Recommendations for Garage vents please

[405 TD Estate]

I'm after some venting for my garage which I've been in the process of sealing up in the last year so when I'm in there in winter the heat stays in. Now i've found some things rusting in there which I assume is because of a lack of good ventilation - so any recommendations it needs to be able to close, be fairly large as I imagine the garage would need reasonable airflow to stop it getting too humid and also insulate reasonably well when closed and be burglar proof as well.

The plan is when I'm not working in there i'll open the vents - I guess having some on each side of the garage would be best to try and get air through the garage - it's fully detached (unlike my house LOL)

[Rod]

Have you considered a dehumidifer? If you are in the garage a lot of the time, it might avoid the worst of the warming/cooling cycles that will occur if you are heating it then venting it.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I'd echo the suggestion of a dehumidifier, if the garage is quite well sealed. It will give off some heat (200 to 400W depending on model), but the dehumidifying action will make that _very_ much more effective than a heater of that power rating. Look for one with a humidistat on it. If you keep an eye out on clearance offers, you can sometimes pick them up very cheaply.

[405 TD Estate]

Yes I considered a de-humidifier but A) it will take up some space i'd prefer to use for something else (garage is quite small and full!) B) They are expensive(ish) to buy and C) they use a moderate amount of electricity.

I was thinking if the garage were very well vented then I probably wouldn't have the condensation problems and since the condensation problems don't occur while I'm working in there I could seal them and heat it while I'm in there and then open them when I leave which should sort out the problem with the minimum cost and space.

There is a window in there but I dont want to open it as it's a bit of an invite to burglars

[405 TD Estate]

Bump - would people agree with the vent idea - rather than a de- humidifier - any source for the vents?

perhaps I could try leaving the window open and I have a max/min humidity sensor I could do a back to back type test on that?