There’s no doubt that indoor climate control is an amazing achievement that not only adds comfort, but increases the safety of homes and buildings. No more burning fires to stay warm or concerns of heat exhaustion when it gets hot.

It’s hard to imagine how people went so long without it, especially when the temperature outside reaches peak highs and lows. But many homeowners need only walk out to their garage to be reminded of what a non-temperature-controlled space is like.

If you’re just parking your car in your garage and immediately exiting it, then the temperature of your garage doesn’t matter too much. But for those who want to use their garage for more than basic storage, it can be well-worth adding some climate-controlling capabilities.

Heating your garage is simple enough. There are a number of options available, which you can learn more about in our previous post here.

Cooling, however, can be a little trickier. For starters, your garage is probably not attached to your home’s duct system. And even if you could connect it, should you?

Today, we’re going to look at whether you should add air-conditioning to your garage, and how you can do it.

Should You Air Condition Your Garage?

Cooling your garage and keeping it that way can take more work than a typical room in your house. Even a properly insulated garage likely isn’t going to be as efficient as your home. Additionally, every time you open up that giant garage door, all the cool air is going to escape.

And of course, there’s ventilation to consider.

AC needs to be able to push cold air in and take hot air out. If your garage is connected to your duct system, and you have an air-return setup, that’s fine (though connecting your garage to your duct system might not be a great idea).

If you’re utilizing a stand-alone unit, you’ll need a window or some other sort of outlet, which may require adding a hole to a wall.

It can be some extra work, not to mention an increase in your utility bills, but if you’ll be spending a lot of time in your garage during the summer, particularly during the day, adding AC is justifiable.

Why You Probably Shouldn’t Connect Your Garage to Your Central Air

Most likely, your garage isn’t already connected to your home’s duct system, so you’ll need to run a vent to it. You’ll also need to add an air-return, or you’ll create pressurization in your garage, which can lead to various issues throughout your home.

If you add your garage to your central air system, that means air will be pumping towards your garage, even when you’re not in it, wasting electricity. While you can close the vent, some will still seep through.

Lastly, garages tend to have certain fumes, smells, chemicals, etc. that the rest of your home doesn’t have. With the garage connected to the vents, these things can seep into your home, leading to bad smells and air-contamination.

Adding AC to Your Garage

The best solution for garage AC is usually a stand-alone unit. This will give you direct control over the room, so no energy goes to waste. Just make sure you get a machine that’s efficient. You’ll also need to get a unit that’s powerful enough to cool your space.

First, measure the size of your garage. Then utilize a BTU calculator such as this one here. Enter the dimensions, and that will give you a BTU amount. When searching for an AC Unit, you’ll want to make sure it meets or exceeds this amount.

Once you have the BTU, either start doing some online browsing or visit your local hardware store. Just remember, you’ll need ventilation. If your garage doesn’t have a properly sized window (or one that opens), you’ll need to go a different route.

Insulating Your Doors Should be the First Step

Air Conditioning isn’t going to do much if your garage isn’t properly insulted. Instead, you’ll just waste a lot of electricity and money. The first step in controlling your garages climate is proper sealing and insulating. This doesn’t just mean the walls but the doors as well.

After all, your garage door is essentially a wall in itself. Insulated garage doors help keep your garage warm in the winter and cool in the summer. They’re also stronger and make less noise when opening.

For a great selection of garage doors in Ohio, insulated or not, contact Springfield Overhead Door today!