AC to a one car garage ?

[Wuaname]

I'm wanting to get some air conditioning in the garage for those summer days here in Florida. In the pat I would just leave the kitchen door open and get some ac in that way, but I want some better way of getting my garage air conditioned.

I thought I had the solution with one of those wall mounted Mitsubishi type units with the small compressor outside but I won't be able to do that.

One of those potable floor standing a/c's ? My friend uses them in construction when they are working inside jobs, but that thing is too big. I think the air ducts measure 2-3 feet.

I was thinking of getting a smaller floor standing model I see at local stores like sears but again it would take floor space and I think you also have to add water to it.

Last idea? Just run an ac duct into the garage with the ability to close the vents when I'm not in there so I am not over working my ac and wasting more electricity.

Any ideas on the above or open to suggestions. Again it's Florida here and it's HOT! Lol

Thanks

 

[ffjosh]

im interested as well.

 

[48RON54]

I'm wanting to get some air conditioning in the garage for those summer days here in Florida. In the pat I would just leave the kitchen door open and get some ac in that way, but I want some better way of getting my garage air conditioned.

I thought I had the solution with one of those wall mounted Mitsubishi type units with the small compressor outside but I won't be able to do that.

One of those potable floor standing a/c's ? My friend uses them in construction when they are working inside jobs, but that thing is too big. I think the air ducts measure 2-3 feet.

I was thinking of getting a smaller floor standing model I see at local stores like sears but again it would take floor space and I think you also have to add water to it.

Last idea? Just run an ac duct into the garage with the ability to close the vents when I'm not in there so I am not over working my ac and wasting more electricity.

Any ideas on the above or open to suggestions. Again it's Florida here and it's HOT! Lol

Thanks

I wuold like to run a duct to the garage, but with the ac being in the garage I'm sure it would become first in the run.... Even if I close the vent it would leak a lot of air and with the master bedroom being the last in the run and being hot as hell already, I don't think this option would work for me (read angry wife = angry life).

I saw some small portable deal on wheels at the local HD. I think I'm going to give that a shot. But, I have a couple back up plans for the unit if it doesn't work out for the garage use I intend it for.

At the end of the day I'd really like a wall mount one but that is a bit of work *sigh*

Let us know which way you go with this project. You aren't the only one with this issue on your mind.

 

[Jinks]

I'm also here in Florida. You haven't explained why the mini-split won't work in your garage. I have one in a garage/shop area the size of a two car garage. It's the best, quietest thing on the market. If it's a cost or space issue the next best thing is a window unit mounted in the wall. Not difficult to do, but a little less effective & a lot noisier.

 

[Falcon67]

AFAIK code won't let you run any vent off your existing house AC to a garage. The vent is 1/2 the issue, the return air is the other and you'll be pulling fumes, etc back into the house. Not a solution. Also, your house AC was not sized for the extra volume required to feed a garage.

The portable units - in my experience - work sorta, not well. And not one that uses water - a swamp cooler won't work for ding in your climate.

 

[GCncsuHD]

And not one that uses water - a swamp cooler won't work for ding in your climate.

Yep, swamp coolers will only make it worse in a humid climate by adding more humidity to the air, they will do nothing to cool it down.

 

[txbonds]

I put an 18,000 but Mitsubishi mini split in my 20x22 garage, along with foam insulation sprayed in walls, radiant sheeting in rafters, and blow in insulation above ceiling. I then had someone install foam sheet insulation on back of garage door.

I run the mini split year round 24/7 and keep a small portable dehumidifier set up to run automatically. The dehumidifier is needed so I can open the large door to Florida heat while the inside is a chilly 72. The room sq ft only called for 9,000 BTU but I went 18,000 to over come the large door opening.

It has been great for both summer and winter to have heat and cooling. I can leave temp at 78 to 80 but chill it to 65 in under an hour if I want to work on a hot day. Install was easy even though I had it professionally installed and it required no duct work and only a 3 to 4 inch hole in wall. As you can see I'm able to store my boat inside as well as work on my truck when I want whether it's hot, cold, rain or shine. I highly recommend this route after having mine for 2 to 3 years.

 

[EdT]

Buddy of mine just bought a window mount unit and put it into a purpose built hole in the wall. Very cost effective and takes up no floor space. For a one car space in Florida, I don't think you would need more than a 10000 btu unit.

 

[Wuaname]

I'm also here in Florida. You haven't explained why the mini-split won't work in your garage. I have one in a garage/shop area the size of a two car garage. It's the best, quietest thing on the market. If it's a cost or space issue the next best thing is a window unit mounted in the wall. Not difficult to do, but a little less effective & a lot noisier.

It is a townhouse and I wasn't able to purchase a corner unit which would have solved the problem. So I am in between two other neighbors wall to wall.

 

[pseudorealityx]

It is a townhouse and I wasn't able to purchase a corner unit which would have solved the problem. So I am in between two other neighbors wall to wall.

