Tools & Fabrication - Garage cooling

Hey guys,

Not sure if this is the right section, but i was wodering if/how you guys are cooling your garages? I live in phoenix an in the summer the garage is just way to hot. I dont have a window for the garage any thoughts or Ideas would be great. Thanx

What size garage are we talking about here? What is the budget? $300 or $3000? Something smaller I would say cut in a window and get a window a/c unit. I suppose a portable roll around a/c unit could work also. How about a swamp cooler? Those can be had for relatively cheap also. The most expensive option, probably only realistic for a larger garage, is to install some duct work and a central a/c unit.

It all comes down to what you want to get out of it and what price range. The cheapest and least effective would be to get a large (48") fan. Also, on a side note, is the garage insulated well? If not, just insulating can make a big difference.

Some people here use portable evaporative / swamp coolers.
I just open a bay door and the side door and run a fan. That is of course secondary to becoming less productive in the summer :jest:

i herdat... summer = 0 productivity due to heat lol

sometimes i actually close the bay doors and open the house door and point a fan (or many) at my car

call local hotel chain, buy a used unit they use for rooms. I have a unit I got from a Best Western....key is AIR AND HEAT IN ONE UNIT!!!!! My place is 1k square feet and it stays very cool on the hottest day. Had a chassis cert fail once because the tubing was so cold it shrank.....

Proheader

$600 and done!!!!

alot of insulantion in the attic,and ceiling fans.alot of cold beers in the garage frigde.

swamp cooler.. we use these in our hangars and they work awesome

This is just for a 2 car home garage I did see some portable units. These units were from 300 to 15k my budget is 500-1k. Thanks for the replies guys I am going to buy one too hot in the summer in AZ. I will more than likely go with a roll aroung unit with A large fan I sould be able to maintain a decent temp. Not looking to be cold but the summers in Phoenix, AZ can get hot. Never thought of talking with a hotel good idea...

I suppose a portable roll around a/c unit could work also.

You still need a window with those. You cannot effectively cool an area with a/c without a way to vent the hot air.

You still need a window with those. You cannot effectively cool an area with a/c without a way to vent the hot air.

I am aware of this. Just trying to list all the options. It is not ideal, but an option. I'm only guessing, but I bet a garage has a door or two for venting.:confused:

I am aware of this. Just trying to list all the options. It is not ideal, but an option. I'm only guessing, but I bet a garage has a door or two for venting.:confused:

If you open the door, then hot air from the outside will come in. Not workable with a/c. Has to be a closed space.

Do either of your garage doors generaly stay shut? If so you can remove the top panel and replace it with a piece of plywood cut to allow room for a small window air unit :thumb: Those can be had at Wally World for under $100

This option would be a total pain in the ass of course if the door needs to open regularly, but if you know you can keep it shut for a day or two it'll be well worth it.

Another option, is if you have an upstairs (I know it's hit or miss in AZ) but check where your ducting for those rooms go cause it may be no more than cutting into ducting that is already there and adding a vent. Then you're talkin hella cheap!

Another option, is if you have an upstairs (I know it's hit or miss in AZ) but check where your ducting for those rooms go cause it may be no more than cutting into ducting that is already there and adding a vent. Then you're talkin hella cheap!

Seems like a simple solution but it usually won't work, depends on the cooling capacity of your main a/c unit. Your a/c unit is sized to match the square footage of the house needing cooled. If it is designed to cool ****sq ft and you splice into the duct work and add a vent to cool another 400-500 sq ft for a typical 2 car garage, it will be overworked. The result is the rest of the house will suffer(not cooled properly). Think of it this way, it's like asking a fuel pump for a 4 cyl to work with an 8 cyl, it will provide some fuel but not nearly enough to do the job properly.

Not to mention carbon monoxide going through your house...generally not considered a good thing.

