Not necessarily a rural question, but how do you folks who live in the southern states cool your garage?

We are getting ready to move into a new home, first summer in FL, and our garage (reloading area) is not climate controlled. Subdivision doesnt allow window units and no window anyway, just garage door and side access door.

Do I :

- redirect a duct from the main unit
- buy a plug in type unit
- just leave the house to garage door open
- confiscate my wifes laundry room for reloading activities

Add a duct or two from the main unit, keeping in mind it's going to run up your utility bill.

Install an appropriate sized mini split system. Make sure the garage is insulated. The unit will control temperature, as well as humidity.

Sounds like the extra duct or two is cheapest near term solution.

Kingston, does the mini-split system work off the main unit or is it independent?

I built a reloading room (about 10' x 10') into a corner of my garage. Presently using a plug in unit that vents through a 5" hole in the exterior wall. The existing exterior walls were insulated and I insulated the new walls and above the ceiling. An 8000 btu unit keeps it comfortable in the summers here, with temps up to 110*. I have considered running ducts to the room and may do that when I replace the main a/c unit in a few years.

A split system is independent. If you want to cool your entire garage, that's probably the best route.

It's an independent unit. You may not have capacity on your existing system.

I live in a barndominium.

The shop part isn't insulated or cooled/heated.

We keep the doors open from daylight til after dark. In the heat of summer, it's damned hot in there!

I'd love to get one of those swamp coolers for shop space, but it's so humid here, it wouldn't work.

Wifes laundry room is looking better and better...

Buy a window unit, put it on a roll around cart, aim it towards you. Put it in a corner when not in use.

Mount a window unit int the door, call it a door unit and you won't be violating the C&R

I can't imagine living in Florida, and not being allowed to put in the A/C needed to keep cool

This does not work, and will actually make it hotter. They produce more heat than cool, due to not being %100 efficient, plus use causes heat. There is no free lunch here, the heat must be vented.
On the other hand, they DO make portable air conditioners that have a hose exhaust to a window insert. (My inlaws have several) they are used only when needed, and roll off into a closet when not needed.

How about a, large shop fan? Not an AC, but they do cool some.

IME a arge fan and balance beam scale = Frustration

Just bought one of these for the same application. Should be here from Florida in a couple more days. Looking forward to a little more comfort reloading.


https://www.highseer.com/high-seer-inverter-mini-split-ductless.html

Living in the country I can imagine someone telling me I can't do what I wan to my own house....
I have an u heated/ cooled garage myself....I open the door and put a fan in the doorway....works fine...

Uh, yes it does. Or maybe I was just imagining to the cold air.

That looks promising, let me know how it works out and how installation goes.

I'd be interested as well.

Change side access door to a dutch door. Make roll around cart width of open lower portion of door mount ac unit to cart so it tops out at bottom of upper portion of dutch door, have cart under ac unit blocked in. Sit unit in bottom part of dutch door and cool.

Greer mini split...........

you'll thank me later

https://www.comfortup.com/gree-livs...ini-split-air-conditioner-heat-pump-115v