Heat/Humidity Discussion

[High Speed Kurt]

Hi All,

I suppose this needs it's own thread.

Is humidity the thing to control moreso than temperature? Reason I ask, I am in the process of finishing the inside of my train room (15 x 25) I am putting kraft faced R-13 and wall paneling up, and installed radiant barrier panels in the rafters which reduces the heat in the building significantly. The humidity stays around 40%-60% due to the wrap under the siding and the insulation. The area above the rafters isnt much at all, so there is not a lot of space to heat. I am going to install a ceiling fan in the middle to circulate the air (I do have a window unit) Do yall think I will be good to go?

Here are some pictures if they come through:

Kurt

 

[Selector]

I think plastic toys, including our styrene products and electronics, are going to be safe at temps near 40-45 deg F. Much above that, you are on your own. Remember that decoders, if you are using DCC, emit heat, and that in a confined space. So does the can motor close to which most of them lie if they are not in a steamer's tender. Nickel-silver track expands very little over a 30 degree temperature swing. About 100' of contiguous Code 100 N/S rail will expand a whopping 0.25", or 1/4" (6mm) with a rise of a full 30 degrees. Three or four 1/16th gaps along those 100 feet will take care of the expansion.

So, in my experience, if you are using organic products for your layout's framework, wood specifically, and its byproducts for roadbed, you can count on ambient moisture in the train room being the far bigger problem. You can paint everything with a poly-urethane or some other sealant once it is cut to measure, or you will have to control humidity with a humidifier or a dehumidifier.

The reason is that moisture will cause the wood to expand. Expanding may pull gaps further apart...maybe/probably. The real damage, though, comes with the opposite extreme...dryness. The wood under your nicely configured and aligned rails will shrink, causing the rails to want to abut against each other rather hard, to the point where gaps close and the only recourse for the rails is to bow laterally or upward...not a sight for the faint of heart.

 

[High Speed Kurt]

I was planning on finishing the walls but leaving the rafters open because there isnt much space to the top of the ridge.

 

[ICG/SOU]

Remember, it's not just about heat and humidity for layouts, but also for you. If the room your layout is in is uncomfortable in any way, you'll be less likely to play trains.

Close in the ceiling, and put some insulation up there too. It looks like you have a ridge vent in the roof, so I assume that there are vents in your soffits (the overhang on the sides) to circulate that air through your attic. You gain and lose heat from above (in summer gain, in winter lose) so you need to have that area, no matter how small, insulated (above your ceiling, between the joists).

 

[High Speed Kurt]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Looks like some sheetrock and R30 is the way to go. Once I get through this latest reorg at work I am going to move forward.

 

[galaxy]

Someone on another forum said to guys trying to build layouts in questionable or unfinsihed areas, that he was always amazed that guys woudl spend what could be a few thousand if not only several hundred dollars on a layout, yet leave the area unfinished and unclaimate controlled.

Besides insulating and closing in the ceiling {and maybe hve an access panel over a walway NOT the MRR}, I would suggest a few things:
1} a window A/c can be run on a lower seting to keep it about 75-80 degerees with an electronic control on it you can set it to cycle on/off. You've got nice windows for one. Be sure to wrap it in rigid foam cut panels to isulate and cover with an exterior cover and tape it down/seal it with a good plastic tape {duck tape gives way in the elements} sp as to keep the weather out and extend the life of your a/c.
2}If it gets cold where you are there are gas wall heaters that can run on Natural gas or propane to keep it at minimum 55 degrees.
3}A dehumidifier will naturally keep the moisture down. We live in a trailer on pillars over gravel and draw out a 50 pint bucket of moisture every day, and we are a newer trailer with 6 inch insulated walls. The moisture is from dampness rising from under the trailer-and we have insulated floors too- and from dampness just "creeping in from the record rainfall we got this year.
4} during winter you might want to add a HUMIDIFIER if the gas heater dries out too much.

All taht extra effort should provide your tains with a temperate climate...and most importantly supply YOU with a temperate climate in which to run your trians!