How to Cool a Garage, FAST!

Last updated: 11/27/2023

A warm garage during cool winter months is ideal for working on projects—but a warm garage during a warm summer? Definitely not ideal. Aire Serv^® helps you breathe easy in your home, and we can also offer you solutions that will keep your garage at a comfortable summer temperature.

But first, some DIY advice. Check out our tips for cooling your garage now and the steps you can take to keep your garage at an ideal temperature, year-round.

How Are Garages Connected to Residential HVAC systems?

If your garage is attached to your HVAC system, it’s unlikely that you have many air ducts or return vents in your garage. It’s also common for garages to not be looped into a home’s HVAC system. It is possible to keep your garage at a comfortable temperature year-round without it being attached to your home’s HVAC system or looped into a separate system.

If you find it’s difficult to maintain an ideal temperature in your garage during any season, it’s likely that your garage is under-insulated.

My Garage Is Too Hot—Why Won’t It Cool Down on Its Own?

Finding your garage too hot to handle and wondering why?

Garages are typically warm because:

• They are under-insulated. Yes, you read that correctly. Insulation isn’t just important to keep a garage warm, but to keep it cool, too!
• The garage lacks windows or ventilation. Natural ventilation from windows or vents helps provide airflow throughout the garage. Just like a closed interior room, a garage without ventilation will heat up, quickly.
• Garage location and orientation. A garage that faces to the west will heat up during the afternoon sun.
• Garage colors. A garage with a dark-colored door or roof will be hotter than a garage with lighter-colored elements.
• Garage use. Do you park your car in your garage after running errands on a hot day? Is your garage filled with tools? Does your garage have LED lights? Everything inside your garage can impact its overall temperature.

Why Should You Keep Your Garage Cool?

Walking into a hot garage is never pleasant. Garages tend not to be the most well-ventilated of places so they can get hot and stuffy rather quickly, which also poses a risk to the items stored in the garage.

Hot air temperatures can be particularly damaging to electrical equipment, which is sensitive to heat, especially if they’ve been switched on for a while in a warm environment. If the air temperature in your garage is high when you go to use an electrical item, consider cooling the garage down before using it. Doing so will help keep the item in good condition and lessen the risk of any faults occurring or a fire breaking out.

How to Cool a Garage in Summer

The easiest and most cost-effective way to cool a garage is to allow hot, trapped air to escape by opening the garage door or some windows. The airflow will also help keep the air temperature cool. If possible, opening windows or doors in a manner that creates a cross-breeze is most effective.

How to Cool a Garage with No Windows

Sometimes, opening doors and windows isn’t an option. Here’s how to cool a garage with no windows:

• Skip the home improvement projects or move them outdoors. Avoid using items like drills, table saws, planers, or sanders during the heat of the day. If you must complete these tasks, move them outdoors. The temperature will be more pleasant and you’ll preserve the air quality in your space.
• Replace incandescent bulbs. Save money on your energy bill and reduce the extraneous heat in your space by replacing incandescent bulbs with high-efficiency LED bulbs.
• Cool your car before parking it inside. Your car heats up by being driven, especially in hot summer weather. It’s possible for the exterior of your car to quickly exceed 100 degrees. Park your car outside in the shade or wait until an hour or two after sunset before easing it into your garage.
• Place fans strategically. Purchase a single fan or multiple fans to place around your garage to provide airflow and cool the air in your garage down.
• Purchase a portable AC unit. Use a portable AC unit during the hottest parts of the summer or just before you plan to use the garage.

Breathe Easy in Your Garage with Help from Aire Serv

Your garage is an extension of your home, and it should be treated as such! Whether you’re concerned your warm garage is heating up the interior of your main house or you’re looking to make your garage useable year-round, we have the HVAC solution for you.

Contact your local Aire Serv to learn about permanent HVAC solutions to keep your garage cool during the hottest days of the year. Call or request an appointment online to get started, today.