten foot counter top I already had.  Last week I finished the last one and removed the counter top to do the leveling and screwing to the wall.  The cabinets were up to now unfinished cabinet grade ply and I was considering leaving them that way.  What I found when I removed the counter top was the start of mold everywhere, even on the underneath side of the counter top. 

I was somewhat surprised because I had kept the shop air conditioned albeit at a fairly high temperature.  So instead of quickly finishing that project and moving on to the next, I am painting every unfinished surface even the underside of the counter top.

Anyone else having this sort of problem this year?  Or are there some of you who need to take a close look in the nooks and crannies of your shop?

Dick

 

[leakyroof]

No, my basement shop thankfully doesn't run into the problem you're describing. That would really throw me, to pull a cabinet out and see all of that mold.  If the basement had flooded, I would expect it and NOT be that surprised, but you're dealing with humidity/water vapor and no flood.... [scared]
Do you have a gauge in your shop to monitor the humidity level. [ Hygrometer]

 

[greymann]

Not yet, but it sounds like a good idea.  I thought I was OK but obviously not. 

It may be over here, except for getting rid of what I have.  We have had little or no rain for the last ten days or so and the dense fog every morning as the ground releases moisture is letting up. 

Dick

 

[ShawnRussell]

[mad]

Yes, I am in the same boat with a massive abundance of rainfall this year. I have sealed the walls and floors but humidity in the shop tends to stay above 50%.

Planes, chisels, and other hands tools have developed some surface rust. My big machines have not had any issues nor has any of my Festools.

 

[Sparktrician]

I have a dehumidifier in the shop that runs 24/7 this time of year.  The humidity ranges from 65% (on a good day) to 98% pretty much all summer long.  The one in the shop drains right into the deep sink.  There's another in the garage that has to be emptied every day, and sometimes twice per day.  I have very little rust due to the dehumidifiers.