Portable A/C for Garage

[Ron H 520]

I enjoy lure painting, and am researching portable A/C units for my garage. My size is 672 sf, I have 2 windows, but I'm not really wanting a window unit for the looks and also security reasons. The garage door is not insulated. I don't have to hang meat in there, but I would like it where you don't sweat gallons.

There are many options and brands, but like everyone else, reliability is a big plus. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles, just a basic unit. I have heat, so a combination unit is not needed. Anyone know anything about them? Recommendations? Any advice would be great. Thanks.

Ron

[C0MRAD]

Split unit AC would be best. One of those portable units on casters with a tube running out a window is also an option. The portable ones are a bit of a PITA but it is nice that you can move them wherever you need it. If your garage door gets direct sunlight you might want to look into options for insulating it.

[XingEyeballs]

Mini-Split would be the best option for what you’re looking a IMO. Mitsubishi makes a very good one and the install is very straight forward. They do a good job in space cooling, quiet, efficient, good dehumidify.....

[Bassman Ia.]

Split unit AC would be best. One of those portable units on casters with a tube running out a window is also an option. The portable ones are a bit of a PITA but it is nice that you can move them wherever you need it. If your garage door gets direct sunlight you might want to look into options for insulating it.

Not a big fan of the portables. I know someone that has one.

[bschwoep]

You still have to vent the portable units out the window. You will still have to find a way to secure the window unless you plan on taking the vent tube out of the window after every use. We have a 8,000 btu unit in my daughters room, roughly 200 sq ft. It’s an LG and it gets the job done. Does seem like it has to work pretty hard and will take a little while to cool. The reason I went with it over a window unit is I can still open the window on a day we don’t need A/C.

[billspence]

672 Square feet is s tough number. That is a lot for any of the portable units. I don't know that there are any above 14,000 BTU, which is allegedly for 500 square feet. That is a stretch, unless you are going to run it full time. Even then, you are over what they are rated for. They don't do well at cooling big spaces down once they are hot and humid. You will need somewhere for the water to go, as they are very good dehumidifiers. Oh yeah, they chew up the power.

If you want it done right, you would do better getting a 220V window unit and getting it permanently mounted. You can trim it in and make it look good. There are ways to make it secure as well as dress it up so it looks like it belongs there. A 28,000 BTU unit will cool the area down quickly and you will run it a lot less than you would with a portable that is struggling the entire time.

[BASSBUZZ]

I recently installed a Pioneer minisplit in my mancave. Install is pretty straightforward to do yourself. So far I am extremely impressed.

[jcdogfish]

I tried a portable unit in a 10 x 20 area off the carport and it did not do well at all. Ended up putting a small window ac.

[nowakezone]

Mini split is your best option

[okhawg]

I think your best option (cost and practicality), is to install a window unit. The closer the window to your work area, the smaller you could go. You might would need to use a pedestal fan to push the air to where you want, if your paint bench is away from the window. You can get a 15-18k btu unit, for the price of a portable and it would be a lot more effective. The 15-18k unit would be if you are just interested in keeping your work area cool. To cool the shop, with an uninsulated door, you'll need 24-28k unit. A mini split would work really nice but costs quite a bit more.

[juice780]

You can take the window unit out when you are not using it. They are not that heavy.

[Meadows]

I'd recommend a mini split as well. But for the life of you, DO NOT buy an LG.

[Ratltrap]

For the ease of it all I would just go with a through the wall 220 volt unit, that way all the windows are still available when the weather gets right. Make sure you get the kind that you can slide out to clean as the frame stays behind, trust me you will need to clean it after a couple of seasons.

[Ron H 520]

Thanks for the advice. I didn't think of the split unit. I think everyone is right about the portable unit, probably would not do well. I'll most likely go with a window unit and mount it in back of the house. The split unit sounds nice though.

[BASSBUZZ]

I had a portable unit before mini split. It hit my electric bill for around a $100 a month.

[Ron H 520]

I had a portable unit before mini split. It hit my electric bill for around a $100 a month.

Wow

[Ron H 520]

Wish I had some do overs when we built 20 years ago. We stretched the budget about as far as we could at the time though.