Can I use a Swamp Cooler in my 3-car garage shop here in SLC Utah?

[Dave Cav]

Thanks for all the input. From what I have gathered from a number of sources, the key to an effective swamp cooler application is low humidity and lots of air circulation. The Cache Valley area where I'll be is pretty dry in the summer, and if I keep the doors partially open and make sure the air circulates and exits the building I think I'll be ok. The shop will be a 30 x 40 pole building with R50 in the ceiling and R35 sprayfoam in the walls and 10 foot ceilings so I think everything will work out. The building is about 2/3 finished right now and all of my tools will arrive there next week. Once I get moved in (next spring) I'll talk to an HVAC contractor about having a cooler installed either on the roof or the back wall.

[Randall J Cox]

ideally cooler at one end and vent it at other. You want the air to be passing by where you do most work. The great thing about a cooler is that it also moves out the fine dust. I have been working with a swamp cooler in the summer here in the central Calif valley (hot and dry) for about 13 years now. Nice and cool and blows out fine dust. Of course mine works because my shop is so small compared to yours. No rust either on any tools. Randy

[Dave Kelley]

ideally cooler at one end and vent it at other. You want the air to be passing by where you do most work. The great thing about a cooler is that it also moves out the fine dust. I have been working with a swamp cooler in the summer here in the central Calif valley (hot and dry) for about 13 years now. Nice and cool and blows out fine dust. Of course mine works because my shop is so small compared to yours. No rust either on any tools. Randy

Arizona here. Use a swamp cooler just fine with side door open, cooler by the door and garage door cracked. Would a mini split be better? Probably. Swamp cooler is inexpensive and let me work in the garage on 120 degree day a few weeks ago. Monsoon season right now so it's humid in the evenings so it doesn't work as well but when it's hot and dry, it's awesome. Humidity leaves minutes after the thing is turned off, with proper ventilation there isn't much to begin with and you need proper ventilation for the thing to even work right. If I had the budget I would do a mini-split and seal everything off but I don't, well, I don't want to spend my budget on that at least.

[Steve Peterson]

Greg,

Hey! Who you callin' old?!!? It might be old but for me at least, as just described in another message, it is as relevant today as it was years ago.

Your reply really caught my attention. I have, as mentioned, a 3 car. With no dividers in it I have to heat or cool it all. I want a wall in there... my wife does not. So no wall.

For a 2 car with and 18k how do it work with the temp? I know that there are lots of factors, insulation/sun exposure/etc.., but are you happy at 18k? Would you have gone bigger or smaller given the chance to do it over? Would you recommend a 24 or even a 32 for a 3 car garage?

Thanks,
Joshua

Joshua,

I didn't notice if you have added insulation or not. I live in the Sacramento foothills and that made a huge difference for me. I built a room around 1 stall of our 3 car garage and added insulation on the interior walls. A portable 14K BTU unit that vents through the windows was practically useless until I added insulation to the ceiling and door. Then it could cool the room to the low 80s on the hottest days. This was reasonably comfortable since an AC lowers the humidity even further than the already dry Sacramento air. I suspect that SLC would have similar temps and humidity as Sacramento.

My shop was about 24' by 14' and 10' tall walls, so it has around 760sf of wall area and 336sf of ceiling. A 24' by 36' garage would have around 1200sf of wall and 864sf of ceiling. This is about twice the surface area as my shop. I would guess that the 32K BTU unit would be a reasonable size. Keep in mind that I am not an AC engineer and I am just providing a single data point that worked for me.

btw: my walls were insulated with just 3.5" of fiberglass and the ceiling had 6". The garage door had 1.5" of rigid foam.

Steve