Garage Fans

[Greenlawnracing]

My three car builder grade (500-600ish SF) garage gets stupid hot this time of year. You step outside and it drops 20 degrees - even though it is far from cool this time of year. I put a fridge thermostat on top of my toolbox, and it spends most of its time pegged over its 85 degree max.

Google tells me I need two fans - one blowing fresh air in, and one blowing hot air out. They are also to be mounted on the same wall at different heights.

I'm also under the impression that I'd want something like this:

Amazon.com: Tornado - 24 Inch High Velocity Indoor Oscillating Wall Mount Fan - 3 Speed with 7500 CFM - UL Safety Listed: Kitchen & Dining

Buy Tornado - 24 Inch High Velocity Indoor Oscillating Wall Mount Fan - 3 Speed with 7500 CFM - UL Safety Listed: Wall-Mounted Fans - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Looking for recommendations on fans and placement.

Full disclosure - I ran this by Logan and he told me to buy this or sit on the porch.

Sidekick

We say barrel fan, you say drum fan. Either way, our powerful and portable Sidekick fan provides more airflow than any other 48” barrel fan.

www.bigassfans.com

Pic of the garage for reference, although you cannot see the third stall. 98% of the work occurs in the two car bay.

 

[chompino]

Not sure I can help you with regards to positioning, but I just installed these two big *** wall fans in my new garage and tested them out. They are super quiet and push a ton of air! I'm going to leave them set at about 35%, which will be perfect for normal usage. I'm extremely impressed so far. I have them pointed towards the garage door, so I can open it up and push the air out.

I also have this fan in my attached 2 car garage. It moves a good amount of air, but it's very noisy.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BN33WZH/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Innovate1]

There are a number of things that might help...

It would help to identify where the heat is coming from. Guessing it is heat through the walls and ceiling. Are they insulated? It seems like it is mostly solar gain through the south wall, somewhat through east and west walls, and ceiling so insulation can help there.

Is this attached or detached? What's above the garage? If there is only attic space above then ventilation of the attic space can have a big effect. This could be natural ventilation with eave and ridge vents - that works pretty well but you could also do forced ventilation with a fan.

Then there is ventilation of the space itself. I don't see a need for a fan to push air in and another to pull air out - one or the other should work fine. Often the exhaust fan is done. As long as you have enough openings (windows, slightly raised OHD, etc) to let air in then an exhaust fan will work well. A "whole house fan" is used some in this part of the country and could work well. It goes in the ceiling and pushes are from the space into the attic and then out the attic vents to outdoors. It cools the attic at the same time which helps.

Those are all aimed at reducing the temperature inside. The fans to move air around INSIDE the space work on the effect of air moving over your body helps to cool it, making it more comfortable than air of the same temperature without air movement. The power going to the fan actually heats the space so you probably want to combine this with some sort of ventilation. It only works when you are in the moving air and doesn't actually cool the space at all.

We use a whole house fan to cool the space at night or early morning when the night temp (and humidity!) drops enough to be helpful. Getting some heat out of the concrete slab and the things in the space this way will help.

 

[FMB4]

Yep, a 3 sp 24" whole house fan is what I ran in our last (very hot far Norcal) 2 car. Chompino and Innvate1 have some very good advice. Meanwhile, you might want to pick up a standard thermo that indicates just how hot your G is getting. Good luck, and be heat safe. Heat strokes are no joke.

 

[brownbagg]

you need an exhaust fan like in a cattle barn, go to tractor supply. I got a 24 in mine through the wall

 

[Stuart in MN]

you need an exhaust fan like in a cattle barn, go to tractor supply. I got a 24 in mine through the wall

This is what I'd do. Mount it high up on one wall, along with an air intake damper mounted low on the opposite wall.

 

[Greenlawnracing]

There are a number of things that might help...

It would help to identify where the heat is coming from. Guessing it is heat through the walls and ceiling. Are they insulated? It seems like it is mostly solar gain through the south wall, somewhat through east and west walls, and ceiling so insulation can help there.

Is this attached or detached? What's above the garage? If there is only attic space above then ventilation of the attic space can have a big effect. This could be natural ventilation with eave and ridge vents - that works pretty well but you could also do forced ventilation with a fan.

Then there is ventilation of the space itself. I don't see a need for a fan to push air in and another to pull air out - one or the other should work fine. Often the exhaust fan is done. As long as you have enough openings (windows, slightly raised OHD, etc) to let air in then an exhaust fan will work well. A "whole house fan" is used some in this part of the country and could work well. It goes in the ceiling and pushes are from the space into the attic and then out the attic vents to outdoors. It cools the attic at the same time which helps.

