I have a 350 square foot single car garage that will not be used as a garage. The idea is I need to keep the temperature inside around 65 all year even though 60 would be better. The walls will have R13 and the ceiling will have r19. The ceiling is 8' and has new windows. I live in north central Illinois where in the winter it can get to -10 and in the summer it can get to 100. So can it be done? If so any advice?
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Keeping it at 65 all year 24/7
- Thread starter Dennis_W
- Start date
Why the constant temperature?
Steve in Mi
Well-known member
Do you need constant humidity also?
volleyball
Well-known member
Is this a giant humidor?
sands35
Well-known member
With r19r13? I hope you have a big budget for monthly energy costs.I have a 350 square foot single car garage that will not be used as a garage. The idea is I need to keep the temperature inside around 65 all year even though 60 would be better. The walls will have R13 and the ceiling will have r19. The ceiling is 8' and has new windows. I live in north central Illinois where in the winter it can get to -10 and in the summer it can get to 100. So can it be done? If so any advice?
You'll need to re-think the insulation and air sealing.
Consider that a garage typically can't be tied to the houses air handling systems by code. So you will need a hydronic floor or a separate heat source in winter and an independent cooling system in summer.
Mini-split AC heat pump with heater option may be a good choice. After you add more insulation and seal up air leaks.
Hlidskjalf
Well-known member
Air conditioning is not designed for that low of a temperature. Look into a refrigeration system and hire a reputable company if you are serious about the design
James-W
Well-known member
I agree with the comments made above, get rid of the overhead door, get more insulation, and go with a refrigeration system rather than an air-conditioning system.
I would also recommend spray foam insulation rather than regular fiberglass insulation. You get more “R” value per inch from the spray foam than you do from regular fiberglass insulation. For example, with the regular pink fiberglass insulation you get R-13 in a 2X4 wall and you get R-19 in a 2X6 wall. But if you have 2X4 walls with spray foam you would get R-6 per inch so if you fill the entire cavity with spray foam you should get about R-21. If you have 2X6 ceiling with fiberglass you get R-19 and with spray foam filling the entire cavity you would get about R-33. While the initial cost would be much higher to do the spray foam, in the long term it would make a big difference in the monthly cost to heat/cool the garage. I guess it all boils down to what you prefer, a larger initial cost followed by a lower monthly cost to operate, or a lower initial cost followed by a higher monthly operating cost.
I would also recommend spray foam insulation rather than regular fiberglass insulation. You get more “R” value per inch from the spray foam than you do from regular fiberglass insulation. For example, with the regular pink fiberglass insulation you get R-13 in a 2X4 wall and you get R-19 in a 2X6 wall. But if you have 2X4 walls with spray foam you would get R-6 per inch so if you fill the entire cavity with spray foam you should get about R-21. If you have 2X6 ceiling with fiberglass you get R-19 and with spray foam filling the entire cavity you would get about R-33. While the initial cost would be much higher to do the spray foam, in the long term it would make a big difference in the monthly cost to heat/cool the garage. I guess it all boils down to what you prefer, a larger initial cost followed by a lower monthly cost to operate, or a lower initial cost followed by a higher monthly operating cost.
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pseudorealityx
Well-known member
Humidity is your biggest issue. What are your requirements?
Highbeam
Well-known member
Of course it can be done. You just need equipment that can supply or remove the heat as needed to maintain the setpoint.
Minisplit(s) for cooling and most heating and then electric resistance heaters to kick in in the winter if the minisplits can't quite get the job done when it's ultra cold.
Minisplit(s) for cooling and most heating and then electric resistance heaters to kick in in the winter if the minisplits can't quite get the job done when it's ultra cold.
I was thinking giant wine storage.
oltruckag
Well-known member
65 is attainable with a regular DX split unit - our upstairs set point is 68 from 8pm to 6am during the cooling season. My goodman 14 SEER has no issue maintaining that, with reasonable cycle times even when it's in the high 90's.
