Hot Rods How to keep the shop cool? V

You may just have to adjust your shop hours. Try cooling the place down in the evenings by opening a door(s) and using an exhaust fan through a gable end, to pull in cooler, ground level air and exhaust the hotter ceiling air. Then close it for the night and start out cool in the morning. Work til beer-thirty (which might be noon), repeat as needed. Good luck.

 

After seeing your other thread with the photo of the shop I'd say that putting up visqueen to seal the work area off from the storage area would help a lot. Weigh the price of that against some HF on sale tarps but keeping as much of the cool air in the area you are working in is the main thing.
Years ago a gent I sold parts to got his hands on some of those folding walls they have at a lot hotels that have several banquet rooms in a row that can be turned into one big room by folding up the walls. He was more concerned with heat in the winter than cool in the summer and he set the wall up so it turned one end of his 40 x 60 shop into a 40x24 shop. Said he measured his biggest piece of farm equipment he might want to work on in the shop in the middle of the winter and allowed enough room to walk around both ends. He didn't have hot rods, just tractors and combines.

 

Welcome back Bruce, Insulation is a must, have you given any thought to installing a wall and just heat & cool part of the shop where you work, it could save you money in the long run. HRP

 

BTW, I hear you are no longer in Tennessee, where are you now? HRP

 

That bubblewrap stuff is pretty much useless for insulation. It does provide a radiant barrier but it has an R value of about 1. Get rid of it and insulate the building properly, without insulation you're fighting a losing battle. Don't forget about insulating the doors, and also seal up cracks.

 

Good answer, but not everyone has that option. What you can do is put up shade sails to shade the roof with air space between them and the roof. It works really well. does wonders for windows as well. Most people have blinds/curtains over the inside of the window and try to stop the direct sunlight with them, not realizing that it does not work very well. Shade the window from outside and the result is far better.

 

I also vote for good insulation !

My building is completely done in expanding foam spray insulation. If I don't work with the doors open, it will stay in the low to mid 70's from over night while it is 90 deg outside during the day. I only do that part of the time though as I love the heat. My ambition level rises as the temp does!

Another suggestion is a good dehumidifier, not only for comfort but to keep rust from forming. That was one of the best things I did to the building . My building runs between 40 & 50% at all times, except for the days I work with the bay doors open. By the next morning it is back down to where it belongs. I have found myself only working with the doors open on lower humidity days lately.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Thanks for the information, Bruce.

 

Twenty 8 where would you look for thoses shade sails . Thanks. Bruce.

 

Cooling & heating starts with building orientation relative to predictable weather patterns.

Ideally - your building was laid out and constructed with that in mind.

Then you factor building height - roof pitch - existing doors & windows & other openings.

Make use of natural airflow as much as positive.

Then - zone your work areas off so you are conditioning only the air in the space you are utilizing.

Every building is different.
Every particular use of the same
building is different.


Jim

 

Bruce, when I built my 30' x 40' shop I used 4 insulated window, 4 insulated doors, I fully insulated the walls then installed sheet rock, on the walls & ceiling, then I blew in 18" of insulation in the attic.

I also installed a heat pump and air, when it's 95 degrees out side I can go in the shop at 3 PM and with no air on it's a comfortable 77. HRP

 

I'll simplely echo what everybody else has said; insulate!
The game you're playing is all about transfer of energy. A 3-ton unit should just about keep up if you make some changes to the building.

Prevent air circulation from a poorly insulated zone. If your workshop is open to the roof, as others have suggested, box the ceiling in and make sure it has plenty insulation on top (two battens/rolls thick of glass fiber is good). It's also easier to put down because gravity is in your favor that way.
Make sure the inside of the roof is now "outside". Soffit venting and apex vent to allow the heat generated by the sun playing on the roof can escape, so it doesn't build up and leech through the ceiling insulation.
Can you paint the outside of the steel? A white roof makes a significant difference to midday attic temperature.

Seal up as many gaps as you can. Expanding foam- ugly but cheap and functional. Windows, if they admit a large amount of direct sunshine to your working area can be fitted with woven mesh screens to dull down the amount of heat that'll radiantly land on you and make you feel warmer while working. Make sure the air vents drop into the warmest parts of the building, usually above the windows. That'll help the temperature delta- the object isn't to dump cold air onto you, it is to mix with the hot air up by the ceiling and cause it to naturally drop and circulate to the air return.
If you want air on you, shift the cool air that's down low with a fan onto you.


Phil

 

Move down under . Horizontal rain today , 2” predicted , rarely gets above 55F in winter .Storm force winds today . Average summer is around high of 85F .

 

Anyone using the mini split style systems?
I have seen a few of them in shops, and they seem to really make a big difference.

My shop has 13' high ceilings and the walls and ceiling are all dry walled and taped and painted.
I also have 6/8' long light fixtures with LED bulbs, which really make a big difference when cooling a shop.

The split systems are not too expensive to purchase and to use.
Jimbo

 

I have a mini-split. 24x36 stick built building, 2x6 walls, 12' ceiling. Garden variety ceiling fan. I'm comfy year-round. Keeping the overhead door shut (mine's 18x8) is key.

One note on overhead doors; they have an insane amount of R value now - 18.4 and up are available with a polyurethane core.

 

I had to check if they are called the same thing in the US...... (I'm in Australia). They are.
Do a computer search for "shade sails" and it should give you info. You will need to work out a mounting system (posts?) that will withstand the weather (wind, snow weight, etc).
https://www.walmart.com/browse/patio-garden/shade-sails/5428_5593752_7759480?min_price=0

 

Jim I will try that . Thanks.

 

Wow Danny sounds like did it the right way. Thanks.

 

Thanks for the information Phil!

 

Thanks Jimbo!

 

Thanks I will check in to it!

 

Copious amounts of ice cold beer

 

Here’s a shot of my new shop, Bruce.

 

No beer my choice of drink is sprite and vodka but that’s at the end of the day.LOL.

 

Danny I think that the way I am going to go. Thanks.

 

30X35 shop with 12 ft ceilings. 6 inch walls packed with insulation, 18 inches in the ceiling. I have 30,000 BTU window unit in the back wall plus a ceiling fan and on a 100 degree day it keeps it at 72. For the winters I have a hanging gas fired heater called a Hot Dawg. It is really efficient on fuel and keeps the building warm at around 70.

 

Yes, but you guys talk funny, eh mate....

 

Worse than you may think. He's a Kiwi.......... but we love 'em like a brother.

 

Lots of insulation, even if you have to drill holes and blow it in after the fact.

If your attic is separate, vent it, blow in more insulation. If you're ceiling is vaulted, be sure there's ridge vent or box vents.

Run extra dedicated dehumidifiers, you don't have to run A/C as hard and higher temp is more comfortable.

Large fans, either wall mounted or large diameter ceiling fans.

Tint the windows. I have the bottom pane of my house windows tinted on the west side, noticeable difference. 3M automotive film works great

70 degrees in the shop - damn. I keep my house at 75 or so in the summer.

I have a 30x44, 14 ft wall height shop, 2x6 walls, steel exterior, osb interior. R19 in the walls, 8" insulation in the ceiling, separate attic with ridge and wall vents.
2 wall mount 30" fans mounted high, 60" ceiling fan. Tinted windows. No A/C.

 

I'm planning to build new shop, 30 x 70. As of now i plan to build a build room inside of it to cool and heat ,and light.Just to cut down on cost.