Those are all aimed at reducing the temperature inside. The fans to move air around INSIDE the space work on the effect of air moving over your body helps to cool it, making it more comfortable than air of the same temperature without air movement. The power going to the fan actually heats the space so you probably want to combine this with some sort of ventilation. It only works when you are in the moving air and doesn't actually cool the space at all.

We use a whole house fan to cool the space at night or early morning when the night temp (and humidity!) drops enough to be helpful. Getting some heat out of the concrete slab and the things in the space this way will help.

Ok, quite a bit to work with here!


It would help to identify where the heat is coming from. Guessing it is heat through the walls and ceiling. Are they insulated? It seems like it is mostly solar gain through the south wall, somewhat through east and west walls, and ceiling so insulation can help there.

I assume the same I guess? It is attached to the house, but clearly retains heat. It is insulated, they do a pretty good job of insulating things here in Oklahoma.


Is this attached or detached? What's above the garage? If there is only attic space above then ventilation of the attic space can have a big effect. This could be natural ventilation with eave and ridge vents - that works pretty well but you could also do forced ventilation with a fan.

Attached. I have what they call a "bonus room" above it which would typically be an attic.

Then there is ventilation of the space itself. I don't see a need for a fan to push air in and another to pull air out - one or the other should work fine. Often the exhaust fan is done. As long as you have enough openings (windows, slightly raised OHD, etc) to let air in then an exhaust fan will work well. A "whole house fan" is used some in this part of the country and could work well. It goes in the ceiling and pushes are from the space into the attic and then out the attic vents to outdoors. It cools the attic at the same time which helps.

if I'm following you correctly one fan that circulates air and pushes it out of the garage would be sufficient. As I read the post below yours that references an actual exhaust fan that would be ideal but probably expensive.

Those are all aimed at reducing the temperature inside. The fans to move air around INSIDE the space work on the effect of air moving over your body helps to cool it, making it more comfortable than air of the same temperature without air movement. The power going to the fan actually heats the space so you probably want to combine this with some sort of ventilation. It only works when you are in the moving air and doesn't actually cool the space at all.

We use a whole house fan to cool the space at night or early morning when the night temp (and humidity!) drops enough to be helpful. Getting some heat out of the concrete slab and the things in the space this way will help.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I bought this fan from Harbor Freight and it is pretty damn noisy not to mention it doesnt SEEM to cool the garage a lot. I have not pointed it outward, maybe I should. At times it gets well over 90 degrees in my garage and its on the north side of the house. Theoretically the cooler side....but hey, it's Southern California in July/August so hot is a constant. I have another smaller 16" pedestal fan that I leave directed at me. It helps more.

30 in. Pedestal High Velocity Shop Fan

Amazing deals on this 30In Pedestal High Velocity Shop Fan at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

EDIT: I forgot to mention the fan itself is very effective. It moves a LOT of air, it had Low, Medium and High settings and the noise is just a drone of the air moving on High, not any mechanical noise. Recommended if you need to move a lot of air. A "Thumbs up" rating for this Harbor Freight item.

 

[gagecalman]

Not sure I can help you with regards to positioning, but I just installed these two big *** wall fans in my new garage and tested them out. They are super quiet and push a ton of air! I'm going to leave them set at about 35%, which will be perfect for normal usage. I'm extremely impressed so far. I have them pointed towards the garage door, so I can open it up and push the air out.

I also have this fan in my attached 2 car garage. It moves a good amount of air, but it's very noisy.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BN33WZH/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Can you supply info on the wall fans?

 

[gagecalman]

Can you supply info on the wall fans?

 

[HotRod68Camaro]

Not sure I can help you with regards to positioning, but I just installed these two big *** wall fans in my new garage and tested them out. They are super quiet and push a ton of air! I'm going to leave them set at about 35%, which will be perfect for normal usage. I'm extremely impressed so far. I have them pointed towards the garage door, so I can open it up and push the air out.

What size are those?

 

[LeonardY]

Is your garage door insulated? If it's not that's where most of the heat comes in. Especially if your door faces west.
Mine wasn't when I moved in and the front of the house faces west. It was brutal. The garage would get up to 95 to 100 if it was around 100 and over. I insulated the door which helped but it would still reach 90+. I noticed that the metal stiffeners would be 100+. So that heat was radiating into the garage. I finally replaced the door with a insulated door. What a difference. The garage stays closer to 80 to 85 even when the weather is 100+.
Don't put your vehicles in to the garage hot. I'll cover my car outside until it cools down and then put in the garage in the evening.
You mentioned the concrete gets warm. Once that happens it really hard to cool the garage down.
I have a small garage fan, I will open the front and side door of the garage in the morning with it aiming up to the ceiling.

This is what I have. I'm happy with it.