You can run the refrigerant lines to the back of the townhouse. Run them up in the attic space. Locate the condensing unit next to your existing condensing unit.

 

[Falcon67]

Not a lot of options for you. Might look at one of these:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_416709-3737...entURL=?Ntt=poable+air+conditioner&facetInfo=

 

[Wuaname]

You can run the refrigerant lines to the back of the townhouse. Run them up in the attic space. Locate the condensing unit next to your existing condensing unit.

I was thinking of that but wasn't sure. So I guess from the garage up to the attic and then out on the back yard wall? I was thinking it might be too long of a path for such a small system.

 

[Wuaname]

Not a lot of options for you. Might look at one of these:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_416709-3737...entURL=?Ntt=poable+air+conditioner&facetInfo=

I like that due to the price, but isn't that one that you have to keep adding water?

 

[Bib Overalls]

I like that due to the price, but isn't that one that you have to keep adding water?

Not a "swamp cooler" but it still requires outside access. Has a plastic duct work that goes out through a window.

Check the specs on the split kit. They should tell you the maximum length of the refrigerant lines.

 

[TangoFoxTrot]

I have a separate AC unit for a garage (came with house) and honestly, I don't think I would do it again.

If money is not an option, go for it, but I find myself just not using it enough to justify. I tend to just like using a big fan instead. I feel like with physical labor, you cool better having a lot of air moving across you then just a cool breeze coming from a vent.

If you're going to plan to do some work out there, you have to turn it on for a while before hand, unless you just want to run it all the time (which burns a lot of energy)

Also, as soon as you open the garage bay, all the cold air goes out immediately and you have to start all over. I tend to like to work with the garage open for the extra light. And garages are usually poorly insulated.

I have a family member that put a swap cooler in his, and it's just a much better fit and really cools the place down quickly. That's probably not an option in Florida, but I would invest in a good industrial ceiling fan and maybe a big window AC unit before putting a separate Ac unit in something like a townhouse garage. Much cheaper, easier to maintain, etc.

 

[kj_mustang]

Looking at the Fujitsu brochure and they have several models that go up to 164 ft on line length.

 

[GCncsuHD]

I like that due to the price, but isn't that one that you have to keep adding water?

You don't add water...it removes water which means you either have to repeatedly pour out the drain pan as it fills up with water or run a drain line outside.


Adding water would be a swamp cooler, which will not work in the least bit in Florida since it is already humid.

 

[Ben Secor]

am also in florida, and (finally) installing A/C in my garage. I bought a used package unit heat pump from craigslist last year. I disassembled it and re-insulated it with rigid foam. I had a bracket fabricated for the outside wall to mount it high and out of the way. It is totally self contained, and only requires power, and thermostat wires. Think of it as a HUGE 350lb window unit. I will be running the ducts through the gable end of the garage. The unit is self contained, and efficient (heat pump). You can pick them up used from A/C contractors for a couple hundred bucks. I haven't installed it yet, but its well over due.
I found this was the least expensive option for me, and I only have to turn it on when I need it.

 

[Wuaname]

Ok, it looks like I am going to have to go with the mini split system. I've seen Mitsubishi mentioned here and I think my friend either has Mitsubishi or Samsung in his 2 car garage. Mines will be a one care deal.

Any ideas / recommendations where to start pricing them out online? I don't know if this is something HD would handle.

 

[shade]

I cut a hole in the wall of my garage
Put in an 18k wall mount
Insulated all walls and ceiling for a 3 car tandem 800 sq ft. Garage door also insulated
Works very well in the AZ heat. Set unit to 78 and it cools to 78.
For me mini split was too complicated for what was needed

 

[Wuaname]

I agree, but where the property is being built is in an association so no window ac and I don't blame them.

What prices are these mini split systems starting at? It's only a 240 sq ft single.

 

[CharlieM]

Just watched this.. Maybe would help a little:

Buddy in work had one put in, ran about $2900 installed in N.J.

 

[fireant911]

We purchased the Idylis 10K unit on June 01, 2014. We have a sunroom that is my wife's favorite room but it gets too hot in there in the summer. The size of the space is 44' 2" X 10' 9" for a total square footage of 475 sqft. It has ten large windows in this room and our original plan was to do a mini-split; however, we just added a mini-split to the garage attic office and money was not available.

We visited Lowes and saw that unit and I came back and started researching these Idylis 10K units to see how well they performed. Overall, they appeared adequate (some pretty negative reviews with as many 'ok' reviews) so we went ahead and purchased this unit. There is an option to NOT use the drain... instead, the condensation is used to cool the unit and is exhausted outside as a vapor.

We are in complete amazement by how effectively it cools our sunroom and we live in the hot and humid part of Alabama (I guess all of Alabama is how and humid). It is positioned at the far end of the room (close to our desks) and it works fine. Granted, the room itself is not chilly (we have the temperature set at 78 degrees) yet it does make a huge difference. We are certainly pleased with our decision... once we finally get the permanent mini-split installed, this unit will go to my garage!