Utility bills aren't that crazy either - elec hit $225 last summer. We keep 74 downstairs 24/7 and upstairs swings from 76 to 68 depending on time. 2 tons of cooling per unit, 1600sqft per floor. The house was built in 1992, the attic is r-19, walls standard insulated 2x4 construction.
Are you keeping a single car garage with no heat load at 65? Or are you packing it full of server equipment? That will dictate the BTUs that you need to remove from or add to the space. I think the heating requirements, depending on load, may be more expensive than cooling in your location...
Tyson
Utility bills aren't that crazy either - elec hit $225 last summer. We keep 74 downstairs 24/7 and upstairs swings from 76 to 68 depending on time. 2 tons of cooling per unit, 1600sqft per floor. The house was built in 1992, the attic is r-19, walls standard insulated 2x4 construction.
Are you keeping a single car garage with no heat load at 65? Or are you packing it full of server equipment? That will dictate the BTUs that you need to remove from or add to the space. I think the heating requirements, depending on load, may be more expensive than cooling in your location...
Tyson
Thanks for all replies guys! The purpose is for beer fermentation. I'm starting to think that my best bet will be to make a cold room inside the garage with a window ac unit and a small space heater or something. I'm thinking about 9' long and 30" wide..... that should fit 4 fermenters. Have it from floor to ceiling on an exterior wall with a window. Put the window ac unit in in the summer for cooking and then the space heater in the winter. And then I'd want to keep the entire building around 45 in the winter....24/7 to keep water lines from freezing.
Seem more reasonable?
Seem more reasonable?
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volleyball
Well-known member
I'd look at buying a used walk in cooler and then beefing up the insulation.
pseudorealityx
Well-known member
The "problem" with regular HVAC units trying to make things really cold is the coil is going to run between ~50-54 degrees. When 54 degree air is heated to 65 (sensibly only) meaning no moisture added, you've got close to 70% RH. Whether or not that's a problem FOR YOU is something you need to figure out.
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
65 is attainable with a regular DX split unit.
Tyson
Yes, but it's not advisable.
Tommy
Highbeam
Well-known member
Ah for beer. I am brewing this afternoon and will bring the small fermenter into the house for a week to finish.
digdug18
Well-known member
I use a freezer with a temp regulator to keep it at a a steady 70 degrees for fermentation. It's + or - .1 degrees, and has lasted quite a while. Kinda a pain to get the glass carboy into and out of, but it also keeps me from kicking it, and keeps light out of the batch.
CWO4GUNNER
Well-known member
Sounds like you have large goals with a limited budget. you may want to look for an old used but well working refrigeration tractor trailer and slip it along side of your house. They seem to have the insulation and load capacity to do the job and maybe used you can pick one up and even have it delivered for 2-5K dollars. Or I suppose you could DIY remodel your garage into a refrigeration storage unit still $$. Either way refrigeration is where your headed to maintain those temperatures constantly, you should research and study refrigeration application and storage. Perhaps you could DIY refrigeration for just the beer containment vessels themselves. Nevertheless even with some sort of separate refrigeration unit inside the garage you will still need to air condition the garage as "most" refrigeration units systems are designed to be in an air conditioned space without extreme fluctuations or high heat. Something most people don't realize when they put their used extra refrigerator inside the hot/cold garage they brake down.
hippie2cams
Well-known member
why don't you just buy a walk in cooler, they are a refrigerator system and you can get one configured for your space. I bought one used from an auction a few years ago for a hunting camp and it would keep meat hanging at 40 degrees constantly
Sureshot
ALLIANCE MEMBER
http://storeitcold.com/
This is what I was going to use. No experience but seems like a good option along with your idea of a small well insulated room.
This is what I was going to use. No experience but seems like a good option along with your idea of a small well insulated room.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
With enough HVAC capacity it should not be an issue. This would be a good application for a mini-split heat pump.
I hope you have the minimum number of windows (smallest square inches of glass) and that they are triple pane glass.
You need to double your insulation it you don't want to go broke paying for electricity.
I hope you have the minimum number of windows (smallest square inches of glass) and that they are triple pane glass.
You need to double your insulation it you don't want to go broke paying for electricity.