Shed for Storing Electronic Parts

by Eamon Baker
(Ireland )


Very good analysis of condensation. Thank you.


I want to store parts for my business. I will be storing electronic parts including printed circuit boards and components and electronic equipment. The climate is damp so I am concerned about condensation and dampness because this will affect the parts I plan to store in the shed


Is a steel shed suitable for this application? I presume it would need to be an insulated steel shed - is this correct?

If not, what would you recommend?

Would the shed need to be continuously heated to reduce moisture levels in the air inside the shed or could this cause condensation problems ( hot internal air meeting cold shed surfaces)?

I find there is a lot of information on sheds but there is not enough detailed information on specific requirements for different use cases.

What are your general recommendations for this type of use case?




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Jan 12, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		Very enlightening resd
by: Anonymous

I too have a metal she'd but mine had screed inside it as opposed to a concrete base. Could I paint this with a waterproofing paint to stop any moisture coming up out floor? Also would a thin layer of loft insulation fixed to roof stop the drops forming?

Dec 11, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thin insulation brand names
by: Alvin

Store outdoor Christmas decorations in 6 X 3 foot single sloped roof tin shed. The cardboard boxes showed water damage, thought it was leaks. Then I had everything out and had a cold rain/hail storm and entire inside roof water coated. From that the light went off, condensate! Now how to fix it. The roof is not flat and the corrigasions (?) provide ventilation at the top and bottom of the sloped roof. Apparently not enough but I am uncomfortable trying to increase that without creating actual water leakage. The shed is on pea gravel but with wood 2 X 4 raised with a 3/8 inch plywood floor. When I took the floor out there was moisture in the gravel but not all over and not "a lot." So I can put plastic between the ground and the plywood floor. Then I need insulation in the roof. You talked about a thin flexible insulation applied similar to wall paper. Do you have a brand name for that? A source? This is a really, really good site with great information!! Recommend it to everyone!!
Nov 01, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Same sort of issue
by: Anonymous

Hey I have the same sort of issue I have a metal carport that has been I closed with walls and ceiling and insulation but when I bought the house a month ago got a bad Oder found o it it was mold in the roof so I removed and treat and cleaned . After installing a black flex seal on the inside I’m still getting water forming in the inside of the metal roof ( which I use as a man cave with my electronics and expensive items) .i put in a dehumidifier and have a space heater in the unit but I’m not sure where to go from here ! Do I need to insulate and build a ceiling back on ? Can I leave it just metal showing and add insulation ?
Mar 28, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Climate controlled storage shed
by: John - Admin

Hi Eamon,
Glad that you found the information on condensation useful. I think the starting point for your problem would be to understand the quantity of equipment that you are storing.

I would think that if you are storing sensitive electronic equipment then there are probably fairly well-understood ranges of temperature and humidity that they should be kept within. Stuff I buy is normally in a box, within a sealed bag that has dehumidifier crystals in it.

So I would say that probably storing this in an unheated environment would not be good for your products. Whether the storage building you use is made of timber or metal is immaterial in a way. The build you use needs to be insulated and airtight. The insulation will minimise heat loss and the airtightness will help you to control the humidity and also prevent heat loss.

Any storage building needs to be carefully detailed to prevent’ cold-bridging’ that will allow cold surfaces to come in contact with warm air. Where moisture can condense.
I hope that this starts to give a bit of clarity to your problem. If you can give a few more details I can make some more suggestions.
For a start:
How big is the building that you need?
What temperature do you need to maintain for your products?
Are there any large access doors in the building?

I look forward to hearing more.

Kind regards

John

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