Big fan or AC?

[GaryA]

Here in Florida, the temperature is already starting to heat up quite a bit in the shop. I've toyed with the idea for a while about putting a portable AC unit or mini split in my small 11x21 shop (I dont do this for a living). The primary reason is comfort, secondary is humudity control. I find myself usually opening the overhead door anyways, so I'm wondering if I should just go with some type of big turbo fan (any recommendations here?) that would move a lot of air. That wouldnt solve the humidity issue when its closed down, but would be a cheaper alternative to cooling it - which I guess is a moot point anyways if the door is open. Thinking out loud here more than anything, but wondering if any suggestions out there on AC vs fan....or any recommendations on the fan side?

Thanks

[gjat]

I have 1/3 of a 3 car garage. I used a fan for years. I tried insulating the garage, putting in a ceiling fan, a large attic fan, etc. Finally I closed it in and use 2 small window units. It's so much better.

I don't do it for a living and not every weekend, but it's close to being my man-cave. I have two small units that will cool it off fast, then I can turn one off to maintain the cool once it gets to evening. A lot depends upon how hot your garage gets, which direction it faces, and what time of the day you'd use it the most.

[Stytooner]

If you ever do decide to get an AC on down the road, you will kick yourself for not getting one sooner.
AC all the way. There are times when I just use a fan, but when the humidity is high, the AC is on.

[LCHIEN]

you've already hot on the big difference- humidity control.

A fan will make you feel a few degrees cooler since it will remove sweat to evaporation but will fell not nearly as good as A/C. But a fan can be gotten for a few tens of dollars and A/C will cost you a few 100's of dollars. More if you want to insulate.

[Seedy]

Gary,
If you go with the AC, you will need to close the garage door. AC has to dehumidify the air before it can cool it. Also, do you have a good DC. If not, that may add to the expense of an AC unit.

-Craig

[GaryA]

Gary,
do you have a good DC. If not, that may add to the expense of an AC unit.

-Craig

I do....got a JDS air filtration on the ceiling and a Delta 2 stage DC at the TS. The problem is that i cant put one in the windows (which are on the front side of the house, and w're in a deed restricted community). So, it would either have to be one of those portable units (which I believe vent to a 4" duct) - I guess I would have to punch through the block wall on that? The other option is one of those european mini split units - much more efficient - much more expensive...

[Uncle Cracker]

You may want to consider insulating your garage door and the ceiling above your garage. Also, for the humidity control to work well, you pretty much have to leave the AC running. It takes so much effort on the part of a small AC to de-humidify if you let the humidity get back up to outdoor levels, that you probably will be very uncomfortable long before you notice much of a temperature drop. A mini-split is generally more efficient than a roll-around unit.

[dbhost]

For now, I am limiting my work to the cooler times of year. Even with a small window type unit in a mini / fake wall bolted to the garage door frame. (I have a Goldstar 10K BTU unit). I Fabbed up a small frame ful width, that I sided on one side, mounted the AC unit into, and bolted to the garage door frame with foam gaskets. It is basically walling in the open garage door. In order for this to be effective in summer on the gulf coast, I would have to insulate the walls, the other garage door, and the celing to the attic. All areas not insulated by my builder, and all areas for future improvement.

If I had it to do over again, I would have bought a house on a bigger lot, like a Cul De Sac with the BIG back yard so that I could put up a dedicated work shop, insulate it, and fully air condition it. Heating as you may have noticed here on the coast isn't really required, but I do keep an oil radiator for heating in the winter...

[OpaDC]

About 5 years ago I put window unit in back door (never open it) of my laundry room/storage area/shop (some people call these garages) . So glad I did. Used couple of fans and had to keep garage doors open to get any relief. BTW it's a 60's era 1 car garage. Even with poor insulation above, I get good cooling and even without any measuring equipment I can still feel humidity go down. I can tell cause my bald pate is like a fountain.
Side benefit: after hurricanes Ivan and Charlie, we basically lived in the garage. Generator couldn't do much of the house but we had couple of lights, small fridge, small TV and AC! Even slept in the blow up beds in there. Was a timely investment. BTW, don't remember the BTUs, but it is only 110v.

Edit: I insulated my walls and put on drywall. And admittedly, in mid July to mid Sept time frame I make a point of trying to keep garage door open for minimal time.

[gjat]

I do....got a JDS air filtration on the ceiling and a Delta 2 stage DC at the TS. The problem is that i cant put one in the windows (which are on the front side of the house, and w're in a deed restricted community). So, it would either have to be one of those portable units (which I believe vent to a 4" duct) - I guess I would have to punch through the block wall on that? The other option is one of those european mini split units - much more efficient - much more expensive...

I live in a deed restricted community, I wouldn't be allowed to stick the unit out the front. Mine are mounted in the interior wall I built and vent into the other two garage stalls. I open the double door and run a box fan to blow out the heat. My shop is small, but at least it's tolerable. I'd love to see your layout. There are other ways of mounting and venting the AC units that would be unabtrusive, but I opted not to because I didn't know if they would cool the area.

[GaryA]

I live in a deed restricted community, I wouldn't be allowed to stick the unit out the front. Mine are mounted in the interior wall I built and vent into the other two garage stalls. I open the double door and run a box fan to blow out the heat. My shop is small, but at least it's tolerable. I'd love to see your layout. There are other ways of mounting and venting the AC units that would be unabtrusive, but I opted not to because I didn't know if they would cool the area.

gjat..sent you a PM

[dlminehart]

Fans cool you by evaporating sweat. The dryer the air, the more readily the sweat evaporates into it, since a given temperature of air will only hold a certain amount of water vapor. (You've no doubt heard the expressing, "It's not so bad, because it's a dry heat.") When the air is really humid, fans don't do a good job of cooling. This is one reason why the southeast wasn't heavily populated before AC. Also, it's why AC dehumidifies: the colder air won't hold the humidity as water vapor, so it condenses out.

[Tom Slick]

maybe you need one of these...LOL
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[Tom Clark]

If your shop is not airconditioned, you will find that you won't spend much time in it! The summer humidity takes all the fun out of being there while sweating all the time.

When my AC unit was installed, I had the contractor make a special filter holder that holds two filters instead of just one as normal. Even with dust collectors on the machines and a shop air filter running, the AC filters catch more wood dust than you can believe!

[maxparot]

As with the majority I'd suggest the AC and because of the present and future energy outlook I'd go further and suggest that you invest heavily in sealing & insulating the space and purchase the highest efficiency AC unit you can. Keep the windows and doors closed whenever humidity is high. If particulate matter is a problem add filtration to fix that problem and finally to keep your wood dry and your tools from rusting a dehumidifier for when you aren't in the shop and the AC isn't running.

Like where you are here in Arizona it is either warm, hot or hotter. Unlike Florida humidity isn't a problem. It may get humid here for a couple of hours after a storm. When I purchased my home the shop was already equipped with a Evaporative cooler this works well in late fall thru early spring when the windows and doors are open. I have a pair of 52" ceiling fans that I use to circulate the cooler air. When the mercury starts to rise over 90*F the windows and doors get shut and the AC goes on.