Added AC to my shop

[FrankEV]

This is just FYI.

As I have mentioned more than once, my shop is a small 8X14 Resin Shed I purchased through Lowes.  

During the summer last year I could only work for a few hours, very early in the morning, before the temps  here in Central Florida reached the high 90's and the sweat would be running down my brow and into my eyes.  

I had gone to Lowes yesterday to pick up a few thing I needed and as I was walking out I pased a Stack of GE small room  AC units.  The smallest is 5000 BTU intended for a 150 SF room.  My Shop is only 112 SF...Perfect.   Price $159...not terrible. Military discout kept it under $160 after sales tax. After going home and checkiing on the dimensions of the unit and the space I had in my gable end wall (the only feasible location) I went back ane purchased one.

Today I installed the unit.  I don't have a window so I had to make a cased opening just the correct size to fit the unit.  I first made a frame to varify it was correct for the unit and then use it to mark out the openening in the wall.  My jig saw made quick work of the resin wall, just above the metal header for the doors.  I cased the opeing on both sides and fixed it with some screws into the metal header.  The frame in  place is more than strong enough to replace the cut out wall section.

I slid the unit into the opening and, WALA, everything fit nicely and now is working fine.   

I know the power in my shop is fed from only one 20 AMP breaker circuit in my main panel.  Was concerned that the AC would overload the circuit if it was on with my router or dust collector.  I'm happy to report I have no problems operating those three heaviest draw items as the same time.  However, I will probably turn the AC unit off when I operate the Router station with the dust collector running to make sure no overloads.  

Any way, maybe I will be able to work in the shop more each day with out worring about heat exhaustion .

Inside

 

Outside       

Edited May 7, 2021 by FrankEV

[lawson56]

Oh I wish I had that, I have the same problem here in Southern Tn, I can only work in the early morn, hrs. I have a nice window. I just may run down at Lowes and get me one of them AC units. Excellent job on the insulation!!

[preprius]

Good work.   I hope it helps in the heat.   

During the summer my garage will get 110 deg.  I probably wont be cutting during those days.  

Mark.

[flarud]

Welcome to the "Cool" side!  Pun intended.  I've had a/c in my shop for several years.  Bought a new, bigger unit last year.. much better now.  My shop is 12' x 22' but I only cool 12' x 14' of it.  I have the walls and ceiling insulated half-ass and a thick clear shower curtain separating the cool side from the non-cooled side.  You may laugh but it works very well.  I also have an oscillating 18" fan going.  I can get the cool side down to 65°!  Makes it much easier to work when you are comfortable.   

I see the open gable vents in your shed,, do you get lots of wasps in there?  On the "hot" side of my shop I installed a 4' wide corrugated metal roll up door.  I'm guessing that's how wasps get in my shop.  My paddle that I made to lay patterns on when I spray the backside of them with 3M77 doubles as a big wasp swatter!

Edited May 8, 2021 by flarud

[new2woodwrk]

Sweet!

Florida is a "bear" to work in my garage during the summer/hot months!

This year, I've installed a curtain system to enclose my work area to encompass a window unit I have.

At the moment it will be for the cutting area, but I am considering enclosing right across the garage so the sanding area gets the benefit as well.

I'll see after I get it all isolated how much more I can section off

Pics will be forthcoming of course

Thanks for sharing your setup - would be nice if I could just cut a hole in my garage LOL

[Charlie E]

Hope to get one this summer also!

[kmmcrafts]

I did just the opposite late last fall.. I installed a furnace.. got tired of working in average 15-20F in the winter months.. Thankfully most of the winter is doable.. but from mid January - a couple weeks into March are hard to deal with temps.. Not no more though... Shop rarely gets above 80 - 85 in the summer if I keep it closed up.. during the day and opened up the 7 windows over night.. stays really cool in there in the hot summer days.. I kept it about 60F in the winter this year.. and was able to get a lot of cutting done that normally wouldn't happen until summer to restock my sold out inventory from the holiday sales..

There is nothing like being comfortable while working.. whether that be heating it up to your desired temp or cooling it down.. Hope it serves you well this summer.. I didn't realize you was in FL.. I have a brother in FL

[ben2008]

After reading all of the above I am so glad I have a basement where my shop is located. It is approx. 14' x 30'.  I have central air also. Not bragging, it was aready installed when i bought my home 35 years ago. I have upgraded it with a new high effiency gas furnace and central air the last 5 years or so for the 2nd and last time. Tosty warm in the winter and cool in the summer here in SE MI. Yes. we need air conditioning here in the frozen north.  But honestly, I wish I had a seperate shop somewhere in my yard. I can hardly make it up and down those darn, steep stairs anymore.

Edited May 8, 2021 by ben2008

[ben2008]

Nice job Frank. Looks good. Now you can spend more time in the shop and turn out more of your quality projects.

[FrankEV]

12 hours ago, flarud said:

...I see the open gable vents in your shed,, do you get lots of wasps in there?  

There is screen on the inside of the vents...so no wasps have gotten in yet.  I get wasp nests up under the gable overhang on my house but they havn't found my shed yet. 

[FrankEV]

9 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I did just the opposite late last fall.. I installed a furnace.. got tired of working in average 15-20F in the winter months....

We get a few weeks of "cool" temps (low to mid 40's) during the winter which makes it a little uncomfortable to work, but I found a small heater designed for a work shop area that will quickly take the chill off when needed.  So now I have the best of both times.

[FrankEV]

4 hours ago, ben2008 said:

... I can hardly make it up and down those darn, steep stairs anymore.

