A/C in a shop/garage.........

[M240Bravo]

So I built my dream garage(what I thought was a dream), was a 40x45x20 with spray in foam insulation.

But I found that was to small with having to many cars and lifts in the garage so I'm building a new garage that will be 40x80x18.

I'm going to foam insulation again 6inch pad with 24inch bricked off the ground, but here is my question.


How do I heat and cool it, I have looked online and haven't found much of anything and commercial ac units seem like over kill. Was thinking of using propane to heat it since I have a few extra 1000gal tanks.

Building will look like this just longer, its the one I picked.

 

[rotor_powerd]

A mini split or two will cool it well enough to be bearable. May need to supplement the heat side with a furnace


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[LogiWorld123]

What about those mitsubishi ACs that they advertise on this old house?
http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/products

 

[HudsonFalcon]

Amazon has a nice 80,000 btu unit for $600. The reviews are good and since yours has the spray foam insulation holding the heat shouldn't be a problem. Beautiful garage by the way.

Mr. Heater F260560 Big Maxx MHU80NG Natural Gas Unit Heater https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRFVJ4Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_mMLKzb4412R02

 

[olympic]

Do yourself a favor and get in-floor heat. It's much more even and natural feeling heat with the added benefit of helping keep the floor dry in cold weather. I cheaped out and went with radiant heat and the floor is always wet or damp from snow melting off the vehicles.

As for A/C, depending on your local climate, it shouldn't even be necessary. If you have some ventilation to cool the concrete pad down at night it should be enough to keep it cool through the daytime. If not , 1 or 2 through-wall mounted units should be plenty.

 

[Blown 89]

I plan on using a mini split in my upcoming build

 

[M240Bravo]

Do yourself a favor and get in-floor heat. It's much more even and natural feeling heat with the added benefit of helping keep the floor dry in cold weather. I cheaped out and went with radiant heat and the floor is always wet or damp from snow melting off the vehicles.

I would do in floor heat, but around here there ain't any good concrete companies and I don't want problems down the road.

I'm not worried about snow and stuff, I park the normal cars in the house garage. Winter time is just for toys and stuff.



I'm thinking of going with this for heat.

http://www.sunstarheaters.com/product/sir-series/

 

[M240Bravo]

I plan on using a mini split in my upcoming build

I have read a few things about them, just seems like its just going to take a little heat out of the garage. I want to cool it off, want like mid 70s in the garage.

 

[Thump_rrr]

Your location will help us help you better.
I'm an HVAC contractor depending on your location and what you are willing to spend I have different suggestions for you.
Your requirements will be far different if you are in Florida, Arizona, or Illinois.

If you are in an area that gets snow hot water radiant in floor heat would be my suggestion.

In cooler climates you may be able to get away with 4 tons of cooling, in southern climates maybe 6 tons.
A proper heat loss calculation can be done .

Too little cooling and the place doesn't get cool enough on the hottest days.
Too much cooling and you can't remove humidity and the place feels clammy.

 

[03cobra#694]

What about those mitsubishi ACs that they advertise on this old house?
http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/products

First thing that came to me as well. I see them all over here (SW FL), but have no experience with them.

 

[SweetSVT99]

Sounds like it could be a good candidate for Geothermal.

 

[_Snake_]

I have read a few things about them, just seems like its just going to take a little heat out of the garage. I want to cool it off, want like mid 70s in the garage.

I'm not sure if they make a mini-split large enough to cool a garage your size, but a friend has a small mini-split in his 600 sqft garage (no insulation). It easily keeps things in the mid-70's during the FL summer.

The Mitsubishi and/or York mini-splits are impressive and adding one to my garage is high on my list of home upgrades.

Edit - asked a friend who owns a AC company for his thoughts and he'd recommend a mini-split with multiple heads. Check out the ones from York:

https://tampa.yorknow.com/productfiles/download/download/id/19622/

 

[CobraBob]

I would do in floor heat, but around here there ain't any good concrete companies and I don't want problems down the road. I'm not worried about snow and stuff, I park the normal cars in the house garage. Winter time is just for toys and stuff.

I'm thinking of going with this for heat.
http://www.sunstarheaters.com/product/sir-series/

Reading the specs on that heater, it should work fine. It's certainly a good option to consider. For cooling, what are your average summer temps? You might consider trying fans first, but if you're going to be in the garage during the summer days for any length of time, 2-3 through the wall units should work. JMO.

 

[M240Bravo]

Reading the specs on that heater, it should work fine. It's certainly a good option to consider. For cooling, what are your average summer temps? You might consider trying fans first, but if you're going to be in the garage during the summer days for any length of time, 2-3 through the wall units should work. JMO.

Summers are warm 80-100 and humidity that is pretty bad. I have fans now but in the middle of the summer you ain't going out in the garage lol. June to late aug you ain't going to be out in the garage.

If you are in an area that gets snow hot water radiant in floor heat would be my suggestion.

In cooler climates you may be able to get away with 4 tons of cooling, in southern climates maybe 6 tons.
A proper heat loss calculation can be done .

Too little cooling and the place doesn't get cool enough on the hottest days.
Too much cooling and you can't remove humidity and the place feels clammy.

Like I said I don't trust anyone around here to do radiant floor heat and not have problems down the road.

I was thinking the smallest would be 6tons, I just don't to want ugly stuff bolted to the side of the building or stuff hanging every where inside the shop too.

 

[nate]

Are you going to spray foam the trusses? If so, why don't you just do a traditional system designed for a slab home. Put the supply ducts in the floor and have the returns along with the air handler in the attic. Build a small chase to hide the supply lines along an exterior wall. Put the ac out behind the shop. No ductwork showing, and probably the most cost effective and efficient solution.

 

[IronSnake]

I'd just pick up a house unit and roll with it. Hell, you could probably find a used reasonably priced unit from a reno.

 

[7998]

Split systems work great. I use them in a lot of applications, especially historic buildings where putting duct work in would be prohibitive. You can put the condenser just about anywhere and run the line set to the head/heads. They also can with heat pumps for heat.

 

[RDJ]

I have a split unit in my garage. Keeps it awesomely cool and down right hot in the winter.

 

[IronSnake]

I have a split unit in my garage. Keeps it awesomely cool and down right hot in the winter.

RDJ and others, on split systems, what is generally a fair expectation of price? I'm trying to decide what to do with my 24x24 on AC/Heat. It gets blistering hot here but not extremely cold (usually).

 

[bigmoose]

RDJ and others, on split systems, what is generally a fair expectation of price? I'm trying to decide what to do with my 24x24 on AC/Heat. It gets blistering hot here but not extremely cold (usually).

Doing it yourself?

I self installed a 3 head LG 30k BTU minisplit in my house for about 3500 after energy rebates. My coworker had the same system installed for him for 10k which seems to be the going rate in my area at least. I ordered all my stuff at ecomfort.com

Either way go for a reputable brand, LG, Mitsubishi, Fujitsu...my brother went with an off brand to save $ and the build quality was pretty poor. He's been having issues with it.