No Plan
Member
I have a 36'x64'x10' well insulated garage w/ floor heat. I live in Iowa, so, cold winter -hot summer. What is the best way to cool this 2304 sq. ft. in the summer?
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cool my shop?
- Thread starter No Plan
- Start date
Jagmandave
Well-known member
An air conditioner...........? There are several types, window units, hotel units, mini-splits, mobile home style units, regular home style A/C, industrial A/C......the list goes on.
Not trying to be flip here, but that's like asking what the best hammer is......
The best in terms of efficiency? Cost? Electrical usage? Size footprint?
There are so many variables......
How often do you use it - every day? Do you have to open and close the doors a lot all day?
If you think about those things, I think the answers will narrow down for you.
Not trying to be flip here, but that's like asking what the best hammer is......
The best in terms of efficiency? Cost? Electrical usage? Size footprint?
There are so many variables......
How often do you use it - every day? Do you have to open and close the doors a lot all day?
If you think about those things, I think the answers will narrow down for you.
If it really is "well insulated" 60,000 BTU is more than enough. That's five tons, more than enough for a 2300 sq ft house in the South.
You should worry about distributing the air so it's evenly cooled. For that you might do better with several smaller units. If you're going to keep it cooled continuously it might be worth it to invest in mini splits or some other high-efficiency cooling system, but probably not.
You should worry about distributing the air so it's evenly cooled. For that you might do better with several smaller units. If you're going to keep it cooled continuously it might be worth it to invest in mini splits or some other high-efficiency cooling system, but probably not.
I don't see cold water in floor as an option right now, but it's an interesting idea I hadn't thought of...I am wondering if a single large window unit mounted in the back wall would keep it cool enough to live with, & keep humidity down too. I'm thinking keep it at say 78 then turn it down when I'm in there.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Perfect application for a mini-split heat pump. Yes heat pump. Besides efficient cooling, you can use it for heat when the temps are still too warm to fire up your boiler.
You can get by with only one air handler, but you would much happier with 2 mounted diagonal from each other.
You can get by with only one air handler, but you would much happier with 2 mounted diagonal from each other.
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Can you pump cold water through your floor heat?
Very uncomfortable !
BillK
Well-known member
np,
My business shop is 30x60 with 14 ft ceilings. We have a 5 ton unit on the roof with the air handler hanging down from the metal roof joists. It does just fine.
My business shop is 30x60 with 14 ft ceilings. We have a 5 ton unit on the roof with the air handler hanging down from the metal roof joists. It does just fine.
kj_mustang
Well-known member
I have a 36'x64'x10' well insulated garage w/ floor heat. I live in Iowa, so, cold winter -hot summer. What is the best way to cool this 2304 sq. ft. in the summer?
What's well insulated?
My well insulated pole barn of about 2300 sq ft has spray foam insulated walls and roof and can be cooled by a 3.5 ton central a/c unit. Summer here is 80-90s.
Fueler
Well-known member
My past experience with window units regardless of tonnage is that their components and fan are too small and won't keep up in a working shop. A 5 ton split or self contained large unit of the same tonnage and larger components will blow the window thing out of the wall. Mo money of course but it pays off.
Oh and see this thread. It falls in your size range.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208129
Oh and see this thread. It falls in your size range.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208129
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
SWAG A good quality, high efficiency mini-split with 2 air handler would probably only need 3 tons of cooling.
Mini-splits are more efficient than tradition split units. The additional cost will pay back, especially if you use it to heat your building before it gets below 40F.
Mini-splits are more efficient than tradition split units. The additional cost will pay back, especially if you use it to heat your building before it gets below 40F.
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Bigbandguy
Well-known member
The window unit you mentioned is plenty big enough. A box fan or two would do the job of moving the cold air around. If you are looking to hold down costs that might be a deal. If you want the most efficiency and can afford to spend more money then the mini-split might be the better option in the long run. For 400 bucks I would cool that sucker down now and consider my other options while enjoying a cool shop. I expect you could get most of your money out of the window unit if you decided (at your leisure in the cool shop) on something else later.
No Plan,
It sounds like our buildings are similar. My is 2200 square feet and I live in northeast Kansas. I have R-19 in the walls, R-50 in the ceiling, R-10 under the slab and perimeter, two doors, and 32' garage door with R-20. I also have radiant a floor.
In running the heat loss and heat gain calculation, here's how mine comes out.
Heat loss at 65 degree delta = 37,400 BTU/h
Heat gain at 28 degree delta = 22,100 BTU/h
In short I can easily cool my space with 2 tons (24,000 BTU/h).
One note, I would strongly urge you not to try and cool your space by running cold water though your slab! You'll need a squeegee, a wet vac, and a humidifier just to keep from having to swim to the door! Short version, the second your slab drops below the dew-point, you'll have a very, very wet shop!!
Best of luck,
Reflex
It sounds like our buildings are similar. My is 2200 square feet and I live in northeast Kansas. I have R-19 in the walls, R-50 in the ceiling, R-10 under the slab and perimeter, two doors, and 32' garage door with R-20. I also have radiant a floor.
In running the heat loss and heat gain calculation, here's how mine comes out.
Heat loss at 65 degree delta = 37,400 BTU/h
Heat gain at 28 degree delta = 22,100 BTU/h
In short I can easily cool my space with 2 tons (24,000 BTU/h).
One note, I would strongly urge you not to try and cool your space by running cold water though your slab! You'll need a squeegee, a wet vac, and a humidifier just to keep from having to swim to the door! Short version, the second your slab drops below the dew-point, you'll have a very, very wet shop!!
Best of luck,
Reflex
What kind of work do you do in the garage? If you need to ventilate (woodworking, welding, etc.) your cooling load will increase substantially. Use a lot of air tools, with a compressor inside the garage? How much lighting? There's more to loads than just skin load.
In that part of the country I'd just look to maintain 80 deg. with lower humidity.
In that part of the country I'd just look to maintain 80 deg. with lower humidity.
Where did you find a 60,000 window unit? 25k is as big as I have ever found. I have 2 of them in my 30x50 with some insulation and it keeps it about 80 when it is 100 outside. I have a 4 ton compressor from when we put a 5ton int house and my air guy is looking for me a 4ton air handler to put in the shop.