It's in !!!

[jtbinvalrico]

I picked up an 12k btu AC from car54 and it's now running in my garage. Started with a hole through the wall and a frame to fit the AC:



This is a window unit. To adapt it to go through a wall, you have to make sure the vents on the side and top of the cabinet end up outside. The pencil marks indicate the width of the 8 inch wall, as well as the offset on the side rails to achieve the required 5/8" drop to the rear to allow proper drainage. Made some mounting brackets out of angle:


Installed....just needs some paint on the frame.


On to insulation......

 

[Jas.Dou]

Good job jtbinvalrico, looks really good.

 

[gmhill33]

I picked up an 12k btu AC from car54 and it's now running in my garage. Started with a hole through the wall and a frame to fit the AC:



This is a window unit. To adapt it to go through a wall, you have to make sure the vents on the side and top of the cabinet end up outside. The pencil marks indicate the width of the 8 inch wall, as well as the offset on the side rails to achieve the required 5/8" drop to the rear to allow proper drainage. Made some mounting brackets out of angle:


Installed....just needs some paint on the frame.


On to insulation......

How big is your garage? Let us know how well it cools it down.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[Rando]

very nice

 

[jtbinvalrico]

This is a two car garage near Tampa. Prior to this, a thermometer would have read "hell" during the day. I set the AC on 80, and the difference is huge. Before, I used to open the garage door and turn three fans on to hurricane speeds.....and it was still very hot and humid. This 12k btu unit makes a huge difference....night and day.

I put the AC up first. The garage door was not insulated, neither is the attic above my garage. I never realized how much heat was coming through the garage door and the ceiling. With the AC having cooled the room, I could actually feel the garage door radiating heat.

Today, I finished up insulating the garage door. I used 3/4" polystyrene. I used glue made for styrofoam to attach strips of the polystyrene to the inside of the panels to create a 3/4" air gap between the insulation and the garage door when I fit the panels in:


Huge difference. Then I addressed this:


I used a seal that attaches to the exterior.....something like this:

Here's a description......it's also available at Lowes: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009F86SE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Something else about the garage door that caught my attention was the vertical braces between the panels:

During the day, I could feel significant heat coming through that part, while the insulated panel adjacent to it was much cooler. So, I shot some foam filler into the space this evening. I'll check tomorrow to see how it works:


After that was done, I realized something else; I really didn't appreciate how much heat is coming down from that uninsulated attic until I stood there in my now-cool garage and I could feel the heat radiating downward. Next on my list is going to be the insulating of that attic space.

 

[Malaga]

Look at the thread titled "insulation and radiant barrier", also in the Heating and HVAC section. Many ideas tips, etc. for what you about to work on. Good luck.

 

[GreyOwl]

I was going to suggest you spray foam in the vertical channels until I got to the last pic and description. Should be working great by now.
Charles

 

[green.bubbly]

That should make your garage more "livable."

I did the same AC thing in my garage in the last home I lived in. Only thing I would have done differently would have been to make the opening in the wall several inches larger than the window unit and filled in the gaps with extra framing. Reason is that my first unit died and I had a hard time finding a replacement unit that fit in the same size opening. If I would have framed the opening with double 2x6s, I could have selected a larger AC unit by removing one layer of framing.

 

[jtbinvalrico]

.....never thought I'd see the day. I walked into the garage after being outside doing some yard work....and it felt cold - set at 80 degrees. Guys, these things go for about $100 on C's list all the time around here.

I took a look at the weather seal I had put up around the exterior of the garage door....functional, but ugly with all the nails in it. So I picked up some moulding to make a cover strip. One edge was already beveled, so I cut a 45* bevel on the back to accommodate the angle of the seal:

Mounted:

Painted and done:

 

[Car54]

Great write up JTB! Sorry I didn't have tine to talk "shop" when you picked it up.

 

[930dreamer]

Looks great, how big is the garage? I found a 25K unit on CL for $200. I have a 30X40 shop fully insulated, would like to cut the heat down a bit. This unit is a 240v unit. I'm not worried about the running cost.

 

[BirdRacer]

Looks great, how big is the garage? I found a 25K unit on CL for $200. I have a 30X40 shop fully insulated, would like to cut the heat down a bit. This unit is a 240v unit. I'm not worried about the running cost.

