the cost to run AC in this garage...

After installing a 12k AC through the wall of a two-car central Florida attached garage, I've gotten the first full month's electric bill in.

I run it at 79* during the day, and I use an energy saving mode to cycle it up to 83* overnight and then back to 79* before the day starts. I run this unit four days on, four days off - my work schedule......15 days a month.

Garage door is insulated. One wall is exterior cinder block, another is entirely to the interior of the house, and another is half exterior cinder block and half to the interior. Nothing over the garage except for an attic space, which I have yet to properly insulate. All gaps around the garage door were sealed up with weather stripping. This isn't an in/out garage.......cars stay on the driveway; I open it maybe once a week in the evening to get out lawn gear.

My power bill went up by about $24. We pay about .12 per kHr. Nothing scientific in my analysis.....in fact, I used less power this previous month than I did the last time last year So, this is my rough estimate.

I'll bet that if I properly insulated the attic I could run it 24/7 for about $40 a month.......not bad considering how stupidly hot it gets here and how much I enjoy working in the shop.

Hope this helps any of you who are considering such an installation and were unsure of the operating costs.

thanks jtbinvalricodeff something a lot more of us are doing lately... the summers keep getting hotter

My 12,000 btu 240-v in-wall a/c unit uses $0.15 an hour of electricity. It has no "energy-saving mode", only a thermostat which cycles the compressor, not the fan. If I left it on 24/7, it's still not too expensive. I turn it on in the morning if I expect to be out there during the day sometime, as I can keep it cool, I just can get it cool once it is too hot in there.

I'm in Orlando, FL

so what would the cost be for a 2 car 500 sq ft garage monthly? can someone suggest me some units that would work well for me & not cost me alot of money. my garage is insulated & the ceiling sheet rock will go up soon. i keep hearing great things about those dual units that heat & cool but i dont have the $1700 that the unit i would need costs. i want to work in ac next year, im not dealing with 90 deg days & sweating like a pig in the shop.

thanks =)

Hit C-list for a $100 used unit....or $300-400 at the big box stores for a new one. Should cost about $40-45 a month at 79*. Pay a little more for a unit that heats, if that's what you're wanting.

I did a write-up here about installing a window AC through a cinder block wall....runs like a champ.