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Res ipsa loquitur
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We are finishing our basement and blew in insulation in the ceiling, it made a huge difference. I'd start there.


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Posts: 12434 | Registered: October 13, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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With a hot garage below and a sloped ceiling above there isn’t much room for insulation. I would find out what is in there now first, then have a heat load calculation done on the space. That will tell you what your options are pretty quickly and let you compare the various costs. If the spaces are already insulated a competent professional can tell you whether increasing the duct size, rebalancing the system, adding a return, replacing the windows, etc. will help or whether you just need more cooling capacity regardless whether you do some or all of them.

From your description it sounds like the ceiling of your garage is connected to the trusses that support the floor of the room and the ceiling of the room is connected to the underside of the roof trusses without much of a gap. If that’s the case you’re going to have a lot of thermal bridging (heat conducted through the trusses to the floor and ceiling) that insulation won’t fix so I wouldn’t assume that will solve the problem if it isn’t there. A good heat load calculation will account for that.
 
Posts: 987 | Location: Tampa | Registered: July 27, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Serenity now!
Picture of 4x5
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quote:
Originally posted by DaveL:
With a hot garage below and a sloped ceiling above there isn’t much room for insulation. I would find out what is in there now first, then have a heat load calculation done on the space. That will tell you what your options are pretty quickly and let you compare the various costs. If the spaces are already insulated a competent professional can tell you whether increasing the duct size, rebalancing the system, adding a return, replacing the windows, etc. will help or whether you just need more cooling capacity regardless whether you do some or all of them.


Who would I talk to to have a heat load calculation done - an HVAC company? Someone else?



Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice - pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
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Posts: 4923 | Location: Highland, UT | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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My first choice would be a mechanical engineer. A good HVAC contractor could probably do it but I would want someone I really trust because it’s in their interest to recommend a solution they can provide. An engineer won’t have that problem.
 
Posts: 987 | Location: Tampa | Registered: July 27, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
paradox in a box
Picture of frayedends
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quote:
Originally posted by 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?


I can’t say I’ve noticed a difference but I haven’t really tried to compare either. The hvac guy that told me this said that is how they are supposed to run and we’d spend more replacing fans because of the constant cycling. But in 25 years of owning houses I’ve never had a fan die. So can’t say that’s an issue either.

It makes complete sense to me when a thermostat is in one room and the entire floor is on the same zone.

Just found this site that basically says the same things. https://www.hydesac.com/use-th...ts-fan-auto-setting/




These go to eleven.
 
Posts: 12406 | Location: Westminster, MA | Registered: November 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of ridewv
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quote:
Originally posted by frayedends:
quote:
Originally posted by 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?


I can’t say I’ve noticed a difference but I haven’t really tried to compare either. The hvac guy that told me this said that is how they are supposed to run and we’d spend more replacing fans because of the constant cycling. But in 25 years of owning houses I’ve never had a fan die. So can’t say that’s an issue either.

It makes complete sense to me when a thermostat is in one room and the entire floor is on the same zone.

Just found this site that basically says the same things. https://www.hydesac.com/use-th...ts-fan-auto-setting/


With traditional air handler the "fan on" generally runs the fan at the high air conditioning speed continuously, and this will take some electricity to do so. On the newer variable speed blowers the "fan on" setting can be set to run at a very slow speed and this works well in helping even out the temps through the house. Still if the garage room is far from the air handler, has inadequate ducting, and/or is not insulated as well, this probably won't be the solution. Installing the smallest window AC you can find is all it should require to cool that room.


No car is as much fun to drive, as any motorcycle is to ride.
 
Posts: 7039 | Location: Northern WV | Registered: January 17, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
come and take it
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If the garage door isn't insulated, it's an easy fix and it will help some.




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Posts: 1881 | Location: Texan north of the Red River | Registered: November 05, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by BB61:
We are finishing our basement and blew in insulation in the ceiling, it made a huge difference. I'd start there.


THIS. Blown in insulation is the best bang for the buck, R-30 usually costs less than $1 per sq foot of insulation and pays for itself in a few months. This is the first thing I'd investigate, then check on how hard it would be to put a return there, then go down the route of adding an a/c.

Do you park vehicles in the garage daily?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jimmy123x,
 
Posts: 21335 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because something is legal to do doesn't mean it is the smart thing to do.
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Booster fan in ductwork to the room might just solve your problem.


Integrity is doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking.
 
Posts: 4127 | Location: Metamora MI | Registered: October 31, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
PopeDaddy
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Insulated garage door.

Insulated garage.

Additional HVAC vent in bedroom.

Additional HVAC return nearby bedroom.


0:01
 
Posts: 4200 | Location: ALABAMA | Registered: January 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nosce te ipsum
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An exhaust fan running all of the time will pull air out of the room. Sort of how leaving a bathroom fan on all of the time is helpful in keeping a non-conditioned powder room more temperate.
 
