Buildings

Creating Air Flow in the Shipping Container

Ever since we got the shipping container we have had a problem with condensation on the inside, especially dripping from the ceiling. Makes storing anything inside sketchy.  We picked up a new, second hand roof turbine to help get the air flowing.

shipping container,wind turbine,condensation
Cutting the hole!! Hope this goes well.

We got out the plasma cutter and generator and Jim set out to cut a hole in the roof to fit the turbine. In this next picture you can see the moisture on the ceiling just waiting to drip.

shipping container,wind turbine,condensation
Fun.

My job was to watch the sparks to make sure nothing caught on fire. Story of my life!

shipping container,wind turbine,condensation
Making sparks fly.

All went well and this was the result. Jim is getting really good at using the plasma cutter.

shipping container,wind turbine,condensation
Not bad.

Now the roof of the container is ridged and we needed a flat surface for the turbine flange. Jim used pressure treated plywood in layers to fill the gaps and then screwed it all in place.

shipping container,air flow,roof turbine
Fitting the plywood collar

Then he screwed it from the underneath.

shipping container,air flow,roof turbine
Working from inside.

Once it was all secure he used caulking to seal up where the flange met the plywood and the plywood met the roof of the container.

shipping container,air flow,roof turbine
Caulking around the plywood.

We weren’t finished yet though. You need at least two points of entry for air to flow. That meant removing a couple of the board and batten pieces of siding and cutting yet another hole. We put two layers of screen, this one and a finer window screen on the inside to keep bugs out. Then we put it all back together.

shipping container,air flow,roof turbine
Vent

And here it is. Hopefully it will make a big difference. We had contacted a company that specializes in spray foam insulation and got a quote. Are you sitting down? They wanted $2800 – 4000 depending on the R value. Um…no. We don’t want to live in there, just store stuff. This fix cost us $40 and our time.

shipping container,air flow,roof turbine
It works!

We will update after we see results either way, good or bad, wet or dry…you get my drift.

Later

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