Can you cool a Garage with a Portable Air Conditioner?

There are some times in a year when your garage will have average temperatures that you won’t pause a challenge while working. However, the temperatures may increase during the summer or even due to the heat emitted from the machines in your garage. You’ll find many ways which you can employ to cool the temperatures in your garage. With this in mind, the question is, can you cool a garage with a portable air conditioner?

You can use a portable air conditioner to cool your garage. However, it sometimes becomes difficult since most garages are not insulated.

Suppose your garage is not insulated, don’t expect it to hold cool air inside or prevent the hot air from entering. With a high amount of heat in your garage, you’ll need more than a portable air conditioner to handle.

How to Cool Garage with No Windows

With the varying weather conditions, you need to know how to keep the heat away from your garage with no windows.

Here are some of the few steps.

Step 1

The easiest way of cooling your garage with no windows is by letting your garage door open to allow cooler air to get in. Doing this will equalize your garage’s temperature to the surrounding one, thus preventing it from overheating.

With this mechanism, the heated air inside the garage will start circulating and hence go outside to allow the cooler air to fill the room. Even though you may want to use this technique, remember to close your garage door during the night to prevent a break-in.

Step 2

Suppose you have been driving all day. Your car will heat up. Taking such a machine to the garage will cause the garage to heat up. Therefore, if you experience such, ensure you park your car outside to allow it to cool down before getting it to your garage.

Step 3

If you realize that the above steps are not productive, consider purchasing a dehumidifier so you can use it to lower the humidity levels in your garage. You should also note that higher humidity can cause a significant temperature rise.

The humidifiers are responsible for taking in the air rich in water then storing it in a container to allow only the clean air to get out.

Permanent Solution of Cooling Down Your Garage

You won’t have to suffer a lot if you utilize the following ways of permanently cooling down your garage.

Step 1

First, you’ll have to upgrade your garage insulation to prevent excess heat from entering the room. Doing this will help your garage remain warm during the winter since it can isolate the optimum temperature inside.

Step 2

You can also consider installing a garage fan. With such a device, you rest assured of air circulation inside your garage, preventing overheating. If you want to maximize the ventilation of your space, consider placing the fans near the ceiling and close to the garage doors.

Step 3

The other way of permanently cooling your garage is by insulating your garage door. Doing this will prevent the heat that gathers at your door from radiating in your room. You can quickly accomplish this by placing the insulators into the inner parts of your garage doors by firmly gluing them or taping them.

Step 4

Finally, you may want to install an air conditioner to help your garage cool down. Doing this may take much of your time, especially if you are doing a slip type aircon. Please don’t do this personally if you don’t have the necessary skills to install the AC.

Here are some more ways of permanently cooling down your garage.

After using your car, park it outside.
Always be smart about when to use your garage.

Use fans in your garage.
Go for the lighter colors.
Upgrade the ventilation system.

Air condition your garage space.
Insulate your garage.
Make sure you maintain the clutter free garage space.

Consider using a dehumidifier.

Why a Garage Can Get So Hot

Various factors can affect the garage’s temperature. Here are some.

The location of your garage.

Your garage’s color.
The ventilation system in your garage.
Packing your car after using it the whole day long.

The insulation features of your garage.

Why You Should Keep Your Garage Cool

You won’t enjoy working in a hot garage since it also poses a risk to the stored items. It even becomes worse for the heat sensitive electrical instruments in your garage. Therefore consider cooling your garage before using any electrical instrument to prevent any risk of faults.

Types of Air Conditioners

Window Air Conditioner

Such ACs are cheap and effective. You can easily install them on your standard window. If not, use them on the unfinished walls of your garage.

Note: If your garage has an added air volume, you may want to use an AC unit with a higher BTU rating.

Ductless “mini-split” air conditioner

These units function as the AC in your house but on a smaller scale. When using this item, you’ll have to place the main AC outside your garage door then run some lines through the wall. The lines mainly carry the cold fluid that chills the air.

The mini split air conditioners are highly reliable for versatility and effectiveness.

Portable Air Conditioners

If you have no other means of cooling your room, consider going for the portable air conditioner. However, these items are less effective than the other conditioners. If you want to utilize these conditioners, you’ll need a vent on the outside.

Sizing a Garge Air Conditioner

Your garage will need more conditioning since it does not have more insulation on the walls and ceiling as your house does. Below is a table of the recommended AC size of different garage sizes.

Square Feet BTU recommended Garage Size

150-250 8000 1 car

250-350 10000 1.5 cars

350-450 12000 2 cars

450-550 14000 2 or 2.5 cars

550-650 16000 3 cars

650-750 18000 3 or 3.5 cars

750-900 20000 3.5 or 4 cars

Tip: You might need a bigger AC than the one on the chart.

What Temperatures Should I Keep In My Garage inThe Winter?

If you live in relatively dry areas, consider keeping your garage’s temperature between 15 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you live near the wetter coastal areas, your garage should be around 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to Achieve Ideal Temperatures For Your Garage

Ensure you use the appropriate garage heater, depending on the size of your garage.
You may want to invest in paneling for the walls and a fiberglass batt insulation.

Insulate your garage door to prevent heat loss.
Use draft strips on your garage walls or invest in better doors and windows.
Invest in radiant heat for ceiling and floor.

Final Thoughts

In this article, you have seen the importance of cooling your garage. Doing this will allow you to work from a conducive environment and protect your electrical instruments in the garage. You only need to find the correct way of regulating the temperatures in your garage. The remaining question is…

Can you cool a garage with a portable air conditioner?

The answer is yes. However, this might not be so effective as using the standard ways of air conditioning. In addition, using a portable conditioner is only effective for a small garage.

I want to thank you for reading this article. If you need any clarification or have any observations, kindly post them in the comment section below.