First off... this is my first post... and I apologize profusely in advance for the very long post! I'm Steve, live in Ohio, know very little about heating and cooling, and am becoming increasingly confused over suggestions I've seen throughout the Internet concerning garage "heat removal". So what better place to search for answers to my garage problem than a garage forum?!
A little background: We moved into our house not quite a year ago. The garage is detached and only about a year old. It is just a "basic" structure, rectangular and very long. I don't have the dimensions with me, but you can get an idea by looking at the attached "artwork". The interior is unfinished with no ceiling... just rafters. There is no insulation under the roof yet, or anywhere else. The exterior is vinyl and the roof is asphalt shingle. There is continuous soffit venting around the entire perimeter of the garage, and I can see light emitting through it so it appears adequate to my "uninformed" eye. I question the ridge vent though. I'm not sure it allows enough heat to escape. There is absolutely no shade available to the garage, and it isn't likely that there ever will be. There is a garage door (single) at one end, and another (single) located diagonally at the other end. There are two entry doors on one side.
The garage is like an oven when outside temperatures begin to rise. As I said, it looks like I have plenty of soffit venting, but not enough functioning ridge venting. I know roof insulation would be beneficial, and I do plan on adding that. It's "what else needs to be done" that has me confused.
My goals: I don't have much in the way of disposable income, so adding an A/C unit is out of the question for me. I just want, if possible, to bring the temps down to almost outside temps to protect vehicles, chemicals, etc. from heat damage. Also, not passing out when entering would be good!
So far: After a lengthy thread in a car forum, I came up with a plan. I would install the insulation between the rafters, and I would install a powered attic fan near the ridge. Seemed very reasonable to me. But then I went elsewhere and read more on the subject. I discovered, and this makes total sense to me now, that an attic fan installed next to a ridge vent will simply pull exterior air from the ridge vent... the "path of least resistance"... and would do little to pull the hot air from the garage. And reading more on the subject, I saw pros and cons on just about everything I could imagine. I also read that today's attic fans available from the "big box" stores are not of the highest quality anymore.
Any plans, ideas, suggestions for a course of action are appreciated!
SO.... I apologize again for the very long post! Thank you to everyone who waded through it, and I appreciate any input you may have!
Steve
A little background: We moved into our house not quite a year ago. The garage is detached and only about a year old. It is just a "basic" structure, rectangular and very long. I don't have the dimensions with me, but you can get an idea by looking at the attached "artwork". The interior is unfinished with no ceiling... just rafters. There is no insulation under the roof yet, or anywhere else. The exterior is vinyl and the roof is asphalt shingle. There is continuous soffit venting around the entire perimeter of the garage, and I can see light emitting through it so it appears adequate to my "uninformed" eye. I question the ridge vent though. I'm not sure it allows enough heat to escape. There is absolutely no shade available to the garage, and it isn't likely that there ever will be. There is a garage door (single) at one end, and another (single) located diagonally at the other end. There are two entry doors on one side.
The garage is like an oven when outside temperatures begin to rise. As I said, it looks like I have plenty of soffit venting, but not enough functioning ridge venting. I know roof insulation would be beneficial, and I do plan on adding that. It's "what else needs to be done" that has me confused.
My goals: I don't have much in the way of disposable income, so adding an A/C unit is out of the question for me. I just want, if possible, to bring the temps down to almost outside temps to protect vehicles, chemicals, etc. from heat damage. Also, not passing out when entering would be good!
So far: After a lengthy thread in a car forum, I came up with a plan. I would install the insulation between the rafters, and I would install a powered attic fan near the ridge. Seemed very reasonable to me. But then I went elsewhere and read more on the subject. I discovered, and this makes total sense to me now, that an attic fan installed next to a ridge vent will simply pull exterior air from the ridge vent... the "path of least resistance"... and would do little to pull the hot air from the garage. And reading more on the subject, I saw pros and cons on just about everything I could imagine. I also read that today's attic fans available from the "big box" stores are not of the highest quality anymore.
Any plans, ideas, suggestions for a course of action are appreciated!
SO.... I apologize again for the very long post! Thank you to everyone who waded through it, and I appreciate any input you may have!
Steve