293 Heavy Duty Air Circulator

The Vornado Heavy Duty Shop Fan has the rugged durability to stand up to the toughest jobs. Built for use in the garage, workshop, or job site, this fan has a nearly indestructible body and steel base. The 293 HD features powerful airflow, moving air 100 feet! This shop fan has a ball-bearing...

www.vornado.com

 

[Greenlawnracing]

Is your garage door insulated? If it's not that's where most of the heat comes in. Especially if your door faces west.
Mine wasn't when I moved in and the front of the house faces west. It was brutal. The garage would get up to 95 to 100 if it was around 100 and over. I insulated the door which helped but it would still reach 90+. I noticed that the metal stiffeners would be 100+. So that heat was radiating into the garage. I finally replaced the door with a insulated door. What a difference. The garage stays closer to 80 to 85 even when the weather is 100+.
Don't put your vehicles in to the garage hot. I'll cover my car outside until it cools down and then put in the garage in the evening.
You mentioned the concrete gets warm. Once that happens it really hard to cool the garage down.
I have a small garage fan, I will open the front and side door of the garage in the morning with it aiming up to the ceiling.

This is what I have. I'm happy with it.

293 Heavy Duty Air Circulator

The Vornado Heavy Duty Shop Fan has the rugged durability to stand up to the toughest jobs. Built for use in the garage, workshop, or job site, this fan has a nearly indestructible body and steel base. The 293 HD features powerful airflow, moving air 100 feet! This shop fan has a ball-bearing...

www.vornado.com

It is insulated, but it is builder grade insulation. It faces south.

Good advice on the cars, unfortunately my family would likely never comply with that policy...myself included.

Not sure how I misrepresented, but the concrete doesn't get warm per say. It probably does, but I've never measured the temp on it.

Floor space is such a premium that I'd without a doubt need something I can mount on the wall. And my word fans are expensive these days!

 

[SlotlessMan]

I have two floor fans modified with storage hooks and mounted in the 2 upper far corners opposite of the overhead doors. They are on a remote switch.

However, they are for exhaust and other smells to get out quick as I have an AC to deal with the heat

 

[chompino]

Can you supply info on the wall fans?

These are 24" fans with the wall mount. I believe the model is called "Aireye" by Big *** Fans. They're a bit pricy, but definitely good quality. I hooked them up to a switch since they are mounted so high. I tested a bunch of speeds to see what would work most of the time, and ended up setting them at about 35%. At full power, they really move some air!

Big *** Fans - Aireye

 

[HotRod68Camaro]

These are 24" fans with the wall mount. I believe the model is called "Aireye" by Big *** Fans. They're a bit pricy, but definitely good quality. I hooked them up to a switch since they are mounted so high. I tested a bunch of speeds to see what would work most of the time, and ended up setting them at about 35%. At full power, they really move some air!

Big *** Fans - Aireye

I've been looking at those. My ceilings are 10'. My thinking is that a larger fan can move more air at a slower speed so it SHOULD be quieter. Not sure if that's true but I'm going to run it by BAF. Appearance wise though I feel like anything larger than the 24" would be too imposing with only 10' ceilings even if my footprint is 36'x26'.

 

[loganb]

I've been looking at those. My ceilings are 10'. My thinking is that a larger fan can move more air at a slower speed so it SHOULD be quieter. Not sure if that's true but I'm going to run it by BAF. Appearance wise though I feel like anything larger than the 24" would be too imposing with only 10' ceilings even if my footprint is 36'x26'.

The other significant benefit of them is as you pointed out it moves greater air volume, at lower velocity limiting the amount of debris stirred up. We use there industrial units in areas of our manufacturing plants and a significant concern was preventing debris from being stirred up as even with significant housekeeping and dust control efforts there is still debris from parts making operations. 0 issue with stirring up dust or dirt and they offer superior cooling benefits to the numerous post mounted, high velocity 120v fans scattered on posts throughout the areas.

Now if I could just get past the pricetag for personal use....

 

[LeonardY]

The other significant benefit of them is as you pointed out it moves greater air volume, at lower velocity limiting the amount of debris stirred up. We use there industrial units in areas of our manufacturing plants and a significant concern was preventing debris from being stirred up as even with significant housekeeping and dust control efforts there is still debris from parts making operations. 0 issue with stirring up dust or dirt and they offer superior cooling benefits to the numerous post mounted, high velocity 120v fans scattered on posts throughout the areas.

Now if I could just get past the pricetag for personal use....

I have a Jet air cleaner mounted high in the center of the garage. I sometimes use that in conjunction with my Vortex.
Works well to trap floating stuff in the air. Including mosquitos.

 

[Greenlawnracing]

I guess I'm a procrastinator. I never bought a fan. Its hot. I need a fan. Anything good on sale for Memorial Day?