Good point Mike. I know I'd include the ability to close off that ducting in non-summer months. And not include a return in the garage. :eek2:

Seems like a simple solution but it usually won't work, depends on the cooling capacity of your main a/c unit. Your a/c unit is sized to match the square footage of the house needing cooled. If it is designed to cool ****sq ft and you splice into the duct work and add a vent to cool another 400-500 sq ft for a typical 2 car garage, it will be overworked. The result is the rest of the house will suffer(not cooled properly). Think of it this way, it's like asking a fuel pump for a 4 cyl to work with an 8 cyl, it will provide some fuel but not nearly enough to do the job properly.

Good point, but it would be worth checking into what size AC unit you have. Most around here are over sized for the homes they are attached to. My first house had a 3.5 ton on a 1500 sq ft home :thumb:

do you have a service door from the out side into the garage?if so cut a hole in it for a small AC unit.

Not to mention carbon monoxide going through your house...generally not considered a good thing.

Typically carbon monoxide entering the house shouldn't be a problem. The air intake is usually centrally located inside the house, mine for example is at the end of a hallway leading to the 3 bedrooms. As mentioned by jmd, the ability to close off the duct would be helpful too plus common sense should tell you not to run an engine in a closed garage.

Another tip for helping to cool the garage. I live in hot, sunny Florida, my garage door faces the west which means the evening sun beating down on it will heat up the garage like an oven. I was looking for something to keep the heat off the door and I read about this to insulate the door (http://www.lowes.com/pd_222457-10477-8+FT+GARAGE+DOOR+INS_4294813335_4294937087_?produc tId=3025310&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity _sold|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Garage%2BDoor%2BInsulation%2BKits _4294813335_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_o rd_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1), it's made a huge difference in the inside temps. Don't take my word for it, read the reviews.

Mike

Mike52...another option that I have seen, although never personally tried, is putting a retractable awning over the garage door. I know it sounds almost "infomercialish". Seems like this would be a good way to block the sun, but still leave the door open for ventilation. Also it should work well in blocking the rain, so the door can be left open for ventilation with no rain coming into the garage area. Just another idea that I hope to try one day...

Have you tried just opening the interior door and running a fan?

fleet farm online has some indoor coolers that should work.

I've had a shop in my house for over 30 years and tried all sorts of solutions to the heat for July, August and September-

Here's my suggestions-

-swamp cooler - they don't work as well as they used to because the humidity is higher in the summer than it used to be. It might be good for a month or so, but the humidity will overwhelm it in August and September. It also is hard on tools - they rust. With the amount of water they take, they are not really any cheaper to run than an ac unit. They take a lot of maintenance too

-Window AC - This is what I have now - 10000 BTU in a 600 sq-ft shop. I cut a hole in the wall and mounted it between two studs. About the best it will do is 82-83 F inside the shop and it is insulated to R26 and no windows

-Mini-split. This is what I want to try next. For around $1200 I can have between 2-3 tons of AC at a pretty good SEER. I can also have heating for the couple of weeks I need it in the winter

-Stand alone central air - 3 tons with ductwork, outside unit and air handler in the attic - $3500. The ultimate solution but too expensive.

And as for ducting the garage into the main airconditioner - been there and done that and I wouldn't recommend it.

When I built the house I had the AC contractor extend the duct and put in a register in the shop.

I got a lot of complaints from the family about the smells. If I painted in the shop, you could smell it everywhere in the house. If I had gas or solvent, you could smell it everywhere in the house. If I was welding you could smell it. If I ran a motor you could smell the exhaust.

I don't know about you, but I keep a lot of chemicals in my shop- paints, thinners, cleaners, oil gas, etc. In AZ all that crap evaporates eventually. I don't mind occasional exposure when I'm working in the shop, but the idea of exposing my kids to it continuously when the AC was on bothered me.

I ended up capping the duct and the return to install the wall mounted unit I have now

I have a window unit. I insulated my garage and if I know im going to be working during the day I leave the side door open (it goes into my porch) and let it get as cool as it can at night. Then I turn the ac on early in the a.m. and it generally stays pretty nice during the day.

