August 31, 2018

What you need to know about cooling your garage this summer

Ventilation unit

Many people have started looking to their garages not as a place to park their car, or somewhere to store their lawnmowers or Christmas decoration, but as additional living space that can used for almost anything. It could be a kids’ playroom, a craft or hobby room, or you could even turn it into an entertainment room.

Of course, if you live in an area where summertime heat is an issue, your garage probably captures heat and humidity. That can make the space unusable, and even lead to things like mold and rust. Here’s a quick guide on how to change things up.

Your Garage Door Matters

One of the first things you need to think about is the quality of your garage door. If it’s old, you might want to consider replacing it with a model that offers high-efficiency insulation and better durability. When you start comparing models, look for a garage door that uses polyurethane foam insulation. This completely fills all the gaps inside the door to provide better protection against head. You’ll also want to watch out for things like thermal bridging, which can allow heat to transfer inside from the exterior. You should ensure that you’re choosing a superior quality door to help prevent heat from getting into the garage, and from there into your home, where it will just increase your utility bill.

Install a Dehumidifier

Heat is only part of the problem with summertime. You also have to deal with high humidity levels. The good news is that you can handle that by installing a dehumidifier. Before you do that, though, check the average humidity level in the garage. You want to see it under 45 to 50% to stay comfortable.

Air Conditioning and Ventilation

To really cool things down in your garage, you have two options. The first and least involved is to install a stationary ventilation system that can vent the heat and humidity to the outside. This is similar to an exhaust fan or attic fan. Your second option is to install an air conditioner. If there’s a window in the garage, a window unit can do the trick quite easily. If there is no window, you might need a ductless model, or you could invest in a wall-mounted model but this will require you to cut a hole through the garage wall.

Get Started on the Right Foot

As mentioned at the beginning, if you want your garage to be cool, dry, and comfortable, you need to start with a well-insulated garage door that is also weathertight. Contact us – we’ll be happy to walk you through your options, explain insulation levels, and more. Call us at 705-324-1005. If you’d prefer, we would also be happy to send you a quote by email.

Don’t miss out on two of our most versatile tools – our design center lets you add pictures of your home and then see exactly how different garage doors will look on it. Our image gallery gives you lots of inspiration with real-world photos of actual projects we’ve completed for our clients.

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