Install a chair lift...cheaper than building a new outdoor groundlevel shop .

[LarryEA]

Good job. Stay 'cool' Frank.

[Karl S]

7 hours ago, ben2008 said:

After reading all of the above I am so glad I have a basement where my shop is located. It is approx. 14' x 30'.  I have central air also. Not bragging, it was aready installed when i bought my home 35 years ago. I have upgraded it with a new high effiency gas furnace and central air the last 5 years or so for the 2nd and last time. Tosty warm in the winter and cool in the summer here in SE MI. Yes. we need air conditioning here in the frozen north.  But honestly, I wish I had a seperate shop somewhere in my yard. I can hardly make it up and down those darn, steep stairs anymore.

Ben I had the stair problem also until I finally gave in and purchased a Stair Lift, Problem solved!! Not cheap but I am able to get to the shop which is what matters.

[ben2008]

1 hour ago, Karl S said:

Ben I had the stair problem also until I finally gave in and purchased a Stair Lift, Problem solved!! Not cheap but I am able to get to the shop which is what matters.

Thanks Karl. I have seen them and thought I could use one myself.  I'll take a closer look. Not sure what I would do if I have to give up my woodworking hobby. I'm pretty much housebound now. Mother Nature has not been kind to me.

Edited May 8, 2021 by ben2008

[Karl S]

18 minutes ago, ben2008 said:

Thanks Karl. I have seen them and thought I could use one myself.  I'll take a closer look. Not sure what I would do if I have to give up my woodworking hobby. I'm pretty much housebound now. Mother Nature has not been kind to me.

Get one and never look back, They are a god send when you can no longer negotiate steps like me.

 I look at it like this I worked all my life to get us where we are now , so it's time to get what we want and enjoy what  ever life we have left, I know it won't last forever!

[CharleyL]

If your AC doesn't quite keep up in that plastic building, consider buying some of that 1/2" thick foam paneling with a foil coating one one side. Attach it to your ceiling with tha foil facing out/up using screws just long enough to penetrate the plastic ribbing and not go through the roof, and washers to keep the screw heads from pulling through the foam. If it still isn't enough insulation, do the same on the side walls, at least those that face the Sun. The double layer of the plastic panels do provide insulation, but not as good as the foam panels.  A friend did this to his little plastic building and it made a huge difference.

Cooler air settles, so putting the AC high up like that is best, but you should make a way to block those vents while trying to heat or cool the building, but keep them open when you aren't there, so humidity build-up won't be as severe in there when you aren't in there.

Charley

 

[FrankEV]

1 hour ago, CharleyL said:

If your AC doesn't quite keep up in that plastic building, consider ...

I totally agree with what you are suggesting.  I don't expect to be able to cool the shop down a lot, but if It keeps it from being untolerable and reduces the humidity a little, it will be worth it. 

I had already consider the insulation on the under side of the roof if I find I really need it.  There is very little exposed wall as I covered most with plywood in order to hang tools, shelves, etc.   

Also, the shed sits below a shade tree and is located in the space between the two adjacent houses, and does not get direct sun until late morning and during mid day.   

I don't ususlly work durring those hours anyway.  I may not be a Mexican, but that is my siesta time.

[OzarkSawdust]

On 5/7/2021 at 11:03 PM, kmmcrafts said:

I did just the opposite late last fall.. I installed a furnace.. got tired of working in average 15-20F in the winter months.. Thankfully most of the winter is doable.. but from mid January - a couple weeks into March are hard to deal with temps.. Not no more though... Shop rarely gets above 80 - 85 in the summer if I keep it closed up.. during the day and opened up the 7 windows over night.. stays really cool in there in the hot summer days.. I kept it about 60F in the winter this year.. and was able to get a lot of cutting done that normally wouldn't happen until summer to restock my sold out inventory from the holiday sales..

There is nothing like being comfortable while working.. whether that be heating it up to your desired temp or cooling it down.. Hope it serves you well this summer.. I didn't realize you was in FL.. I have a brother in FL

I hear ya Kevin! My shop is a 18' x 30' x 9' metal building that I had put up shortly after we moved here ( between Joplin & Kansas City MO ) 3 yrs ago.

That fall I got it spray foamed so my shop is an Igloo cooler! I first got a 24" barrel fan that worked pretty good most of the day. It gets direct sun in the morning, but big trees shade the whole building after about 1pm. Then last summer I got a 5,000 btu window A/C...because that's all that would fit in the 1 small window, but my scroll saw is set up close to the window and I can point it in my direction. And the cement floor helps in the summer...but sucks the heat in the winter.

But...I don't have near enough heat! I have a 220v 5000 watt (about 17K btu) heater hanging, and have to put a patio heater in the middle to get it to warm in the cold winter months. We should be on the Mexican border in the winter...but when things like COVID happen and all the shows shut down I need heat here. The electric heater really cranks the bill up and a propane bottle, at $20 each, may last 2-3 days if I run it low and shut off when I can. 

I've thought about a mini-split system, or having a natural gas line run from the house and a "real" heater LOL. I thought maybe I could score a central heating unit from someone upgrading their house and stand it in the corner...hasn't happened yet. I can work if it's a little too hot, but I hate to be cold!!

Edited May 9, 2021 by OzarkSawdust

[Woodmaster1]

My neighbor gave me a 12,000 btu window air last summer and I turn it on in the morning and turn it off when the sun goes down. There is no need to run it at night because the shop stays cool at night. I use a natural gas 50000 btu furnace in the winter. So I am comfortable year round. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Woodmaster1