Home Repair forum - Install portable A/C in garage?

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Install portable A/C in garage?

Dan Jones

2006-04-28, 11:21 pm

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...-CatHome&pos=13

I'm using a detached 2-car 20ftX20ft garage with no windows to do a boxing
workout and it get's hot and steamy quickly if there is more than one or two
people in there at the same time.
The floor gets dangerously slippery also. I got a dehumdifyer and it works
but it actually adds more heat to the garage which will get unacceptable in
a couple months, plus it costs almost as much as the portable A/C from
Coscto above. I can return the dehumidifyer to Sears in the next week minus
a restocking fee, so I'm thinking ordering the portable a/c linked above.

I'm sure the 10,000 BTUs is probably not enough to really cool the garage to
a comfortable 76 degrees on a 100 degree day (though it says it could work
for up to 400 sq ft), but if it can at least drop 10 or 15 degrees, bring in
fresh outside air and exhaust the hot, humid air it may be worth it.

Since there are no windows, what would be involved in cutting holes through
the drywall to mount the intake and exhaust tubes? It is a newer house with
stucko on the outside of the wall.
I think I would rather have two small round holes for the tubes to go
through rather than a large hole that fits the provided rectangular window
adapter.
I do not want to cut through studs in the wall and make a giant opening for
a standard sized window a/c, so that's the main reason I want the portable
unit.

hallerb@aol.com

2006-04-29, 12:21 am

pipe version is less efficent and costs a lot more,'

10,000 btu might be enough if you insulate your garage.

do you have power out there?

240 is better for larger ac units

why not install a permanent window, and use the ac as needed?

definetely insulate!!

Joseph Meehan

2006-04-29, 8:21 am

Dan Jones wrote:
> I'm using a detached 2-car 20ftX20ft garage with no windows to do a
> boxing workout and it get's hot and steamy quickly if there is more
> than one or two people in there at the same time.

I suspect you will be disappointed. I believe you will be happier and
spend less money to begin with and in operation by adding a large wall fan.
It is not going to make it cool, but it will make it less hot and will keep
it from getting hotter.

The AC will need to run for some time to cool down that large space.
You will need to turn it on hours ahead of time and it will run full time
using lots of energy. The fan, assuming you get a really large one and
provide sufficient air inlets on the opposite wall, will provide a rapid air
exchange as well as air movement. It will also help remove the aroma of all
that workout. Since it is a garage, I assume you have garage a door so
opening it part way will provide that air inlet.

Think in terms of a whole house exhaust fan that would normally placed
in the center all ceiling.

Like:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?acti...6BDX&lpage=none

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Bennett Price

2006-04-29, 2:21 pm

You say it will
"> bring in fresh outside air and exhaust the hot, humid air."

Unless you open a door, I don't think you'll get any outside air. The
Costco page you cite says nothing about the machine having a switch that
will totally recirculate/partially recirculate the air inside the garage.

One tube is used to bring outside air in to cool the condenser, the
other to eject the air the condenser just heated up and dump the water
the cooling process has wrung from the garage.

I'd look around for a vertically oriented A/C that will fit within the
studs. Google "casement window air conditioner"

Dan Jones wrote:
> http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...-CatHome&pos=13
>
>
> I'm using a detached 2-car 20ftX20ft garage with no windows to do a boxing
> workout and it get's hot and steamy quickly if there is more than one or two
> people in there at the same time.
> The floor gets dangerously slippery also. I got a dehumdifyer and it works
> but it actually adds more heat to the garage which will get unacceptable in
> a couple months, plus it costs almost as much as the portable A/C from
> Coscto above. I can return the dehumidifyer to Sears in the next week minus
> a restocking fee, so I'm thinking ordering the portable a/c linked above.
>
> I'm sure the 10,000 BTUs is probably not enough to really cool the garage to
> a comfortable 76 degrees on a 100 degree day (though it says it could work
> for up to 400 sq ft), but if it can at least drop 10 or 15 degrees, bring in
> fresh outside air and exhaust the hot, humid air it may be worth it.
>
> Since there are no windows, what would be involved in cutting holes through
> the drywall to mount the intake and exhaust tubes? It is a newer house with
> stucko on the outside of the wall.
> I think I would rather have two small round holes for the tubes to go
> through rather than a large hole that fits the provided rectangular window
> adapter.
> I do not want to cut through studs in the wall and make a giant opening for
> a standard sized window a/c, so that's the main reason I want the portable
> unit.
>
>

2006-04-30, 1:21 am

On Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:12:10 -0700, "Dan Jones" <no#email.com> wrote:

>http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...-CatHome&pos=13
>
The big fan is a good idea too. Any possibility Joe of opening the
garage door 6 inches or a foot and using the right end of the opening
for the input and the left end for the exhaust, at least to get an
idea of how satisfactory it is? If this whole room circulation
doesn't happen autmatically, maybe a blanket could be hung to the
floor in the 12 to 14 foot middle of the door. Would that do it, or
would it just circulate air near the door?

>I'm using a detached 2-car 20ftX20ft garage with no windows to do a boxing
>workout and it get's hot and steamy quickly if there is more than one or two
>people in there at the same time.

I haven't done this but I have a friend who AC'd his 2 car garage. I
think he used a standard AC, installed through the wall, and I'll ask
him what he used and how satisfied he is, etc. if you want me to.

>The floor gets dangerously slippery also. I got a dehumdifyer and it works
>but it actually adds more heat to the garage which will get unacceptable in
>a couple months, plus it costs almost as much as the portable A/C from
>Coscto above. I can return the dehumidifyer to Sears in the next week minus
>a restocking fee, so I'm thinking ordering the portable a/c linked above.
>
>I'm sure the 10,000 BTUs is probably not enough to really cool the garage to
>a comfortable 76 degrees on a 100 degree day (though it says it could work
>for up to 400 sq ft), but if it can at least drop 10 or 15 degrees, bring in
>fresh outside air and exhaust the hot, humid air it may be worth it.

If it's really hot out, you'll have to change it to recirculate after
the room gets almost cool, because it will cost more to keep adding
warm outside air to the cooled air inside.
>
>Since there are no windows, what would be involved in cutting holes through
>the drywall to mount the intake and exhaust tubes? It is a newer house with
>stucko on the outside of the wall.
>I think I would rather have two small round holes for the tubes to go
>through rather than a large hole that fits the provided rectangular window
>adapter.

What's so bad about cutting the large hole in the stucco? What is
above the wall, just the edge of the roof or more? I think you have
to cut one stud, and if there isn't a bigger than that load above it,
I don't think the wall will sag, or not more than what someone here
tells you. You put in 2x4's on all four sides and if you have to lift
it up a little (an inch or two??) to undo any sag, I think you can use
a car jack for that. Will it sag enough to crack his stucco, and how
does one avoid that.

>I do not want to cut through studs in the wall and make a giant opening for
>a standard sized window a/c, so that's the main reason I want the portable
>unit.
>

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