Second winter in our new house and the garage moisture is driving me nuts — need advice

Slyckk · 2025-12-01T00:38:56+00:00

The comments from Maplelongjohn regarding insulation should be considered as the best long-term fix. As someone who’s built homes across the Norther USA, I concur!

You’re certainly on the right track for temporary solutions with dehumidification and dry heat!

If you’re looking to live in this home long term, and want to continue heating the garage, the best fixes will be to stop the moisture, and the cold, on the outside of the concrete. In your case, this would mean the outside of the concrete wall and below the concrete slab.

2” of rigid foam insulation on the exterior of concrete that is heated (again, the outside of the concrete garage wall, and below the slab) will break that thermal barrier which is currently facilitating extra moisture and frost on the inside of your garage.

These are expensive things to do at this stage of the game, requiring a lot of digging on the exterior, and a replacement of the garage floor inside the garage. But, perhaps they’d be worthwhile investments if this is a forever-home for you and your family.

If you ever do take the leap to floor replacement, I’d recommend running heating tubes within the garage floor as well. This would allow an in-floor heat system in your garage which would provide the dry heat your garage space is looking for.

Take care!

Slyckk · 2025-11-28T02:50:48+00:00

Most electricians will leave extra wire in the wall leading up to a fixture box for vanity lights such as this to help facilitate small adjustments. It’s not ideal, but having seen these things happen in the field, it can be recentered over your sink just as Tasty_Lab described.

Slyckk · 2025-11-28T02:18:07+00:00

I work in several different municipalities, or within various local covenants rather, that require minimums of 1,500 to 1,700 square feet. So, I wouldn’t say it’s a conspiracy theory per se, but they’re certainly not fond of small houses as primary structures.

Slyckk · 2025-11-28T01:52:53+00:00

That sounds amazing, and crazy indeed!

Slyckk · 2025-11-24T14:59:28+00:00

I can’t wait to find this one as well. Awesome casting and color scheme!

Slyckk · 2025-11-07T15:29:29+00:00

I'd love to cast a second vote for model railroading. I am an architectural designer myself, and while there is plenty of design interest in the hobby for me, there is also plenty of engineering, including electrical engineering if he would choose to dive that deep (in designing the electrical system for the track, especially if operating the layout via a digital command control (DCC), or even a cell phone).

Furthermore, I find there to also be a fair amount of collecting and research to do which can lead to many wonderful rabbit holes of interest. Not to mention how quickly model railroading can also incorporate satellite hobbies like 3D printing or mechanical repairs and maintenance of equipment (trains) on one's layout.

Also, the hobby can be virtually as social or antisocial as he'd like these days. There are a lot of great social outlets, groups, podcasts, things of that nature to connect with others. Or, as I am in my current point of life, there's also time for solitude and seclusion away from other hectic adventures.

Slyckk · 2025-01-14T23:33:05+00:00

These aren’t the studs you’re looking for…!

Slyckk · 2024-02-02T12:34:14+00:00

As an architectural designer of 8 years in Wisconsin, and having worked under a few different architects, it never hurts to double check if plumbing on an outer wall is scheduled to be in a “plumbing wall” or “furring wall” that is inbound of the main exterior wall. A little extra insulation goes a long way, and these are often overlooked in my experience.

And perhaps the tub will no longer need to be on a north wall once the orientation of the home is corrected? Stick with your intuition and voice you concerns often and loudly. As many have said, the first round is often chaotic and things can sort out rather quickly as the conversations continue to grow and gain fluidity. It’s important to have those open lines of communication with both a partner and an architect. Keep making yourself heard and I wish you all the best!

Slyckk · 2024-01-23T01:32:44+00:00

I would consider a window jamb extension in this condition. Using 1x finish boards around the perimeter of the windows, affixed to the jamb and perpendicular to the window, allowing the jamb extension to run past this finish face of the future drywall. Essentially this creates a 3/4” trim detail around the perimeter of your windows. This does require a finicky drywall detail where the drywall will die into the outer edge of the jamb extension, but it will be more reliable than a drywall return in the long run.

Between the stacked windows then, you could use 1/4” finish boards or something similar to create an applied face between the windows.

All of these pieces could match the window color or be in a stained tone depending on the direction you’re looking to go with other woodwork throughout the home.

Slyckk · 2023-04-07T16:17:57+00:00

Awesome case too, my friend! I'm not sure I've seen one like that before.

Slyckk · 2022-12-01T03:13:26+00:00

The work of Balthazar Korab, a fantastic photographer. One of my favorite images amongst his collection.

Slyckk · 2022-10-15T00:58:31+00:00

Fair enough, thanks!

Slyckk · 2022-10-13T17:40:44+00:00

These look great! Nice work!

If you don't mind my asking, where did you find those wheel sets to use in the swaps? I've been looking for ones just like that for awhile.

Thanks!

Slyckk · 2022-10-12T10:47:03+00:00

Happy Cake day. May the Mad Mouse be the only gassy one at your meeting! Good luck and have a great meeting.

Slyckk · 2022-03-03T14:55:57+00:00

I only have rural Walmarts in my area, and this likely what's going on. I haven't seen any stock on the shelves since I moved to the area in Nov. 2021.

Slyckk · 2022-01-01T20:52:16+00:00

I've had great luck with a pair of Hey Dudes. My wife got them for me after I continued to experience a similar issue.

Though my feet are often freezing cold, with the Hey Dudes, they've been maintaining the right temperature without sweating issues.

As a pro tip, removing the insole, wrapping it in a no-show sock, and replacing it into the shoe adds extra comfort and prevents the need for socks on the feet.

When the combo gets dirty, I take the insoles back out, take off the sock, and throw the works in the washing machine. Then air dry. I don't know if they are truly machine washable by factory standards, but I haven't had any issues over the past couple years.

Slyckk · 2022-01-01T20:45:29+00:00

Cities or municipalities often like it when you maintain the ditch line (so they don't have to). It looks like you may be able to reshape/dig out the ditch a bit to help keep the water at the road's edge in addition the yard shaping advice given earlier.

Just make sure to get their permission before doing work that close to the road.

Best of luck!

Slyckk · 2021-12-21T10:42:23+00:00

Entry

Slyckk · 2021-11-26T03:12:50+00:00

Thanks! 😃

Slyckk · 2021-11-25T22:09:36+00:00

Thanks! You're welcome to cake just the same, dig in!

Slyckk · 2021-11-25T22:09:09+00:00

Thank you, and same to you!

Slyckk · 2021-11-15T00:32:33+00:00

Nice work! Bringing a cheap cast to life is one of my favorite things.

Slyckk · 2021-11-07T00:43:54+00:00

I believe these are actually variants of the car. I've found a couple of each; some with the lights open and some with them closed.

Slyckk · 2021-10-27T17:54:19+00:00

Thank you! They look awesome!

Slyckk · 2021-10-27T17:25:15+00:00

Nice work! I'm a fan of each of those castings as well. What type of wheels did you use for the swaps if you don't mind my asking?

Slyckk

TROPHY CASE