Heating and cooling your garage

A lot of people are looking to their garage to add useful living space to their house, or they have a workshop and would like to have use of it 12 months a year. Heating and cooling your garage can be tricky. There are several options we can look at.

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The Ductless Mini-split: these are extremely popular options for cooling and heating separate living spaces that your central system can’t handle. They are one of the best options for efficiency and saving space.

They give you the benefits of a normal heating and cooling system in a very small package. They are capable of being operated with a thermostat. Many models can even be controlled from your smartphone.

The biggest downside to the mini-split is that they are not easily installed by a do-it-yourselfer. You will need to have them installed by a professional HVAC technician, like those here at LHT Cooling, Heating & Refrigeration, Inc.

The Window Unit: today’s window units are energy efficient and easy to install in a weekend. You will need a standard sized window in your garage. However, they are not very attractive from the outside of your home. The bulk of the window unit hangs outside the window and will probably need a bracket for support. Window units also tend to be noisy.

Portable Air Conditioners: these are plug and play appliances that require zero installation. They can generally cool a 20 x 25 room. However, they are not as efficient as the mini-split. They are not permanent, so they can be stored in the off seasons, or could be used in other areas of your home.

Electric Space Heaters: there are a number of standalone electric space heaters. They are a safe option as they do not have an open flame and they don’t require ventilation they way gas or kerosene heaters do.