A question about AC/Heat/Dehumidifying a garage...

[Frank Trinkle]

I have been looking for a solution to cool my garage in the summer (It was 99F today), dehumidify (86% today), and heat it during the winter (occasional freezes here in GA).

I have been pretty unsuccessful at finding an affordable solution, but came across the following unit yesterday:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/gcs/...ioning-pricegr

AC, Heating, AND 65 pint/24hr dehumidifying in a portable unit.

I'd appreciate any of you HVAC expert's opinions on this unit. Pretty inexpensive and if it does what it says, it might be the perfect solution....

[chet jamio]

I've bought two portable a/c units, a single-hose 12,500 BTU and a dual-hose 15,000 BTU. Neither of them worked at all. After 8 hours of continuous running in a 2 car garage, the temp didn't move one degree. I bought the single-hose first and returned it. Then I read that the dual-hose versions worked better but it didn't, so I returned that too. Now I have a 220V 18,000 BTU window unit, and it works good. Last weekend, it was 97° and very humid, but the garage was okay. It wasn't freezing, so I wouldn't suggest anything smaller. On 90° days, the garage can get cold though. I have an insulated garage door and R30 in the ceiling. You can buy my same window unit with an integrated heating system.

[Frank Trinkle]

What is the model number and source of your window a/c unit? I'd be interested in looking

[Bruce Wrenn]

Keep an eye out for a hotel / motel remodeling project. Generally they "scrap" all of the old units, regardless of age. It's cheaper in the long run for all units to be same brand / model. Sometimes, they can be had for scrap prices, as the contractor has to "pump them down" before scraping. Most require a sleeve through the wall that is 48" long, and operate on 220.

[phil harold]

just turned on my 13,000 btu old sears window air conditioner today
(should have turned it on a week ago with all the cool & rainy days we had)
may be a little small for 1100 sqft with 12' ceilings
but it does get the moisture out of there and cools the place nicely

[David Hostetler]

I have a 10K BTU Goldstar 110V Window unit I jam in a mini wall on my garage workshop door. Doors are insulated with Reflectix, and the gap at the top is insulated with an old Coleman sleeping bag. (My HOA hates me during the summer). No insulation in the ceiling or side walls.

I typically open the garage doors, and blow out the hot air with the box fans for about 10 minutes, set up the AC and kick it on. In a coastal Texas 95 degree 90% humidity day I get the shop to a comfortable 77 degrees in about a half hour...

[chet jamio]

What is the model number and source of your window a/c unit? I'd be interested in looking

I bought it at Lowes. It was $350 about a year ago. It was 18,500 BTU.

My HOA hates me during the summer

To meet HOA rules, I installed my window unit in a box inside the garage. I vented the intake and exhaust air through the ceiling and in/out the soffits.

Installation details: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=91575

[Bob Slater]

For both heating and cooling, I have had very good results with a Fujitsu ductless system. It is 18,000 BTU cooling (A bit more in heating) with two head units. Both the heating and cooling are very impressive, as it heats my shop in January on one 20 amp circuit.

[Jim Finn]

I had a unit just like that one and I killed it in one season. Dust from the workshop gummed it all up and destroyed it.

[Greg Crawford]

2 $99 Lowes units in my 500 sq. ft. garage shop. The walls and ceiling insulated with R-13. The overhead door faces West with no shade, and will cook in the afternoon. For that, I put foil backed sheet foam inside, and hung the plastic porch shades outside. This is my first summer with full insulation (still need more in the attic), but so far, I can keep it between 70-75. When my cyclone and a machine are running, the air at the ceiling is circulated down, and it gets warm fast, but cools back down quickly.

I run one unit pretty much all day, and the second as needed. Latley here, that's been quite a bit. They'll cool things well when I get home in the afternoon and turn them on. A single, bigger unit would be nice, but this works for now.

[David Hostetler]

Greg,

How big are those units? It's been hot enough lately that I am not even bothering to open the door to go into the shop. Not sure about what the official reading is, but the gauge by my back door has read 100 deg F and 65 - 75 % RH for the last three days... I am trying to do some work on my wife's car, but the heat is a plain and simple killer right now...

If I had the $$ to completely finish the job, I would rip all my sheetrock out of my garage, and fully insulate the thing... probably do the AC box thing that Chet linked to...

BTW, you are a LUCKY man for 500 sq/ft. Even without the extra junk, I am only around 375 sq/ft. I swear my entire neighborhood has garages designed for Geo Metros... Extra junk counted in, such as fence pickets, smokers, tents, folding chairs, bikes, lawn mower, etc.... I am working in about 120 sq/ft. So honestly, I usually take stuff out to the driveway and work under a 12x12 EZ Up canopy. No A/C there, but with a good breeze I don't worry too much about firing up the DC either...

[Myk Rian]

Frank;
Heat pumps can be notorious for having the switching valve go bad. The most common repair of those units. Just a word to the wise.