The garage is the best place to spend your time in if you love tinkering with your car or if you’re doing home carpentering stuff. Unfortunately, in many houses, the garage is often a warm place, which can consequently affect your comfort in this part of your home. Naturally, you would prefer to keep the heat out of your garage space, especially if you have stored temperature-sensitive items.
The best way to combat the heat is to use a garage air conditioner. This won’t only keep you cool, especially during the summer months, but it can also lower humidity levels in the area. Garage air conditioners can likewise create a suitable work environment for you.
Why Should You Install a Garage Air Conditioner?
Heat is a primary consideration, and the factors below can intensify this, which should lead you to consider air conditioning for your garage.
1. Location
A garage located on the south or west side of the house receives intense heat from the sun, which is at its hottest in the afternoon.
2. Color
Many garages are painted dark colors, especially the door and the exterior walls. These colors tend to absorb heat more quickly, thus, intensifying the heat even more.
3. Insulation
Garages are often uninsulated, so hot air can easily get in from the outside and disrupt the interior climate.
4. Ventilation
If there is no ventilation in your garage, hot air can quickly form and result in an increase in temperature.
Types of Garage Air Conditioners
Below are the best air conditioner options that should help you achieve a comfortable temperature level in your garage.
1. Mini-Split Garage Air Conditioners
These have high-efficiency ratios and are one of the most efficient garage air conditioners. The mini-split is a ductless unit with the highest energy efficiency ratio (EER) and seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER).
Since they are ductless, mini-split ACs are easy to install. They can be mounted high on the wall if you want to conserve garage floor space. A single indoor unit will usually suffice for a one-car garage. The only downside is that mini-split garage air conditioners can be more expensive compared to other ductless models.
2. Window-Type Garage Air Conditioner s
These AC units used to be bulky, but recent advancements have made windows air conditioners more portable and flexible. Additionally, they are among the most economical and are quite easy to install in your garage. This is because many models come with a complete set of installation kits with user-friendly instructions.
There are some drawbacks to all the benefits, though, according to a company that offers HVAC service in Mountain View CA. For example, garage windows that are too vertical may not be ideal AC installation areas. Also, window-type garage air conditioners tend to be loud. They could become a disruption if your garage is your home office or study area.
3. Through-the-Wall Garage Air Conditioners
This can be a suitable alternative to other more popular garage air conditioning units. It works the same way as the window-type model but with a different installation process. After creating an opening in the wall, you can simply install this AC unit inside.
The wall opening should have the correct size to allow for a perfect fit for your through-the-wall air conditioner. This should prevent air leaks from taking place but could become a problem if the size of the wall opening is a bit larger. Apart from that, the wall has to be insulated to ensure that the unit will function efficiently. There is also the issue of closing the hole and painting over it if you decide to take the air conditioner down.
4. Portable Garage Air Conditioners
This is a compact-sized AC that you can easily move around the garage. It doesn’t only cool your space; this unit can also dehumidify it. Some models also have smart heating capabilities.
Portable air conditioners can be used if a permanent AC cannot be installed in your garage. For this unit to work, you need to drain the hose through the garage window. If a window is unavailable, you can simply drill a hole in the wall to allow passage for the exhaust pipe. This air conditioner type is great for small garages but may not be efficient if you have a large one. Portable garage air conditioners can also be noisy because all their components are stored in one unit.
Key Takeaway
Air conditioners may not be common in many garages, but that doesn’t mean you should not consider having one. This is especially true if you have other uses for the garage apart from being a secured parking space for your car.
Hot air can quickly warm the area if you have a poorly ventilated garage. It can make the garage an uncomfortable place to stay in, which is not good if you love spending time there for various reasons. The solution is to install a garage air conditioner, but don’t just settle for any AC type. A garage is a unique place in your home, so choose an air conditioning unit that will complement that uniqueness.
