Mild Climate...No A/C...Fans?

[bnr32jason]

- Two car "cookie cutter" garage 440sqft
- Also used as small office/man cave
- Seattle, WA (hottest days are low 90's, normally high 70's to mid 80's in Summer)
- I like to leave the garage door open on nice days

With that being laid out, what are my options? I'd just like to keep the stagnant air moving, so I'm thinking a couple big fans mounted from the ceiling in each back corner pointed out towards the garage door and angled slightly in so the center gets air flow.

But that's not really based on any science, just what I thought might work when I looked at my garage. What is my best option for cooling without going to A/C?

The fans I was looking at are: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IS6JBY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Should I spend the extra cash on a slightly bigger oscillating fan?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4X6JOF/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Think these would work? Or should I go with something different? More fans? Different location?

I know most discussion around here is about A/C, but I like to have the door open and I can't justify the cost of even a portable A/C unit when I'm just going to open the door most of the time anyways.

Thanks!

 

[Gila Monster]

I would just make sure you have something that is adjustable and can put the airflow on you and worry less about strategically moving air in and out of the garage as I just don't see that as having as big an impact as long as the door is open.

I would go with the more expensive option and mount it, but I have a version of the cheap one you mentioned and the only issue is its annoying to drag it out and position it every time, but it is a game changer to have it blowing on you.

I would agree that in your climate, an AC unit seems like a waste. I could easily get by with a good fan and ventilation.

 

[PelicanPines]

I have two of the smaller fans you linked... same size garage ... one is mounted at 6 feet up... the second at 4 feet up... at 90 degrees to the first.

 

[kTHREE]

I was in the same setup, but 640 sq ft. I got so sick of my loud *** shop fans. I'm halfway through installing two 52" ceiling fans, the difference was worth the install time twice over already.

 

[Randy in Maine]

I have two "Vornado Shop Fans" and they provide some serious quiet blow.

 

[bnr32jason]

I was in the same setup, but 640 sq ft. I got so sick of my loud *** shop fans. I'm halfway through installing two 52" ceiling fans, the difference was worth the install time twice over already.

So you would say ceiling fans the better option overall due to noise? That's something that I hadn't really considered too much, but it will likely be an issue.

 

[Gila Monster]

If ceiling fans will work in your garage, its a no brainer to install.

But many people can't put them in as a result of the garage door when it opens.

 

[kTHREE]

So you would say ceiling fans the better option overall due to noise? That's something that I hadn't really considered too much, but it will likely be an issue.

Correct. I had two wall mounted 4600 cfm fans 22" IIRC. While they moved a lot of air, they were loud as hell on top speed. My new fans are 52" @ 5400 CFM and are a 1/4 of the sound.

Maybe my old fans (like 3 years old) were just crappy I don't know.

 

[bearskinner]

Ceiling fans really move the air. I picked up a couple metal blade industrial multi speed fans, and they work much better than I ever thought. Even if they are up high, they really circulate the air. I'm near CDA Id, so similar summer weather, a little colder in the winter.

 

[bnr32jason]

If ceiling fans will work in your garage, its a no brainer to install.

But many people can't put them in as a result of the garage door when it opens.

Understood. I know I can get at least one. I'm likely doing a high-lift conversion and Liftmaster 8500 on my door, at which point I should be able to comfortably fit two.

Thanks for the response!

 

[blinn]

I have one wall mounted very similar to the second one you posted. It's fine and moves a fair amount of air but is LOUD! I listen to music, ball games or watch TV all the time in my shop and have to turn it off to enjoy. I'm in SC so I could not live without my mini split - just sayin' [emoji12]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mray312]

bnr32jason -

I put a 30" oscillating fan in my garage a few years ago. It can be a little noisy but it moves a lot of air.

The fan is a Global Industries 30" oscillating wall mount fan. Global had the most affordable prices that I could find. It will set you back about $150. You can find them here:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/hv...ndustrial-fans

You might be interested in how I mounted the fan. Rather than finding a stud, I mounted it on a "french cleat" and hung it up. A few years ago I read a Family Handyman magazine article about garage organization that featured a french cleat system. I went ahead and put cleats on my garage walls spaced 12" apart from floor to ceiling. Everything that hangs on my walls is modular. I posted about it here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/...n I'm done the garage is ready for wrenching.

 

[lakeroadster]

Tell us more about your building construction / type.

Mild Climate... Yes
No A/C... Correct
Fans? Nope.

On my barn we installed ridge vents and there is no ceiling... it's open from the floor to the peak of the roof.

The barn has full length soffit vents, also open to the interior.

The barn has 2 windows, and we installed a garage door screen, the screen keeps the sun from shining directly on the slab, yet allows air flow.

Add up all that air inlet sq-feet together and you end up with a pretty decent work space ambient temperature.

 

[sourdough]

- Two car "cookie cutter" garage 440sqft
- Also used as small office/man cave
- Seattle, WA (hottest days are low 90's, normally high 70's to mid 80's in Summer)
- I like to leave the garage door open on nice days

But that's not really based on any science, just what I thought might work when I looked at my garage. What is my best option for cooling without going to A/C?

I live SW of you near Pe Ell, and our summers are relatively warmer than yours because you are closer to the marine waters and we are 400' higher in elevation and inland. I have a fairly large 40' x 32' x 10' high attached garage on a 6" concrete slab, 2" x 6" walls with R-21 batt insulation, with no HVAC at all. The thick slab works well to keep the garage between 40* (winter) and 76* (summer) with the garage doors (3) closed.

Since you like to keep at least one garage door open in summer, I am curious as to why you are entertaining any A/C. Forget about any portable A/C as one has to duct the discharge air from the condenser outside, they are only rated at 12K BTU or less, and with the open garage door, why? Any A/C unit would run constantly under those conditions and not produce anything more than an increased electric bill.

If the garage inside temp is in the low-mid 70's in the morning, opening the garage door during the day when the outside temps are in the 80's-90's is only going to warm the garage (warm air flows to cool air). Using fans will only exascerbate that. Either shut the garage door(s) and install a window/thru-the-wall 15K 120V A/C unit, or put up with the heat.

This is a bit off topic, but only to show an alternative. We cool our 2100' R-21 wall/R-30 roof home with an LG 15K 120V window unit (8 years old, cost was $350 plus some sweat equity) in conjunction with the house furnace forced-air fan to redistribute the air. It is not perfect, but if the outside air temp reaches 100* (not uncommon) during the afternoon, the setup will keep the house at 78* or lower if we close up the house when the OSA temp goes above the ISA temp and turn it all on when the indoor temp reaches 74*.

The fans shown below make a lot of sense.

I have two "Vornado Shop Fans" and they provide some serious quiet blow.

Good luck, sir!

Jim

 

[ForceFed70]

I'd also recommend ceiling fans. Cheap, quite, and move a lot of air. Only downside is the height required, you'll want them to hang down at least 18" for decent flow tho you can get away with 12"