How do you keep your Residential garage cool?

[ShawnF350]

I`m seeing some here have a chilled residential garage to work in.
Could you post a photo of your setups here. Including some info on what your using.
I`m not sure if i want a split installed or if a portable will do. Only plan on having it on if working in it.


I have a newly built home approx. 20x20 garage with a 7x9 storage/work area.
I don`t think it`s insulated since the one exterior wall feels warm. I may have the attic area blown in the future. (Doubt they insulated it)

Heat isn`t out of the question either.
Just trying to get some ideas.

[jfelbab]

Like most homes here in SW FL, my HVAC is mounted in the garage. I just open the vents in the garage when I am detailing. I also have a large commercial ceiling fan in the garage and the garage has 11 foot ceilings. The garage is well insulated including the door. It is normally in the mid 90`s every day in the summer with very high humidity here in SW FL with the mandatory afternoon thunderstorm. I can`t imagine detailing here in FL without AC.

[Detail Impressions]

Northwest GA, I use this unit :LG Electronics Model # LP1214GXR Internet # 204684042 Store SKU # 1000026828 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner and Dehumidifier Function with Remote Control in Gray (67.2 Pint/Day) Home Depot

I also use in my 14` Enclosed trailer without any problems at car shows.

I feel you have so many options to pick from, I got this portable to be able to move it to where its needed for me.....

[RaskyR1]

I put a window A/C unit in the current garage. It`s undersized for the 25` x 25` space but it still keep it down to 70-75 most summer days and definitely takes out the humidity. I think it was like $200.


In my new garage I`ll be using an in-wall unit as well but it`s rated for up to 1600sq ft and still only cost $650. Since I built this garage from scratch I was able to frame the wall for it to fit in perfectly and I also installed a dedicated outlet for it on it`s own circuit. I`ve also got R21 insulated walls and will be insulating the ceiling to about R50.

Frigidaire 25,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner White FFRE2533S2 - Best Buy

[rlmccarty2000]

I`m in S. GA and I`m in the same boat. I just bought some garage door insulation in the hopes of keeping out the afternoon sun/heat. I`m looking into buying a pre-fab garage for the rear of my house. Temps here have been plus 90 for the last 30 days and August is historically our hottest month. The good thing is we rarely ever have temps in the freezing area.

[Accumulator]

Separate regular) HVAC unit for the Detailing Garage, only turn on the A/C when necessary.

(And additional Radiant Heaters in the shop area for the winter.)

[Stokdgs]

Here in Northern California, the temps for the last 2 weeks have been 101-105 every day, and we have a few more days before it goes down to high 90`s..

The best thing I did for this new to me house was to have R39 fiberglass blown into the entire attic - especially the garage ceiling.. If you can go higher R value, then it will be better..

This garage is all drywalled up and insulated.. The garage door is an expensive very thick insulated door and that really helps since the door faces South in the front and the East on the side, so the garage gets hammered pretty bad every day..

What is incredibly lacking in this neighborhood of over 2000 homes is NO TREES planted along the sides of houses....

Instead some Drunk Clowns planted an ugly nasty Sycamore tree in front of the front of the house... You should never do this even if you are a Drunk Clown..
Trees that frame a house and shade the house from the heat will be much better for everything..

Now, you cant go nuts and plant trees down the sides that grow 40+ feet and wide - unless you have a lot of space between the houses...

But you can plant some beautiful trees that grow more in a columnar way so that they will be tall and not wide..
A good example would be a flowering cherry tree ( Prunus Serrulata "Amanogawa") that will be beautifully covered with pink flowers in spring...

It is really great to have super nice A/C inside but please dont forget that going after the Source - (as we do in Detailing) should apply as much as possible with Shade from that heat source outside - the sun -
Dan F

[Accumulator]

.. The garage door is an expensive very thick insulated door and that really helps since the door faces South in the front and the East on the side, so the garage gets hammered pretty bad every day..

Yeah, my uninsulated steel roll-up doors have a southern/western exposure and they get *hot*

[JSFM35X]

I have poor insulation between the house and garage and that has let to a cool garage ion the summer and a warm garage in the winter.

Problem solved at the expense of my utility bill. I need to work on that.

I`m seeing some here have a chilled residential garage to work in.
Could you post a photo of your setups here. Including some info on what your using.
I`m not sure if i want a split installed or if a portable will do. Only plan on having it on if working in it.


I have a newly built home approx. 20x20 garage with a 7x9 storage/work area.
I don`t think it`s insulated since the one exterior wall feels warm. I may have the attic area blown in the future. (Doubt they insulated it)

Heat isn`t out of the question either.
Just trying to get some ideas.

[Stokdgs]

Yeah, my uninsulated steel roll-up doors have a southern/western exposure and they get *hot*

Accum-Amigo --- "AA"
Yes, I have been there and done that...

Back then all that was available was the aluminum covered bubble wrap sheets that you purchased in a roll and cut them out to fit in between the door panels..
Not very effective but anything will help if its just a metal door conducting heat..

The really good insulated garage door makes a huge difference - almost night and day..
At the hottest part of the day when the sun here is killing the door, I can barely feel any heat transfer at all..

And the other Bonus - it really cut down on outside Noise... It`s just gone...

Will find my temperature gun and see if I can get a measurement of it today...
Now you know what to ask Santa for Christmas !
Dan F

[rlmccarty2000]

I just bought the insulated bubble wrap stuff, but have not installed it (too darn hot). Check Groupon it was on sale and you can use a coupon to get it for even less. I paid in the 35 dollar range plus free shipping.

[Accumulator]

Stokdgs- Sigh....I can`t even get into my roll-ups to spray insulation into them. I do like them overall, but the way they conduct heat/cold is the price I have to pay.

At least the A/C keeps it liveable in the summer, my previous shop (old Ford dealership, cool Historical Structure) got so hot the overhead door motors would quit working. Oddly enough I hardly ever had products go bad other than M34.

[Stokdgs]

Stokdgs- Sigh....I can`t even get into my roll-ups to spray insulation into them. I do like them overall, but the way they conduct heat/cold is the price I have to pay.

At least the A/C keeps it liveable in the summer, my previous shop (old Ford dealership, cool Historical Structure) got so hot the overhead door motors would quit working. Oddly enough I hardly ever had products go bad other than M34.

AA -
I just came in from measuring the temps with an Etek City LaserGrip 360 Infrared Thermometer, +- 2% Accuracy..

Outside garage door facing west 1:40pm PST = 135.4 degrees F
Inside garage door same spot on panel, 1:41pm PST = 88.4 degrees F

Some sand on the ground - east side of the house in full sunlight, 1:41pm PST = 158.9 degrees F
Dan F..

[Accumulator]

Stokdgs- Aw man, you`re just killing me with that inside/outside door surface difference! You absolutely don`t want to touch the inner surface of mine this time of year.

[Tpr1634]

I use a fan, I have a few potential details coming up and I said I`ll wait a little, if I had to do them to make a living then I guess I would put my thong on and go for it..
After doing that accord a couple of weeks ago bout killed me