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Ideas for cooling that bedroom above the garage that's always hot

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July 30, 2020, 04:02 PM
4x5
Ideas for cooling that bedroom above the garage that's always hot
The house we bought last year has a bedroom over the garage, and it's usually hotter than the sun up there.

Any suggestions on what we can try to improve cooling up there? The AC has a vent in the room, but little cold air reaches it.

We've thought about having someone come over to check the insulation in the garage ceiling. Any idea what it runs to have some insulation blown-in?



Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice - pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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July 30, 2020, 04:05 PM
RHINOWSO
Window A/C unit has been my solution.
July 30, 2020, 04:08 PM
HRK
Insulation between the garage and bedroom is important, I'd get a local company to advise, look at adding a return and second vent to the room. I would think the return will help pull out the warmer air but that's speculation on my parat.

You could add a mini split unit to that room, Still be smart to look at the insulation barrier



July 30, 2020, 04:08 PM
frayedends
Set your thermostat fan to ON instead of auto. When the fan is in auto it shuts off as soon as the thermostat reaches temp. Therefore the other rooms don’t equalize.

Likewise if the thermostat was in the hot room with fan in auto the other rooms would freeze before the hot room cooled enough.




These go to eleven.
July 30, 2020, 04:10 PM
SIG228
quote:
Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Window A/C unit has been my solution.


Yep. Had a bonus room over the garage in my Cedar Hills house and installed a window unit. It'd get downright chilly up there.
July 30, 2020, 04:11 PM
MikeinNC
And the vents may have an adjustable flapper in it to restrict flow to that room. We had the ac guy come back out after our house was finished and he found someone had choked the flow off to the spare room inadvertently.



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July 30, 2020, 04:14 PM
MNSIG
quote:
Originally posted by 4x5:

We've thought about having someone come over to check the insulation in the garage ceiling. Any idea what it runs to have some insulation blown-in?


My garage (ground level) is heated and cooled, so the attic above is insulated with 12" blown in. You won't have that much space since it will need to fit between the bedroom floor and the garage ceiling. Probably only 6-8" Despite the 12" of insulation and the space below being cooled to 72, the attic frequently is 100-120. Obviously, finished walls and ceiling will help in your case.


Any idea what's between the bedroom ceiling and the actual roof? Does the room have a flat ceiling or does it follow the roofline?
July 30, 2020, 04:26 PM
4x5
quote:
Originally posted by MNSIG:
quote:
Originally posted by 4x5:

We've thought about having someone come over to check the insulation in the garage ceiling. Any idea what it runs to have some insulation blown-in?


My garage (ground level) is heated and cooled, so the attic above is insulated with 12" blown in. You won't have that much space since it will need to fit between the bedroom floor and the garage ceiling. Probably only 6-8" Despite the 12" of insulation and the space below being cooled to 72, the attic frequently is 100-120. Obviously, finished walls and ceiling will help in your case.


Any idea what's between the bedroom ceiling and the actual roof? Does the room have a flat ceiling or does it follow the roofline?


The bedroom has sloped ceilings, following the roofline.



Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice - pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
ʘ ͜ʖ ʘ
July 30, 2020, 04:28 PM
drill sgt
Have you verified that the duct tubes joints are intact and not leaking causing less air flow into the bed room?? .................drill sgt.
July 30, 2020, 04:32 PM
Aglifter
A mini split may be the most cost effective solution
July 30, 2020, 04:59 PM
mrvmax
quote:
Originally posted by Aglifter:
A mini split may be the most cost effective solution

Mini split if you have power available
July 30, 2020, 04:59 PM
bendable
Is the garage door insulated ?

Is the garage insulated ?





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July 30, 2020, 05:08 PM
FLhiker
Our home sits with southwest facing garage. That garage was hotter than the sun in FL summer.

We insulated the garage doors, the ceiling and installed a ductless mini-split system in garage.

Much better temp in garage after install and contributed to a much cooler more comfortable home, too. YMMV
July 30, 2020, 05:18 PM
GT-40DOC
Mini split......they are awesome and reasonable to buy and run. I have two(2) of them now for many years, and I live where it gets hot!!
July 30, 2020, 05:21 PM
4MUL8R
Add a return duct to the room over the garage. Very simple and solved my problem.


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Trying to simplify my life...
July 30, 2020, 05:24 PM
comet24
Mini Split or window unit.

We did some mini-splits in a house that had some hot bedrooms. It was kinda overkilled for the bedrooms but they had to windows you crank out so window units were not an option.


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July 30, 2020, 05:52 PM
Excam_Man
Cheap temporary solution, window unit.

Perminant solution, mini-split.




July 30, 2020, 06:14 PM
VBVAGUY
My room is over the garage that is approx 15 x 20 and I have a 6000 BTU window unit and a ceiling fan and it keeps it cool. I hope this helps. God Bless Smile


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July 30, 2020, 06:37 PM
Aeteocles
I have a vent fan in my garage that exhausts garage air out. Came with the house, but it does a surprisingly good job of cooling the garage. Bonus points for keeping negative air pressure in the garage so that garage fumes don't sleep into the house.
July 30, 2020, 06:43 PM
squad13
quote:
Set your thermostat fan to ON instead of auto


Does this method bump up electric costs?? Bump up to the point it wouldn't be worth it?