How do you keep your Residential garage cool?

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

So, Dan, my business name of "Drunk Clown Landscaping" might not be too successful?!?
 
That`s kinda what i was thinking to do.
Did you cut the hole with a hole saw?
I don`t have a sandwiched door, just single sided aluminum with the insulation exposed on the inside.
 
That`s kinda what i was thinking to do.
Did you cut the hole with a hole saw?
I don`t have a sandwiched door, just single sided aluminum with the insulation exposed on the inside.

Someone did it for me. It was this cool circular blade...so I guess so??
 
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.

Short answer... I don`t..
Bloody black metal door east facing (morning sun).. insulated ceiling space..
Its regularly 30C plus in therein the summer, humidity from 70 to 90%...
I do have some 60cm floor fans.. they are a God send..

My solution is a crap ton of face towells to mop up the sweat, and work either early or late..
Its pretty much the norm in Queensland...

Now if i could get what i want (ie had money to burn)..
I`d insualte the garage door with the polystyrene panels
Add a ducted split system A/C vent diffuser in the ceiling
Add an extractor fan in the corner to promote a through air flow / suck out the hot air in summer too..

Apparently those are not important and we have to replace 2 bathrooms and the flooring through out the house first..
Loving winter ATM though...
 
Insulating the ceiling is a good way of keeping the garage cool. I just simply installed the insulation with staples.

 
So, Dan, my business name of "Drunk Clown Landscaping" might not be too successful?!?

Rich !!!
I have been trying to PM you since August !!
It keeps saying your box is full...
Let me know when I can PM or email you, Brotha`... :)
Dan F
 
It`s getting the time of the year where A/C units are going on sale. If anyone see a great price at a big box store please post here. Thanks.
 
Summer just around the corner and in GA the temps are starting to rise. I am looking for some cooling options for the garage as well now because last year I would be dying in the garage during the day. Early mornings and nights were definitely more bearable.

Has anyone used one of these or similar type Evaporative coolers? Slightly on the expensive side but they are portable which I thought may be nice to be able to move it to the patio as well. The garage has about 400 sq. ft of working space. I am debating between this option and a window unit. I would definitely need to add some insulation to the garage door as well.

https://www.amazon.com/PortacoolPAC...ve-Capacity/dp/B004PG9UF6?tag=garagespot0c-20
 
I have used a simple box fan and it helps. My garage is now insulated so it is more stable in temperature.
 
I had a big drum fan at my previous shop. Quit using it when detailing because it stirred up/blew around too much dust. I never use the ceiling/attic exhaust fan in my current shop (sized properly for the size of the shop) in part for the same reason and also because it makes a minimal diff compared to just running the AC.
 
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