Do you use your garage as more than just a space to park your vehicle? If you are like most American homeowners, your garage does double duty as a storage and/or workspace. They are not the most comfortable spaces to work in because, at their core, most garages are just framed-in wooden boxes with concrete floors. No air, no heat, and unless the garage door is up, no ventilation, and that’s a problem. Your garage is filled with – fumes even if you can’t smell them. Summer’s high humidity in some areas can promote the formation of mold and dry rot on the structure itself. Lawn equipment and other metal tools are more susceptible to rust in high humidity environments. A well-ventilated space can significantly reduce potential damage from excessive heat and humidity. So the question is, how do you ventilate a garage effectively?
Your garage can become a more comfortable and safer workspace -properly ventilated. If you know how to ventilate a garage you can reduce heat and humidity and keep the environment fresh by expelling fumes. You will be more comfortable; paint, stain, and glue dry faster -; your tools and lawn equipment are less likely to rust; and if you have an attached garage, you may reduce your home’s energy cost. Providing proper ventilation is easier and more affordable than you might imagine. If you are fed up with nasty chemical odors or sweat rolling off your nose as you work, then you need to explore improving your garage ventilation.
What You Need to Know About Garage Ventilation
We’ve covered reasons to ventilate your garage, now it’s a question of just how much ventilation you need. The -standard guidance offered by the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) – calls for 100 cubic feet of ventilation per parking space per hour. So, if you have a 2-car garage, you want a passive or mechanical system that – allows airflow of 200 cubic feet per hour.
Here are a few ways you can get that done:
- Garage Doors. Obviously, if you keep your garage door open all the time, ventilation would not be an issue. That’s not practical, nor is raising the door a crack which is a security concern and an open invitation to rodents and other critters. Short of replacing your garage door with one that has louvered slats, you can install air intakes complete with insect screens to serve as the primary source of entry for outdoor ambient air.
- Air Intakes for a Windowless Garage. These vents can be tricky to install, however are an outstanding source of fresh air. Weather-resistant and essentially leak-proof, through the wall air intakes, are an ideal solution for garages that have no windows.
- Exhaust Fans. You probably know how effective attic fans are in lowering the temperature and reducing energy costs by pulling in cool air from intakes – and venting hot air through the roof. The same system works in your garage. Once you have intakes, a garage exhaust fan can dramatically reduce temperatures and provide the ventilation that minimizes the dangers that fumes, mold, and dry- rot present. Garage exhaust fans are smaller than attic fans because they are serving a much smaller volume of air. They have thermostat controls so they can run automatically when garage temperatures hit a predetermined temperature.
Need More Garage Ventilation Options?
We have just touched on a few – garage ventilation solutions available. We encourage you to take a moment now to browse all the intakes, fan choices, and other products -available at CoolMyGarage.com-. The GF-14 Garage Fan and Attic Cooler cool the garage as much as 20 degrees. Visit our Products Page for additional cooling solutions. If you still have questions, contact us at 855-431-4326 and we will work with you to select the best system for your attached or detached garage.