I Had in my old house i had a exhust fan that was in my garage ceiling and when i closed the garage door opened the side door in the garage kicked it on it was like the a/c was on in the garage no kidding. If i ever build a house again i will have one put in .

I know its out of your budget but in my garage I have a seperate central ac unit. and in my washbay stall I have a heated/cooled floor. And suprisingly that floor cooling works better than I thought it would. I put it in just for the heating but it works very well for cooling. If I leave all my doors for my washbay open to the rest of the garge it keeps it 70 on a 100+ day :) But I do leave it on all the time. Runs dirty cheap :chug:

Ya those hotel AC units work pretty damn good if I say so myself.

When I had my main house AC unit replaced, the new system was upsized to include the square footage of the garage. a single duct was added (just so happens the air handler is conveniently located in the garage)... it keeps the garage as cool as the house. By far it's not budget-friendly, but well worth the investment. At least when I work long hours in my own garage, I don't have to sweat or share it with mosquitoes.

My next project will be to hang a small vacuum hose system so I can start the car w/o opening the garage door. :pimp:

Best bet.... if you can afford it... would be a separate HVAC unit.

or just AC if you don't want/need heat in the garage.

I also have a 2 car attached garage on my house, my car stays in the garage 99% of the time and down here in the summer time the humidity is stifling. Lucky for me I do have two windows so a $100 lg window unit is the key, I even had the windows in my garage door tinted limo to cut down on the heat coming in thru there. Don’t get me wrong in the June July months it will still be around 80 in there but it’s a dry 80 and with two fans going its very comfortable versus the outside heat. I would love to insulate the ceiling in it one day and buy or insulate my garage door too. Even in the cooler parts of the year I leave it on in the "humidity cycle' where it just acts as a dehumidifier, works great, IMHO.

Do not get a rolling portable air conditioner. They only do spot cooling, so only what you point the vent at. The best compromise I have found is opening the door to the house and having a fan blow cool air in. I also hooked up a window AC unit, but its ghetto rigged with my bay windows. I use those 2 and I don't work during the heat of the day.

Some people here use portable evaporative / swamp coolers.
I just open a bay door and the side door and run a fan. That is of course secondary to becoming less productive in the summer :jest:

The swamp coolers are good in theory, but when/if the humidity gets too high they don't work well. And they also are known to cause long term problems with the wood in the house. I pumps humidity into the house/garage and swells everything up... But that's over time.

I've always wanted to stick a window AC unit in the wall of my future garage. I know what you mean though. My place in NM cooked in the summer. No insulation over the garage just made it an oven. Especially with non-insulated garage doors.

Measure the area of the garage to get a cubic foot size and add 20% to that. Should be enough to cool it and not have the unit running all the time to KEEP it cool. I know how Phoenix summers are. I swear my shoes could have melted to the road. 0_o

Keep in mind that if you add a duct from your central air to feed the garage its a fire hazard and if something happened the insurance company might have leverage to not cover it. Best bet is a mini split unit.

Do this, Get a window unit big enough for your garage at Wally world or were ever. get a piece of plywood wide enough for one of your garage doors. Frame it up and install the unit in it. Make it so you can up the door a little and move your window unit from under it, then close the door on it. That way you can open and shut the door when ever you want and just wheel the framing out of the way. You might need to get a little insulation to stuff in the open corners over the door or something.

What a buddy of mine did is took some small copper piping and heated it up, put it around the front of a fan and put some behind the fan, then took something like a 20 gallon bucket and filled it with about 75% ice cubes, then water, worked kind of like a radiator..given he did that for two-a-days a few years ago..but it was a nice relief in a room about the size of a two car garage..but this is Ohio, we have 95 degrees with 90% humidity lol

Good Thread! I'm going to try the insulation that was linked above - seems like a decent price to try out.