Should I Get a Mini Split for My Garage?

Nowadays, a garage is more than just a place to store a car or motorcycle. Many homeowners make their garages a functional part of their living space. Therefore, it’s important to have climate control so the area is safe and comfortable. Here, we’ll discuss whether having a ductless mini-split AC installed is the right idea, and how you can benefit from a mini-split for a garage.

Connecting your central air conditioning system to the garage is unwise, illegal, and maybe a building code violation, as carbon monoxide can travel through ductwork. Over 430 people die from exposure each year in the U.S. The poisonous gas, undetectable to human senses, most often affects people at home due to malfunctioning gas appliances or running a car inside the garage.

The Best Way to Cool Your Garage

There are portable air conditioners, evaporative coolers, and other methods of cooling a garage. But many argue that a mini-split AC is the best way to add air conditioning here. While it requires installing the AC unit, condensate drain line, condenser pad, thermostat, and electrical connections, mini-split systems come with many benefits.

Reasons to Install a Mini Split

A mini-split will heat and cool your garage and can be installed without a professional (although Oregon Ductless is here to help if you need us). Here are some of the benefits of installing one in your garage:

• Effective Heating and Cooling: A standard system can maintain an indoor temperature of 75℉ with outside temperatures down to 32℉ and as high as 95℉. Most mini-splits can keep your garage cool even in temperatures as high as 115℉. 
• Highly Efficient: Mini-splits generally have better SEER and EER efficiency ratings than other air conditioners. They are even more efficient if your garage walls and garage door are insulated.
• Compact Design: With a small footprint, mini-split systems take up little wall space and connect to an outdoor unit via just a small hole in the wall. Most air handlers can be placed up to 100 feet from the condenser, allowing for flexible installation. 
• Relatively Easy to Install: The simplest way to install a system is to place the air handler on a wall behind the outdoor condenser. Just make sure you select the proper BTU rating. For a 1-car insulated garage, a 9,000 BTU system will do, while for a 2-car garage with insulation, consider a 12,000 BTU system. Uninsulated spaces will require greater cooling capacity.
• Convenience: Mini-splits operate very quietly and permanently expand the conditioned square footage of your home, while not compromising security. Other systems require cutting a large hole in the wall. Window ACs create a vulnerability that gives burglars an advantage.

Mini Splits Expand the Use of Your Garage

A mini-split for a garage lets you do practically anything with it regardless of what the outdoor temperature is. Here are just some of the ways you can transform your garage:

• Loft: Many garages have an overhead loft that can become quite hot. Installing a ductless mini-split above the loft will cool things down and reduce humidity levels. You can then add furniture and chairs to the space so there’s a secluded alcove, private retreat, or reading nook. 
• Workout Space: A high-ceiling garage is a perfect place for a home gym. It can accommodate workout mats and equipment like dumbbells, treadmills, and rowing machines. Remote controls let you manage air temperature, while timers turn on the system automatically, so your workout session can begin on schedule.
• Workshop: Mini-splits eliminate the high heat that can make it difficult to work on your car or fiddle with tools. It’s also easier to work on home projects in your garage. The benefits are especially significant if you’re working with wood, which can swell and expand in high heat and humidity. 
• Family Room: A ductless mini-split system can help create a hangout for the entire family. While you might have been avoiding this space due to high summer heat, why not transform it so you can comfortably play board games, watch TV, or duke it out at the pool table?

Let Oregon Ductless Install Your Mini Split for the Garage

 We provide high-quality traditional and ductless mini-split installation services in the Milwaukie, OR, area. Our trained team can install any sized system, so your garage is comfortable, clean, and efficient. Also, Oregon Ductless ensures you reap the cost-benefits of installing a mini-split, which requires no ductwork, and factors in the correct sized system and your budget. To set up your free, in-home consultation and quote, call 503-755-5332 today.