shop fan Vs air conditioner

[xscorex]

so a 10k btu window unit is around $150 a big shop fan is around $100. i have a 2 car garage 24 x 24 with an upstairs. right now its not insulated. what would be the best way to keep cool?

 

[lametec]

A fan isn't going to keep it cool unless you're blowing in cool air from the outside.

Are you wanting to cool for comfort or for some other reason?

Best way would be to insulate first, then see how much more cooling you need. Insulation alone might make enough of a difference.

 

[xscorex]

thanks Im just looking for a little relief from the heat. I plan on insulating it. first I have to knock down all the shelving the previous owner put up. I hate it as its super nice and sturdy maybe Ill just insulate around it. its actually not that bad so far but i know its just going to get hotter

 

[gatchel]

thanks Im just looking for a little relief from the heat. I plan on insulating it. first I have to knock down all the shelving the previous owner put up. I hate it as its super nice and sturdy maybe Ill just insulate around it. its actually not that bad so far but i know its just going to get hotter

Could you some how get blow in insulation to work?

 

[rustyjeeps]

I have been thinking about the wattage the fans are using in my shop vs the wattage on a little 12k window unit or two or three. Maybe a couple of mini splits. Already tired of hot air blow'in around.

 

[reinhardt]

with a fan, placement is key. or so my a/c & r buddy told me. i was putting the fan in the garage w/ me blowing at me. that just blew hot air at me. he told me to put it outside pointing in. it blew the cool air along the floor, hit the rear wall, rolled up it and pushed the hot air back out the door. it made a huge difference. maybe u all already knew this, but hopefully i'm not the only dummy out there!

i'm not sure what kind of shop fan u r looking at, but it is nice to have a good sized fan in the garage. welding, grinding, wood work, paint fumes, etc..... use the fan to ventilate!

 

[z28toz06]

with a fan, placement is key. or so my a/c & r buddy told me. i was putting the fan in the garage w/ me blowing at me. that just blew hot air at me. he told me to put it outside pointing in. it blew the cool air along the floor, hit the rear wall, rolled up it and pushed the hot air back out the door. it made a huge difference. maybe u all already knew this, but hopefully i'm not the only dummy out there!

i'm not sure what kind of shop fan u r looking at, but it is nice to have a good sized fan in the garage. welding, grinding, wood work, paint fumes, etc..... use the fan to ventilate!

I think an improvement on that would be to place a second window fan sucking air out of the room, preferably on the other end of the room. If you don't have any where for the warmer air its not going to do too much good. I think The static pressure of the warmer air already in the room will form a wall and there's a good chance the "cooler" air from outside will get pushed right back out.

 

[Matt M PA]

Perhaps not all that helpful....but....my Grandmother was the best at keeping a house cool in the Summer. I learned from her. She would always open the windows on the shady side and draw from there...keeping the shades or curtains over the sunny side. As the sun's position changed...she'd swap things around.

 

[reinhardt]

I think an improvement on that would be to place a second window fan sucking air out of the room, preferably on the other end of the room. If you don't have any where for the warmer air its not going to do too much good. I think The static pressure of the warmer air already in the room will form a wall and there's a good chance the "cooler" air from outside will get pushed right back out.

i recently found an improvement to the plan. i opened the attic 'hatch' in the back of the garage. standing in the attic by the hatch i could feel a steady breeze blowing in. it not only cooled the garage off some more, it also cooled the attic over the garage down considerably. i know an attic fan would do even better, but just opening the attic 'hatch' w/ my fan is free.

 

[Falcon67]

I had my decent sized shop fan running today with all the doors and windows open. Was cutting trim for the house in the outer shop area. It was only 99F when I closed up. Ran the 12K AC for a while and it was 82 - much nicer for detail work LOL.

 

[russlaferrera]

A Air conditioner will only cool 20 degrees from the outside temp. It will remove the humidity.

A fan will blow air at the temperature that is outside or in the room. There will be no effect on humidity.

The cost for electric is a factor. A/C higher, fan lower. Comfort is also a factor, as hours of use and time of day. You are a factor. Do you stay in A/C a lot? Today many people go from their A/C home to their A/C car to their A/C workplace, and back. Only you can make this choice.

 

[mad57]

go on the cheap use a dehu in there and a big shop fan will help.. my dad owns property in arizona its like 104 out there but doesnt feel like it because theres no humidity. now if the garage is unfinished and no cars in there just work shop what about swamp cooler? small water tank mister and fan, just the opposite from mentioned above but will also work. good luck stay cool .

 

[rodnok1]

I've used window a/c units in many un insulated garages. Knocks the humidity and temp down just enough to make to fell good. Since I usually only run a few hours a week operating cost isn't that important.

 

[aloysiuscarl]

I prefer windows open. If it really gets hot and humid AC is a must so I guess I will put the AC in her room, and 2 or 3 hours before bedtime turn it on full blast, then during the night I can keep just the fan on.

 

[Gary S]

Comparing a fan to an air conditioner is like comparing a bicycle to a Corvette. The bicycle and the Corvette are both transportation, and the bicycle runs cheaper.

 

[z28toz06]

just so you know, you'll get laid A LOT less riding a bike than u will driving a corvette.