Posts: 8759 | Registered: March 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Had the same problem... I live part time in Salt Lake City. Go old school and do a roof swamp cooler. The wifey and I did that we get too cold during the latest heat wave and have to turn it off. Costs about $25/month in electricity. About $1300 to have installed 3 years ago. I do have a maintenance company bring it to life and put it too sleep in spring and fall for $75. They do make your roof look ugly.
 
Posts: 7523 | Registered: October 31, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Same situation for our MBR (~20’ x 25’).

Our central AC typically can keep up with ‘normal’ temps in our area, but with an extended heat-wave of about 3 weeks with temps in the low to mid 90’s I knew that the room would become uncomfortably hot.

I purchased a 14K portable AC unit (LG from H-D) and it has performed well and is able to chill the room down nicely. We will typically turn it on at around 8 or 9 PM and then set the controls to auto-shut off around 3 AM.

The unit may not be as efficient as a window unit, but to me the convenience of not having to mess with a window install along with being able to easily move it into storage when not in use, or to easily move it to another room was a favorable consideration in the purchasing decision.

Rob


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Posts: 3464 | Location: Lehigh Valley, PA | Registered: March 27, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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If you don't have a "laser thermometer temperature gun" get one. Check each wall in the room and garage. Measure the garage door inside and out during the peak of the day and first thing in the morning. Take notes. Address the biggest issues first.

Regarding the garage. Once the garage is heat soaked it will dissipate the heat through the framework into the house. For hours through the night.

Does your garage door face west? Mine does. The outside surface gets up to 145 degrees when the temps get to 100+. After upgrading to a 2" insulated door the inside of that door gets to ambient temp. My garage used to be an oven in the summer, not anymore.

Good luck.
-TVz
 
Posts: 428 | Location: North of DFW | Registered: May 01, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hop head
Picture of lyman
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our masterbedroom is over the garage,

the ceiling is insulated and sheetrocked (code)

the foreman that was in charge of the build made sure we had a good flow, we have 3 vents in the room, and one small return ,

room is ~20x20

with 2 windows that face the sun in the evening,

stays comfortable even on the hottest days,


I also insulated the garage all around, and it has an insulated door

the garage in not HVAC controlled, but I may add a mini split in the near future,

hottest days now it will get to almost 85, coldest nights maybe 40



https://www.chesterfieldarmament.com/

 
Posts: 10409 | Location: Beach VA,not VA Beach | Registered: July 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Our kitchen is the hottest room of our house, and I used a portable ac unit to cool it down. works great and was about $400. We have 2 Three panel sliders in the kitchen, so a window unit was out of the question.
 
Posts: 782 | Location: Chicago area | Registered: November 10, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Blackmore
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If you have sloped ceilings just remember that if you fill the space between the roof deck and room ceiling with insulation you have to leave a space just under the roof plywood for airflow from the soffit vent to the ridge vent or that plywood will rot. I had to redo a roof some dubber had done the wrong way and inside two years the roof plywood against the insulation was black with mold and rot. Rafters were still usuable but barely.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Blackmore,


In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act
 
Posts: 3435 | Location: W. Central NH | Registered: October 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
goodheart
Picture of sjtill
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I like the idea of setting the fan to “on”, at least will give it a try.
Article says in addition to getting better equalization of temps, you get constant filtering of air.
We have solar and our electricity now is basically free.


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Posts: 18016 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Booster fan in ductwork to the room might just solve your problem.


That sure solved our problem. We built our home about 7 years ago and had a FROG room (finished room over garage) built and took great care to insulate it well but it still stayed about 10 degrees warmer when we moved in. Our HVAC guy came over and installed the little booster fan which turns on when HVAC kicks on at no cost and the FROG room stays almost the same temperature as all other rooms now.
Bearing started squealing on the fan a couple of months ago so I called my guy and he installed a new fan so I got a couple of pic's..he didn't charge us so don't know the actual cost but Amazon says $112.00

IMG_6571 (800x600)

IMG_6572 (800x600)
 
Posts: 1890 | Location: Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri | Registered: August 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Serenity now!
Picture of 4x5
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quote:
Originally posted by SummersAtTheLake:
quote:
Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Booster fan in ductwork to the room might just solve your problem.


That sure solved our problem. We built our home about 7 years ago and had a FROG room (finished room over garage) built and took great care to insulate it well but it still stayed about 10 degrees warmer when we moved in. Our HVAC guy came over and installed the little booster fan which turns on when HVAC kicks on at no cost and the FROG room stays almost the same temperature as all other rooms now.
Bearing started squealing on the fan a couple of months ago so I called my guy and he installed a new fan so I got a couple of pic's..he didn't charge us so don't know the actual cost but Amazon says $112.00

IMG_6571 (800x600)

IMG_6572 (800x600)


Interesting concept. Did the have to remive a lot of flooring or ceiling to install it? Does it install close to the room over the garage, or further upstream?



Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice - pull down your pants and slide on the ice.
ʘ ͜ʖ ʘ
 
Posts: 4923 | Location: Highland, UT | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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