Inferno Garage: How to Cool It?

[redvalkyrie]

My garage is literally hotter than hell...it faces the west and in the late day Oklahoma sun it simply is too hot to work in.

I had extra insulation put in the walls and attic when the house was being built but the door isn't insulated. I know that would help but it really needs some type of ventilation to pull the hot air out...any recommendations on how best to do this?

Thanks
JP

 

[malibu101]

You can never make it any cooler than the outside temp of course. And as you know the stucture radiates heat inside, the insulation helps alot.
The best thing to do is move the hot air out. A fan in the highest point vented through the roof or wall will take that hot air out and pull ambient air in.
Your construction will determine the best fan for your application.

 

[mdbeck1]

About the only thing you can do in Oklahoma in the summertime is get the air moving. I grew up in western Oklahoma in a shop with a west door. The best decision my Dad made was to buy a in-wall fan and put it on the East wall. It would get the air moving and it helped enough that we could work some in the heat.

However the best thing is to just not be in the shop during the hottest part of the day unless you had to.

 

[chevelle64]

You can never make it any cooler than the outside temp of course. And as you know the stucture radiates heat inside, the insulation helps alot.
The best thing to do is move the hot air out. A fan in the highest point vented through the roof or wall will take that hot air out and pull ambient air in.
Your construction will determine the best fan for your application.

If you have good insulation and you keep the garage closed up, it should be cooler than the outside temp. With my doors and windows closed up, and ceiling fan running, mine stays much cooler than the outside.

 

[hook982]

...move to Canada...

 

[smooth72]

My garage is heavy insulated, doors, wall, and ceiling. I change from the vinyl weather stripping around the doors to the brush style. Made a big difference. I built the house 12 years ago and the bottom seal on the garage needed to be replaced. I have 4 ceiling fans with 12' ceiling. I cut a whole in the side of my garage and put a window ac unit in. If I had to do it again or when the window unit goes out I would put a Mitsubishi split mini air unit in. Allot cheaper to operate. I installed one of those in a bonus room I built over my garage. The garage is 1300 sq ft. Yesterday here in Oklahoma 100 + my garage 72. For the winter I use a blue flame vent less heater. The more you seal and insulate the cheaper is to run. Oklahoma we have strong winds so the sealing is very Important. One thing funny my car has billet wheels on it and when I pull it out of the garage on a really hot day the wheel fog up. By heating and air condition the garage I spend 90% of my waking time in there. The wife can have the rest of the house.

 

[jumpingryan]

...move to Canada...

LOL

There isn't any snow up here during these months in case you are wondering!

80 degree's F today, high expected around 83 over the next few days. And that doesn't include the humidity, which next to large bodies of water such as the great lakes can add quite about to the "feel" of the temperature!

Having travelled throughout the US, sometimes I appreciate not being next to huge bodies of water that make the temperature feel 10 degree's higher! Having grown up in Niagara Falls, Canada, anybody from New York state can surely understand what I am saying, since the lakes provide their own weather system there!

As to cooling the garage, I have just been avoiding my 24 X 26 attached partially insulated for the past little bit, putting off the ******** projects. A window mount A/C would be the ticket for me to complete some jobs, but certain jobs can wait for cooler temperatures!

Ryan

 

[Falcon67]

Put AC in it. My shop is a 20x24 with a long wall facing west. It has wall batt and ceiling batt 3 1/2" fiberglass with no vapor barrier. Also no sheet rock anywhere either. Door has 1" pink rigid foam stuck to it. Venting is a 12x18 gable vent in each end. It was 84F in the shop yesterday with the 12K window unit on 2.8 (of 5 on the dial). Sheathing temp with the laser was 156F at 4 PM and the thermometer 16' off the ground was 108F. Wind speed was 0 MPH. I B happy boy.

 

[Bigpigdave]

Attic venting, ceiling fans, air cross flow and shade (trees) are some things that come to mind. You didn't mention ceiling height but air conditioners are really rated for cubic, not square, feet so your unit may be too small. If you have windows across from your overhead door, you may find more relief by shutting off the AC and using fans to get some air moving. Good luck.

Dave