I have a 25k in my 30x40. It makes a noticeable difference, although it struggles during the heat of the day. 95-100 outside, it will keep it around 85 inside if I don't have to open the doors. When I open a door, pull in a hot car, etc. it obviously struggles even more. I have a metal roof with only the foil bubble wrap for insulation and open trusses, so that makes a huge difference also. It would cool much better with a ceiling and a little more insulation up there.

It still is tons better than before I had it, when it would be 100+ in there.

My $0.02

 

[Car54]

In my 25x25 with a 12k unit, I often struggle with whether or not to open both 12x8 doors on either side to get some breeze and get out some radiant heat or to let the a/c struggle. I usually have 99 degree temps in the building during the daytime. The a/c usually doesn't come on until I don't have to battle the direct sun, around 8pm.

 

[jtbinvalrico]

Size? This is a two-car garage.

I find that a small box fan across the garage really helps to circulate the cool air and prevent "dead zones". I'm not sure how much someone should rely on the air movement created by the AC unit itself.....Maybe some basic ceiling fans would help in some of your larger 40' free-standing shops....

 

[BirdRacer]

Size? This is a two-car garage.

I find that a small box fan across the garage really helps to circulate the cool air and prevent "dead zones". I'm not sure how much someone should rely on the air movement created by the AC unit itself.....Maybe some basic ceiling fans would help in some of your larger 40' free-standing shops....

In my shop, with open trusses, it feels and seems to get hotter by the thermometer with the ceiling fan on. I think it is pulling so much heat down from the roof. I do use a couple box fans and a pedestal fan to circulate the air though.

 

[morpheus34711]

JT,

How did you install the brackets to the AC unit? Screws or Rivets?

I'm looking at a 12K one on CL right now for $150, it appears to be the same model you have.

 

[BillGalbraith]

In my 25x25 with a 12k unit, I often struggle with whether or not to open both 12x8 doors on either side to get some breeze and get out some radiant heat or to let the a/c struggle. I usually have 99 degree temps in the building during the daytime. The a/c usually doesn't come on until I don't have to battle the direct sun, around 8pm.

Have you tried running the a/c during the day, just to keep the temp down to 83-85 deg, so that in the evening when you want to work out there, the a/c can actually achieve it?

I'm just getting my garage insulated, and shopping for an a/c unit. Sam's Club has a GE 12k unit for $229, which is the cheapest I've found. Next up is Sears, with Kenmore 12k units for $279 and $299.

 

[Car54]

Have you tried running the a/c during the day, just to keep the temp down to 83-85 deg, so that in the evening when you want to work out there, the a/c can actually achieve it?

I will try this when I take care of some closing off gaps and insulating. The other problem is planning around not opening the big doors while the shop is cooling.

Thanks for the response!

 

[Kathii]

Im new to this site but my through wall a.c vents into a basement stairway not outside??? I want to replace it with my window a.c instead but it's a larger unit...Could I have someone fit it in the space where the other one is??? And what's the best way to let the hot air out??? Right now the only way the hot air escapes is through a small vent on the basement door 12 feet below the a.c in the wall...I need some help here!!! My window unit is a 15000 btu L.G Could someone possibly make it fit in the wall ???? Biggest concern is the venting of the hot air...Please email me back because I'll never find the answer on here. [email protected]. Thank You

 

[toyotadriver]

Im new to this site but my through wall a.c vents into a basement stairway not outside??? I want to replace it with my window a.c instead but it's a larger unit...Could I have someone fit it in the space where the other one is??? And what's the best way to let the hot air out??? Right now the only way the hot air escapes is through a small vent on the basement door 12 feet below the a.c in the wall...I need some help here!!! My window unit is a 15000 btu L.G Could someone possibly make it fit in the wall ???? Biggest concern is the venting of the hot air...Please email me back because I'll never find the answer on here. [email protected]. Thank You

First off....welcome to the board!

You did resurrect a very old thread so you might want to consider starting your own thread because you might get more relevant input.

I'm not sure I fully understand your question. But, if I do, I would consider installing a mini split.

 

[Bigbandguy]

This is such a good thread for this time of year that it will not hurt a thing to bring it back to the top for a while . I found the info on insulating the garage door particularly interesting.