Fighting the summer heat...

Passing Glass · #1 2007-02-27, 12:43pm

I think body temperature can be a safety issue, so I thought I would ask this here in the safety forum.

I work in my garage and frankly, it sucks. It is just WAY too hot for at least 4 months out of the year (I'm in Dallas). Many times, it's 110 or 112 degrees, plus not much breeze in the garage. I can only torch for a few minutes and then I'm either too sweaty to keep from dripping on my workspace, or it's too hot to breathe comfortably. I am trying to figure out a way to have adequate ventilation and still keep the garage somewhat bearable, temperature wise. I'm willing to put a window unit air conditioner in the wall and maybe if I get a strong enough one, the cool air will last long enough before getting sucked out by the hood that it will be a little cooler in the garage. I've been told a swamp cooler might help, but they also make the room very moist, which I don't really want either.

I work in the back corner of the garage furthest from the garage door. So, if I put a vent near the front of the garage, then a window unit in the wall a foot or two further in toward the back of the garage (where I am), so the air conditioner is between me and the hot air vent, it seems like the hot makeup air would have to travel through the "cool zone" created by the air conditioner before getting to my back and going around me and then out via the venthood. Is that possible or ridiculous? I'm in a standard brick home, two-car garage. There are some pretty strong air conditioners out there that could turn a room that big into a freezer. So I'm pretty sure it's doable. I just don't know how practical it is. And it's not the best use of energy, I know. But otherwise, what do you guys think?

Also, I've been told of venthoods which have two seperate paths of air. Like a hood inside of a hood. It supplies its own makeup air, and therefore does not suck the ambient room air out (as much). The outermost hood provides make up air which is under positive pressure and flows down to the work surface, then eddies away from the torch when it hits the work surface and is then sucked up by the inner hood taking the fumes with it. That's a simple version, but you get the idea. Ever heard of these? Possible?

MikeAurelius · #2 2007-02-27, 1:00pm

The cheapest most efficient way to do this is by ducting your make up air directly into your workstation as I've mentioned many times before. This reduces the effect of outside air temperature and humidity on the general room air in the garage.

A couple of other things to consider: insulate your garage. This may sound silly, but insulated walls don't just keep the heat in, they also keep the heat OUT. Use the proper thickness insulation for your wall studs (4" or 6" depending on the year your house was built), then a layer of heavy mil plastic sheeting. If it's in your budget, sheet rock it as well, every little bit helps.

A swamp cooler is a great way when it's too damn hot (100 F + and low humidity).

An air conditioner will work, provided the space is insulated and your make up air is ducted into your workstation, otherwise you are wasting electricity with it. Be sure the air conditioner is properly sized for the garage space -- turn it on (maybe with a timer?) a couple of hours before you go out to the garage to cool the garage down prior to going to work.

Passing Glass · #3 2007-02-27, 1:50pm

Thanks Mike. Do you have any suggestions on design of ducting the makeup air directly to the workstation? How how does that work exactlly? I'm going to search the threads but if you have a good thread you can point me to, it will help.

Thanks again.

Dale M. · #4 2007-02-27, 3:50pm

There is a couple of "concept" diagrams here to give you better idea on how to duct makeup air, and not remove all the room heated or cooled air...

http://www.artglassanswers.com/forum...opic.php?t=150

Dale

MikeAurelius · #5 2007-02-28, 6:58am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Passing Glass

Thanks Mike. Do you have any suggestions on design of ducting the makeup air directly to the workstation? How how does that work exactlly? I'm going to search the threads but if you have a good thread you can point me to, it will help.

Thanks again.

I suggest floor level ducting at least 8" diameter, ducted to the nearest outside wall and a minimum of 10 feet from the exhaust duct.

Come up through the bench top with a floor register duct adaptor (I recommend a 4" x 12") and then use a standard floor register to cover the hole.

I think I posted some pictures of a work in process on this, I'll look for the link and post it here.