[biker1]

The best you are going to do is the outside air temperature. I am at the outside air temperature anyway with just Romac panels on the garage doors.

Originally Posted by JohnN

I had Solar Guys put in an electric (not solar) exhaust fan on the garage ceiling up into the attic and a couple of vents in the garage door. My garage is actually pretty cool and the cost was $100+ and uses very little electricity I've had it 8 years now and I'm quite happy with it.

[Yorkie]

Many opinions, and none are really wrong. I have a west facing garage and it gets very warm.

My experiences:
Insulated door, helped some.

Added vents to garage door, installed a ceiling exhaust fan, and a solar attic/roof fan, helped more but was still hot and fan noise was too excessive. Could hear the roar in the house. So, I closed the vents and fan off with insulation.

Final solution, while we were enclosing and finishing off our lanai, a Mitsubishi in-ceiling split was installed. Works great. So, I had a Mitz wall mount split added to the garage. It shares an single compressor outside that is rated for both. I leave it on low, set at 78-80 degrees. Keeps garage very comfortable for the very spoiled Corvette sitting there all summer.

But again, any of the other solutions cited here can improve temp.
Just my approach(s) to the problem. May be overkill and not for some.

Warning: Once it was approved by the boss, and installed, she informed me "Now I can spend matching funds on something for ME in the house." So, don't under-estimate the cost of your solution!!

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by JohnN

I had Solar Guys put in an electric (not solar) exhaust fan on the garage ceiling up into the attic and a couple of vents in the garage door. My garage is actually pretty cool and the cost was $100+ and uses very little electricity I've had it 8 years now and I'm quite happy with it.

$100 !!! You can't even get Solar Guys to answer the phone for under $200.

[dadspet]

Originally Posted by Yorkie

Many opinions, and none are really wrong. I have a west facing garage and it gets very warm.

My experiences:
Insulated door, helped some.

Added vents to garage door, installed a ceiling exhaust fan, and a solar attic/roof fan, helped more but was still hot and fan noise was too excessive. Could hear the roar in the house. So, I closed the vents and fan off with insulation.

Final solution, while we were enclosing and finishing off our lanai, a Mitsubishi in-ceiling split was installed. Works great. So, I had a Mitz wall mount split added to the garage. It shares an single compressor outside that is rated for both. I leave it on low, set at 78-80 degrees. Keeps garage very comfortable for the very spoiled Corvette sitting there all summer.

But again, any of the other solutions cited here can improve temp.
Just my approach(s) to the problem. May be overkill and not for some.

Warning: Once it was approved by the boss, and installed, she informed me "Now I can spend matching funds on something for ME in the house." So, don't under-estimate the cost of your solution!!

Interesting since I've been thinking about a mini-split in our garage. I need some clarification on the
"Mitz wall mount split added to the garage. It shares an single compressor outside that is rated for both"

Is this also a Mitsubishi mini-split but connected to the main house compressor outside the house? I assume its a cheaper solution than a full mini split. Or is it something else. Who installed it?



I already have a radiation barrier over the garage (and other areas) and I can tell anyone interested it makes a major difference in the storage area above the garage. This is based on a few people who have been up in the storage area and have commented on the major difference in temperature there compared to other houses they have been in. I also have the garage door insulated.
I've recently tried the largest portable floor standing ac unit with a hose vent out the garage window and it wasn't worth the noise it made or electric it used, I returned it as a bad idea. My plan is to only turn on the unit perhaps an hour before using the garage and not leave it on all the time.

BTW don't talk too loud I don't want my wife to hear, she isn't big on things that go on in the garage and gets confused. She might think we don't need it or there is a better place to spend the money.

[Yorkie]

I put a ceiling mounted Mitsubishi split in the lanai when we enclosed it. The garage Mitsubishi wall mounted split shares the same compressor as the lanai Mitsubishi unit.
The house A/C still uses the original home compressor. Lanai and garage don’t put any load on the house A/C that way. We are very happy with this set up.

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

A neighbor installed that system, and he never turns it on because you get almost no air flow through those little vents in the garage door.

You should always take free advice with the price you paid in mind.

Proper garage door vents and not cheap foundation vents allow for a great deal of air movement. They are not the ones installed by handymen. Try these and you will be pleased. Garage Door Vent - Residential Garage Doors, Openers & Accessories - Doors & Windows - The Home Depot

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I haven't done anything to my garage. It has not been a problem. When I come home, I go into the house.

I'm hearing that. Who cares if your garage is warm? Unless you're out there hours upon hours in the middle of the day with the door closed🥴🥴

[Toymeister]

You can't beat hard facts to make the right decision for you.

Since there have been references to savings with solar attic fans some might find this data from a guy with powered attic fans and some cool technology to monitor useage.

In 2019 my attic fans ran a total of 213 hours. They often ran after dark (when a solar fan would not) they are thermostatically controlled. An average home improvement store fan would of used $9.18 annually at current SECO rates.

So, it might not be worth the premium for solar fans, in fact it is not.

[eyc234]

Good thing I looked at some of the other post. I read the subject line and a few things came to mind. A 70" flat screen, full set of tools & tool boxes, maybe a few politically incorrect posters from the 70's, really comfortable barcoloungers and a kegerator.

Sorry no suggestions, been here 10 yrs and nothing has melted or dissolved in the garage that faces south everyday.

[Wing-nut2]

I also have a garage that faces east. I called the Solar Guys. I had them install three things. First I had the garage door insulated. Second, I had has their Solatube garage ventilation system. Third I had two Solas Star Attic Fans. The fans come in two sizes. Based on the size of my home, I had two of the large models installed.

The Solatube is great. The amount of air coming through the vents in the door is unbelievable .

If you would like to see mine, send me a PM. or go to their web page: Solar Attic Fans & Solar Ventilation Experts | Central FL - The Solar Guys

[Northerner52]

The garage metal does get hot with the sun on it. I am going to have a motorized screen installed and let it keep the garage cool

[MandoMan]

One way to cool your garage a bit is to leave the garage door open at night with the screen door closed. If your garage faces East, at least, open the garage door in the morning while the sun would be shining one it, screen door closed, and close the garage door when the sun is high enough so it no longer shines on the door.

If you want to HEAT your garage in the summer, by contrast, park a ton of burning hot metal inside and close the door. If the ambient temperature is 90°, a car with a hot motor that has been parked in a sunny parking lot somewhere will radiate heat into your garage for hours. If you don’t want an even hotter garage, one good choice is leaving your car parked on the driveway until a couple hours after sunset if it is hot.