Insulating, heating and cooling.

[dbhost]

As most of y'all know, cooling is my biggest issue with my shop, at least until recently. Now we aren't getting it as bad as the north is, but let's face it. Texas isn't where you expect 20 degree temps, especially in the coastal bend... I mean really, we ARE technically tropical... But since the beginning of December, I haven't had my freeze caps off of my hose bibs. Anyway, point being, it's cold, and staying that way. I discovered that the oil filled radiator, when the temps really dump, and the wind blows like crazy outside, that little radiator just isn't providing enough heat. So out came the Propane heater... Nice and toasty. I use a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy 8K BTU heater. The MFG rates the heater for 400 sq/ ft space, which is just a hair bigger than my shop... (I'm in approximately 370 sq/ft).

I am wondering about insulating... I know my greatest benefits will come from ceiling, and doors, not to mention replacing door seals. But I am curious...

Can I use reflectix, or some other radiant barrier material under the Owens Corning garage door kit?

I see a LOT of R13 and R19 Kraft faced roll insulation, but the R30 is unfaced. Why?

A project for this spring, assuming I can manage the time to do it is to ceiling mount, and duct my window unit AC up through the attic, in / out the soffit. I am considering one of the 12K BTU A/C / Heater combo units that LG makes. Are those any good?

[pelligrini]

I see a LOT of R13 and R19 Kraft faced roll insulation, but the R30 is unfaced. Why?

I think it's because the R13 and R19 that you're seeing was designed for wallcavity installation and the R30 is for ceiling/attic installation.

[phi1l]

the R-30 is probably designed for attic application, usually you don't need a vapor barrier of attic insulation because the opportunity for infiltration into the attic is limited & normally the attic is ventilated, so insulation vapor barrier is not needed.

Do you have windows, windows can be a big heat loss area too.

I would concentrate more on reducing cold infiltration, doors windows outlets can all be sources.

Good Luck

[Garasaki]

In regards to the faced insulation, in my garage, I put a layer of R13 faced in, sitting between the joists, the layed R30 on top of that (rolls running perpendicular to the R13).

[dbhost]

the R-30 is probably designed for attic application, usually you don't need a vapor barrier of attic insulation because the opportunity for infiltration into the attic is limited & normally the attic is ventilated, so insulation vapor barrier is not needed.

Do you have windows, windows can be a big heat loss area too.

I would concentrate more on reducing cold infiltration, doors windows outlets can all be sources.

Good Luck

No windows.

Have new door gaskets on order to eliminate the breeze around the roll up doors.

3 outlets in the garage (presently), 1 in the common wall with the house and well insulated, and 2 in the ceiling (a single bulb light fixture, and a standard outlet for the old garage door opener).

My plan is to...

#1. Seal up, and insulate the doors. If possible I would like to combine some sort of radiant barrier with conductive / convection dead air space type insulation (The Owens Corning fiberglass kit).

#2. Insulate the attic as I re-deck it. The original owner of the house decked the attic with T1-11 plywood siding that is about 1/4" thick. Needless to say, it's SCARY. My plan is to replace it with 5/8" OSB. Simply pull the existing decking panels, roll the insulation in place, nail in the new decking panels.

#3. In the process of insulating / re-decking, I want to replace the single socket outlet with a double gang box and standard wall outlets (for lighting, and an air cleaner), and string one more on the ceiling to support lighting at the front of the shop.

#4. My sheet rock is in pretty bad shape, I am hoping to pull the rock from inside the garage, run the new sub panel and circuits, insulate the walls, and re-rock. I am going to be wrecking sheet rock out to run electrical anyway, why not go all the way and insulate at the same time?

The electrical service is not going to be huge going into the garage, only 60 or so amps. Enough to do what I need, and more. Not so much that I can't do another sub panel to an outbuilding when I finally get to that point. The idea here is not so much as a dedicated wood shop in a garage, but rather, a great garage, that will be given back to Automotive function when the outbuilding wood shop finally gets built. (HOA said no unless it is attached, LOML said no on attached. Trying to come up with compromise...)

[LarryG]

(HOA said no unless it is attached, LOML said no on attached. Trying to come up with compromise...)

A breezeway, covered with a roof that connects the "outbuilding" to the existing house, might satisfy the HOA and turn their No into a Yes. Obviously I have no idea whether that would satisfy the spousal unit. Perhaps if the breezeway served as an attractive outdoor living area?

[dbhost]

A breezeway, covered with a roof that connects the "outbuilding" to the existing house, might satisfy the HOA and turn their No into a Yes. Obviously I have no idea whether that would satisfy the spousal unit.

I keep telling her a breezeway would offer some nice columns to hang flower boxes off of. She's not buying it...

[LCHIEN]

(HOA said no unless it is attached, LOML said no on attached. Trying to come up with compromise...)

easier to divorce the wife than to change the HOA minds. just sayin...

[phi1l]

I keep telling her a breezeway would offer some nice columns to hang flower boxes off of. She's not buying it...

Nice try though ...

[dbhost]

easier to divorce the wife than to change the HOA minds. just sayin...

Nope. Got rid of the bad one. This one's a keeper... Outbuilding or no...

[capncarl]

We install and use a lot of the LG split units on our base in SW Ga. Probably not the best unit around but they seem to get the job done ok with minimun breakdown. They are really easy to install and are now designed for the homeowner to install rather than an ac service tech. The drawback now seems that LG changed their inside evaporator fan from being powered from the condenser via a provided cable that anyone could install to a 110v fan that must be powered by the owner/electrician. A bit pricey too! you can buy 3 window units for what the split unit costs.
capncarl

[twistsol]

R13 and R19 Kraft face insulation is designed for wall cavities of 2x4 or 2x6 construction respectively. The kraft facing is not a vapor barrier and is only intended to be stapled to the studs to hold the insulation from sliding down in the wall cavity. You should always use a poly vapor barrier on the conditioned side of the insulation

If you have someone local that will spray closed cell poly foam at a reasonable cost, you get r7 per inch and since the closed cell foam is a vapor vapor barrier and there are no gaps anywhere.