Ed O'Halloran Posted February 1, 2013 Report Posted February 1, 2013 Hello All, I live in northeast Ohio and we get pretty cold in the winter, and hot and humid in the summer. Often my shop activities are restricted to spring and fall. My garage is my shop, it is 430 sq ft and attached to my house. I am considering taking the walls down to the studs, adding foam insulation (researching that now) and adding something to provide heat in the winter when I am working, and pulling the humidity out in the late summer months. Cooling would be added bonus. I was just wondering what solutions have worked for people that are in similar situations as me. Ideally I would like to move from here in a couple years and get a place that would have a shop independent of the garage, but reality says I will probably stay here. As I see it, the issues will be insulation, proper heat/ac type for a woodworking environment, and sealing the garage door but keeping it functional. I don't park cars in the garage, but it is my only means to get materials, trash, etc in and out of shop. The first time I tried to bring a bag of dust collection through the house.. well it would be the last time I did it, that is for sure. I am wondering if a simple big box store dehumidifier would be enough to keep a handle on the humdity as long as it has a drain to the outside. Hmm the garden is right behind the garage.. I could use it to water the garden! I am at the initial planning stages right now, so any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks, Ed Quote
AndyF Posted February 1, 2013 Report Posted February 1, 2013 I'm in central Ohio, and my shop is in the basement. It was in the attached garage. You could blow cellulose insulation into the stud cavities, and it would only require two holes in each cavity. What's your ceiling insulation like? That's the important insulation--make sure it's R-38 or greater. Is your garage door insulated? You could get an insulation kit or upgrade it. I think the best solution is to use an electric or vented natural gas heater. Electric is cheaper up-front and gas is cheaper long-term. An in-window air conditioner would be good if you have a suitable window, but there are units which vent the hot air outside. Check the humidifier specs and size it for your square footage. You'll of course pay to keep the garage climate-controlled and dehumidified around the clock, so consider that cost. Quote
Southwood Posted February 2, 2013 Report Posted February 2, 2013 There is an ongoing thread on the site about this very topic. Look around for a post What would you like to know about building a shop. Started by Vic Hubbard. He has lots of knowledge in the field of efficiency and can point you in the right direction. Quote
Vic Posted February 2, 2013 Report Posted February 2, 2013 Air sealing is more important than insulation. Blown in cellulose works very well in my dry climate, but has been known to be problematic in a more humid environment, especially in cavities that were not air sealed well. So, a lot depends on local building codes, inspection levels, etc. That being said, blown in cellulose is my favorite "bang for the buck" retro insulation method. It greatly mitigates air movement into the living envelope. In regard to your heating/cooling and dehumidification needs, I'm a huge fan of ductless mini split heatpumps. http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/ductless-mini-split-heat-pumps Make sure to look into models that specifically have a dehumidify mode. Cooling also dehumidifies, but some units have a function that won't drastically cool the space while doing so, for the shoulder months. One huge advantage of this system is the ability to take it with you, should you move. Good luck with the shop. A conditioned work space is a joy. Quote
davestanton Posted February 3, 2013 Report Posted February 3, 2013 Hey Vic, are you using predictive text? Quote
davestanton Posted February 3, 2013 Report Posted February 3, 2013 Hello All, I live in northeast Ohio and we get pretty cold in the winter, and hot and humid in the summer. Often my shop activities are restricted to spring and fall. My garage is my shop, it is 430 sq ft and attached to my house. I am considering taking the walls down to the studs, adding foam insulation (researching that now) and adding something to provide heat in the winter when I am working, and pulling the humidity out in the late summer months. Cooling would be added bonus. What temperatures are we talking about here? Quote
Ed O'Halloran Posted February 3, 2013 Author Report Posted February 3, 2013 The temps range from times like today.. a high of 21 degrees F, with overnight low of 12, to summer time temps of mid to upper 90's with humidity at 80%. Quote
Vic Posted February 3, 2013 Report Posted February 3, 2013 Hey Vic, are you using predictive text? I'm not sure what you mean. I have auto correct on my iPhone. I try to double check, but miss some things. Quote
mar10 Posted February 3, 2013 Report Posted February 3, 2013 HI Woodtrch I We will be installing (2) 12,000 BTU ductless mini split heat pumps in my shop tomorrow. My decision to go with mini splits, was based on the voltage requirements of 120V 9.4 amps. Bill Quote
davestanton Posted February 3, 2013 Report Posted February 3, 2013 I'm not sure what you mean. I have auto correct on my iPhone. I try to double check, but miss some things. Haha, last sentence, first paragraph. Maybe I am being too hard on you? Quote
davestanton Posted February 3, 2013 Report Posted February 3, 2013 Are the items you guys in America referring to as "mini heat pumps" the same as what we in Australia call "split system air conditioning?" The majority of the units you get here are reverse cycle they so will heat and cool, down to -5 Celsius. Quote
Beechwood Chip Posted February 4, 2013 Report Posted February 4, 2013 I fixed "clown in cellulose". 1 Quote
Vic Posted February 4, 2013 Report Posted February 4, 2013 Haha, last sentence, first paragraph. Maybe I am being too hard on you? Hadn't seen that. " greatLY mitigateS". Thanks Dave! Quote
Vic Posted February 4, 2013 Report Posted February 4, 2013 Are the items you guys in America referring to as "mini heat pumps" the same as what we in Australia call "split system air conditioning?" The majority of the units you get here are reverse cycle they so will heat and cool, down to -5 Celsius. Yes, Dave. Ductless split system heatpump or AC only. Quote
squid701 Posted February 5, 2013 Report Posted February 5, 2013 I live in Ga (really hot and humid in the summer). When i built my new house I had them include a 15X18 shop, 12 ft ceiling. I insulated with spray foam and installed a Mitsibushi mini split system. The insulation keeps the shop moderate in the winter even without the heat on. In the heat of summer (100+ degrees) only minimal cooling is required. Quote
mar10 Posted February 5, 2013 Report Posted February 5, 2013 Just to update my previous post The installation went fairly well, with just a few small problems. Quote
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