Sounds like you might have a lot of moisture comming through the concrete. Maybe run a dehumidifier. Might be cheaper than heating the space.
Maybe. In the middle of the summer we can get torrential rains and this doesn't happen though. I'd have to have a huge dehumidifier - 27x60x14 foot tall.
Is the ground thawed out yet?
Been thawed for about a month now.
Has it done this in years past? Does it do it all spring/summer or just initially?
If it's condensation (the cool temp of the concrete causing the water vapor in the air to collect on the surface) then it sounds like you just need to work on improving the air flow.
If it's seepage (water coming through the concrete) it's either melting ice or an exterior drainage issue. I was in central/eastern IA this week and noticed the rivers out due to heavy rains. Is the ground around your shop sloped properly?
This is only my second spring here, but it did the same thing last year and for the last two winters. When it happens, I try to open both front and rear doors to do just that (when the temp allows). I'd hate to do that when it's 15 degrees though.
We have the same issue at work.... the problem is dew point and the temp of the concrete. You have two choices...
1 Heat the floor, This is our option currently it is the least expensive way out. If you are interested in this I will as my facilities engineer for the product's name.
2 Climate control... Air Conditioning, way to expensive for where I work. We change out 100% of the buildings air every 5 minutes.
Climate control is not a very good option for me. I have thought about heating the floor though.
If there is gravel under the concrete, vapor barrier? make sure the gravel can drain. If you've backfilled up to the exterior of the footing with dirt, you may have, dependent on soil conditions, impeded the flow of water out from under the slab.
There are some sealers that you can put on the floor to help with the sweating.
No idea on the construction, it was done long before I got here.
This seems to happen independent of rainfall. In the summer, if we get a cool night around 60, but then it warms up to 90+ with high humidity, it will sweat some. In the spring, like today, we had a low of about 60, and an afternoon high of 72 with mucho humidity due to a strong cold front that blew through this afternoon. We got at least an inch of rain this afternoon and three tornadoes touching down in the area. it is now about 40 and windy as hell. Fall seems to be pretty good, as we don't generally get a lot of humid weather then.
You can just see the side of the building in this thread -
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/210618-look-what-i-did-my-day-off.html
This is a 60x127 machine shed with 14' sidewalls. 100 foot of it is dirt floor, with the last 27 being an enclosed shop. On the end with the shop is a 15 foot lean to on the outside that runs the entire length of the end. In front where the LX is parked is asphalt/concrete. It's like a parking lot!! It's on some of the highest ground on the lot, so I would think that most of the water would simply drain away through the tiles and runoff.
Good Lord, my fingers are tired. Sorry for being long winded....
Tony
. I think in a week or 2 you should be fine. FYI i am in WI, so we have very similar climates.
