How Can I Cool Down My Garage?

Garages can get hot quickly. Whether you’re using your garage as storage for your cars or for your workspace, you don’t want to deal with three-digit temperatures. There are quite a few things that you can do to cool your garage down so that it’s more comfortable.

Especially in the hottest days of summer, your garage needs to be cool enough for you to work. Before you begin looking at ways to cool it down, find out if it’s too hot for a specific reason.

Why is the Garage Too Hot?

In many instances, garages will cool down on their own if they’re given the opportunity to do so.

Check the insulation. The reality is that most garages are under-insulated. Sufficient insulation will keep the garage cooler.

Check the ventilation. Most garages aren’t connected to the HVAC, so there aren’t any ducts to help with ventilation. Combine that with no windows and there’s not enough airflow to help get the hot air out of the garage.

Consider the location. If your garage faces the west, it’s going to get the heat as a result of soaking up the afternoon sun.

Consider the colors. The color you’ve chosen for your garage door may be working against you. Garages with dark-colored doors are going to get hotter. It will trap in the heat, leading to higher temperatures.

Once you identify why your garage is hot, you can look at ways to cool it down effectively.

Tips for Cooling Your Garage Down

There are a few ways to cool your garage down – and you can decide how much you want to invest based on how much time you spend in your garage. Even if you don’t work in the garage, consider what you store inside of it. Excessive heat could be damaging various items over time.

Invest in a Swamp Cooler. Are swamp coolers good for garages? You better believe it. You don’t have to mess with your ductwork. Instead, get a portable evaporative air cooler for your garage. It will allow you to get air flowing more efficiently and you can expect to drop the temperature by 20 to 30 degrees.

Install a window. If your garage is constantly closed up, it keeps all of the hot air trapped inside. A window in your garage can help allow fresh air in and out periodically.

Park your car outside. The heat of your car’s engine is only adding to the temperature inside of your garage. Engines will give off heat for several hours after they’ve been in use. Once it’s cooled down, bring it in to park it for the night.

Add a vent. A passive air vent can be installed on the roof. It helps to dissipate heat from the garage. You’ve likely seen a spinning turbine roof vent on other homes – their garages are already cooler because of this addition.

Declutter. Yes, keeping your garage clean can actually help you to lower the temperature. The reality is that a garage packed tight with boxes, totes, and more can be the cause of the temperature continuously rising. Add some shelves and clear out what you don’t need to get the temps under control.

Often, you’ll want to employ more than one of these solutions so that you can maximize the comfort within your garage. You may want to add a window and a swamp cooler. You may also want to start parking your car outside until it has a chance to cool down.

As you begin to vent your garage and get more air circulating, you’ll also want to look at the best swamp coolers for a garage. It can offer you cooler temperatures as well as a bit of humidity that a basic box fan can’t offer. Especially if you spend any amount of time in your garage, it can be a worthwhile investment.

Categorised in: Uncategorized

This post was written by Mike Nicolini