By
Olivia Hoj
How to Keep Your Garage Cool
Depending on where you live, you may be dealing with record-breaking summer heat. As fun and exciting as the summer months can be, it can also be stressful trying to endure hot temperatures. While your house might be cool and refreshing with an AC unit, your garage can be a completely different story. Factors like location, ventilation, and use can contribute to hotter temperatures.
Also, depending on what you store in your garage, hot temperatures might be a concern. Whatever your reasoning, we have several solutions that will help keep your garage cool during the summer.
Read on to get eight suggestions on how to cool your garage off.
Article Index
- Park your car outside
- Window Tint
- Upgrade insulation
- Circulate air better
- Update your garage ventilation
- Consider a new paint color
- Be mindful of when you operate the garage
- Declutter your garage
Park Your Car Outside
While this may seem counterintuitive, bear with me while I explain how this could be a potential solution. When you have been driving and operating your car for quite some time, the engine and systems generate a lot of heat. When you enter your garage immediately after a long drive and shut the garage door, you are trapping all that hot air inside. Consider pulling your car into the driveway and letting it cool off for some time before moving it into your garage. This simple trick may help drop your garage temperature.
Tint Your Windows
To prevent the sun from beating down in your garage, consider tinting the windows on your garage door if you have them. You can also do this on the windows throughout your garage. Tint not only creates privacy but also prevents the sun from overheating your garage during peak hours of the day. While we strongly advise using professional tint companies, numerous DIY videos are available if you'd like to do it on your own.
Upgrade Your Insulation
If you have poor insulation in your garage, regulating the temperature in the hot and cold months will be tough.Consider upgrading your insulation or finding a garage door with better insulation and heat protectant properties.
Another area to consider is replacing your weatherstripping. Weatherstripping helps insulate your garage door and keeps unwanted pests and debris out. Any of these avenues can help improve and regulate the temperatures in your garage.
Circulate Air Better
Another reason your garage might be hot is due to poor ventilation, which can cause hot air to settle. A breeze can go a long way in cutting through the heat, and there are a few methods to create better circulation.
You can install an industrial ceiling fan to help move air. Make sure you use a professional ceiling fan installation service to position it correctly. If a permanent and fixed fan isn't going to fit, consider purchasing portable fans to place throughout your garage.
You can also consider installing an air conditioning unit. This might be a bit more expensive, but it will have the most consistent and effective results. A portable AC unit would be a more affordable option, but it could be slightly less effective
A professional will typically install a garage ventilation system above the garage ceiling. There are two types of ventilation systems: active and passive. Active systems operate with the use of fans, moving fresh air quickly through the garage.
Passive systems are more of a vent-like system that allows air to flow without manipulating it. Both systems can be a good solution and remove unwanted car exhaust pollutants from your garage environment.
Consider a New Paint Color
Believe it or not the color of your garage door and the interior color can play a role in the temperature of your garage. Darker colors naturally attract and trap more heat. Light-colored paints will not draw heat the same and will assist further in keeping your garage a little bit cooler.
Operating You Garage Door
You can reduce the heat in your garage by being mindful of when you operate the garage door. For example, using the garage frequently during the middle of the day will let in a lot of heat. Alternatively, try your best to use your garage during morning or evening hours when the outside temperatures have decreased.
Declutter Your Garage
Lastly, a simple solution could be to declutter your garage. A garage with clutter detracts from proper airflow and circulation, which as we discussed above is essential to keep things cool. Organizing your equipment and freeing up space will allow for a better environment. As a bonus, you’ll find yourself with an organized, clutter-free, and safer garage.
Conclusion
We've provided several suggestions on how to keep your garage cool during the hot summer months. However, if you’re still unsure of the best option, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Monarch Door. We have teams of professionals that can answer questions and help walk you through the potential options. We hope you can continue to enjoy these summer months and stay cool!