Any person that’s moved to a new home with a garage will understand they can revolutionize how we think about storage. Many of us will use a garage regularly to store cars and other vehicles. But, this is also an ideal location for tool storage, seasonal furniture, bicycles, and many other useful items that you don’t need every day. If you want to work on a project in the garage or set up a small workshop, there is a hurdle to overcome. These spaces have minimal insulation and they can get cold in winter and hot in summer. A simple box fan will offer cooling to a minimal standard and it is an inefficient option. In this article, we will take a closer look at how you can use air conditioning to cool your garage.
An Integrated AC System
The first option to explore is to simply integrate the garage into your existing air conditioning system. Stop. This is a very bad idea, it may be tempting to add some ducts, a supply register, and a return vent, but in reality, it won’t work efficiently. There are three main problems that homeowners encounter if they choose this route. They are:
1. Cooling Capacity
The first problem is that your existing AC system may not have sufficient capacity to cool an extra large room (the garage). The viability can be checked with a professional load calculation that will evaluate the performance and efficiency of the entire system. But, unless a homeowner is planning to install a brand new HVAC system, this is a bad investment.
2. Degraded Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
As we mentioned earlier, people tend to store a lot of items in their garages that they wouldn’t necessarily want in their homes. Some typical examples include paint, paint thinners, fuels, cleaning products, and more. These products may contain chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs,) and other pollutants that can lower the IAQ. Another key factor is carbon monoxide from vehicle exhaust fumes that can linger in the garage after startup and parking. When these pollutants are added together they can significantly lower the IAQ throughout the home. Why? It’s important to remember that the AC system will circulate all the air in the home multiple times each day. So, if your garage is using the same AC system, the pollutants there will be distributed to every room in the home at some point.
3. Cold and Humid Air
Unless the garage is turned into additional living space, there will be a door that is opened regularly to park a car or other vehicle under cover. When the garage door is opened, any treated air in the space will be lost which is a waste of money. The HVAC system will need to work harder to make up the difference and this will drive up the energy bill. It’s also important to understand that overworked equipment is more prone to failure and it tends to wear out faster too.
What are the Alternatives?
Hopefully, we’ve shown that a shared home and garage HVAC system isn’t going to work. So, it’s time to explore two alternatives that can make the space more comfortable when the temperatures soar. They are:
1. Adding an AC Window Unit
This can be a viable option for some people, but there are some caveats that need to be understood. First, there must be a window that is both accessible and the correct size for a window AC unit. Many garages simply don’t have a window that would be suitable for this purpose.
Another problem is that a window that is large enough for a window unit in the garage does present a security problem for the homeowner. These units are pretty hard to remove on a whim and they effectively keep the window open 24/7. Window AC units are also noisy which can be a distraction if you want to use the space as a workshop. Finally, a window unit can ruin the aesthetic appeal of a building and if you’ve got an HOA, it’s unlikely that you can install one.
2. Installing a Mini-Split
In our opinion, this is the ideal solution to the garage cooling problem. Choosing this route will ensure that you can avoid all of the drawbacks discussed earlier in this article. There is no need to worry about ductwork installation or security issues with open windows.
A modern mini-split AC unit will work quietly and efficiently in the background. There are many different makes and models on the market, but they all work similarly. There is an indoor and outdoor unit, they are paired together to remove the warm air from the garage. This lowers the temperature making the space more comfortable when it’s hot outside. It’s also worth noting that many mini-split systems can be in reverse which makes the garage more comfortable in the winter months too. This increases the utility of the system at no extra cost and it is a cost-effective way to cool and heat the garage.
In Conclusion
As you can see, a mini-split system is the best option and it will certainly do a better job than fans in summer or heaters in winter. But, you can get even better performance from the system if you choose to invest in some passive insulation for your garage. Adding layers of insulation is a great way to keep the heat in and the cold out in winter and summer. This is a great way to lower your energy bills throughout the year with no loss in performance in the home and garage.
If you choose to install a mini-split in your garage, it’s a good idea to hire a heating and cooling specialist to ensure that you get a unit that’s properly sized for the space. An undersized unit will underperform and it will consume more energy. A unit that’s too large may cool or heat the space too quickly leading to short-cycling problems. Finally, it’s a good idea to keep the garage door shut when you’re using a mini-split system. This will keep the treated air in for longer and help you to reduce your utility bills.
If you’re considering a mini-split for your garage, contact your local HVAC specialist today.