Garage Exhaust Fan
 

Has anyone had experience with a window mounted exhaust fan in the garage? I don't want to install one in the attic area, but I want to try to control the temperature inside the garage. Seems like a window mounted fan might help. Anybody tried that?

Is that o.k. with ARC? I think window air conditioners aren't allowed. Maybe I'm wrong.

Fans and Air Conditioners are two different animals.

Good question Gracie. Glad I asked. I think the fan is ok, but I'll sure call and inquire before I invest. Anyway, do we know if those will cool a hot garage? I just want to suck some of the hot air out of there without having to cut a hole in my roof.

I have an air conditioner for my garage in Georgia that vents out the window, but it just looks like a flat piece in the window and does not extend beyond the window casing.

Wonder if the ARC would have a problem with that when I bring it with me.

We insulated the garage door - this helped significantly and installed a twin fan that helps a little.

The fan fits well and is behind (inside) the window screen.

Here is the link for the fan:-

HDX 9 in. Twin Window Fan-FW23-A1 at The Home Depot

What did you use to insulate the garage door?

They sell insulation kits for garage doors in HD and Lowes .

That is exactly the type of fan I was looking at, but you say it only helps "a little." Would it be worth the effort and expense?

Did you install it permanently? OR just when you want to work in the garage?
If it just sits on sill wouldn't that be a way for someone to break into the house?

I have seen a few different types of garage door insulation methods.

A) The insulation kits made by Clopay and sold by Ro-Mac. Their number is 352-748-4575. These look the nicest, as the outer part you see on the inside of your garage door is a thicker white plastic that easily cleans, etc. It has an R-value of 6.2 Ro-Mac is just off of Rolling Acres Rd, just behind Best Buy. You can buy the kit there and install it yourself or have them install it.

B) You can also buy styrofoam or Thermax type sheets at a big box store, cut them and install them yourself. This does not look as nice, but is less expensive.

C) Some folks glue a silver "bubble wrap" to the inside of the doors. There are a few companies that do this also. Personally, I am not a big fan of this method. but it is better then nothing.

Understand that typically your garage is NOT conditioned space, so your goal here is insulating the door from the heat gain you get from the sun hitting it. This is especially needed on south facing garage doors. Stopping this radiant heat from entering your garage is your goal. Close your garage door and walk next to the inside of it during the heat of the day...if you feel a lot of heat radiating from it, you most likely would benefit from insulating your door.

Sadly, The Villages does not offer this option on new builds. Clopay makes many grades of doors. I just replaced my garage doors with brand new Clopay doors that were a "Sandwich type" door....steel on the inside and the outside with over 2 " of polyurethane insulation between the steel.....they have an R-value of over 20. They were not that much more expensive.

Hope that helps....

Frank

Thanks Frank.

Mom and I rent out our TV home now but our garage does face south. I'm going to keep this info in my ever growing "to do list"! Do you have an idea of the approximate cost for the Clopay insulation? We have an Iris with a 2 car plus golf cart garage.

I would not want to mis-quote.....but you might want to call Ro-mac and tell them you have a two car and a golf cart set of doors, four panel. They are very used to quoting for these. You might also want to measure one of the rails on each door for the correct size. The two car is about 16' wide and the smaller door can vary a bit.

The project is VERY easy for most anyone, as the panels are precut and basically slip right in to each section. Doing it yourself most likely will save you about $150.00 Ro-mac can give you a quote for them installing it or you installing it.

If you do it now, you most likely can write it off as a rental expense for income property.....

I'm in Michigan now and won't be in TV until November I'm not sure my tenants would want the hassle of an insulation crew. I'm waiting for the delivery of plantation shutters for the south facing bedroom window now.

We used this video as the insulation guide.

Garage Door Insulation - DIY Radiant Barrier - YouTube