Whether you’re using the garage for creative projects, home improvement repairs or just doing routine car maintenance, it’s definitely a convenient place to work. However, in the summer, your garage can get very hot very quickly, and the high temps can make working in the garage untenable, especially for long periods of time. In most cases, it’s impractical to attach your garage to the central cooling system for the main house, and even adding a window AC unit can really drive up your electricity bills. Luckily there are some other things you can do to cool down your garage. Take a look at some helpful cooling tips that can make your garage bearable even during the hottest part of the summer.
Bring in a Fan
The simplest and often the cheapest way to cool down a hot garage is to bring in a strong fan. While a fan doesn’t actually cool the air, it will help push the hot air out, and the breeze will cool your skin down. Portable fans are affordable and simple to operate, and you can bring them in without making any major changes in the garage. For maximum effect, position a fan near an open window or door so that it can catch cooler air from the outdoors and propel it into your garage.
If you’re finding that a fan alone still isn’t enough, you can use it to create a low-tech swamp cooler. There are a number of different ways to build one of these, but the simplest way is to fill a cooler or bucket with ice and position the fan so that the air blows over the top of the ice. This will actually cool the air in much the same way that an air conditioner would.
Don’t Bring Your Vehicle Straight into the Garage
When you want to keep your garage cool, it’s important to eliminate things that may make your garage hotter. The weather is raising the temperature enough so why bring in a hot vehicle? Many people don’t realize that driving the car straight into the garage may be raising the temperature. If you’ve ever seen a car overheat, you have an idea of how hot an engine can get. Your engine can radiate heat for hours after you’ve turned the car off.
Try parking your car in the driveway when you get home instead of pulling straight into the garage. Pull it in later after the car has had a chance to cool off. You may be surprised by how effectively this simple tip can prevent the temperatures from rising inside of your garage.
Insulate Your Garage
If you really want to prevent the heat from rising in your garage and you’re up for a project, you may want to consider adding insulation to your garage door, ceiling, and walls. Homeowners often think of insulation as a way to keep warm air in during the winter, but it also helps to keep the heat out during the summer.
You can retrofit finished walls with blown-in cellulose insulation or add batt insulation if the wall studs are visible. Attic insulation can also help since a lot of the heat comes from the top. A wood garage door has natural insulation, but you can add insulation to a metal garage door by attaching rigid panel insulation to the inside of the door using cement. While you’re at it, check and replace your weatherstripping, if necessary, and use caulk to seal any drafty areas around windows and doors.
The weather should never keep you from getting the most use out of your garage. To find out more about garage renovations that will work for you, schedule your free design consultation … 
