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How to Keep Your Garage Cool During the Summer Without Inflating Your Energy Bill

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It can be a serious challenge to control the temperature in your garage, keeping it moderate all year round, rather than freezing in the winter and burning hot in the summer. There are few things worse than pulling into your garage and feeling like you’ve just driven into an oven! Sure, there are options like installing heat and air, but those can get pricey. If you’re looking for a way to keep your garage cool this summer (and warm in the winter) without breaking the bank, look no further than these tips below:

Keep the garage door cracked 

Keeping your garage door cracked will increase airflow in the garage, cooling it down naturally. Don’t keep the door leading into your home open, as this may be dangerous, however; you can keep any doors or windows that are facing the outside cracked to get some air moving around. This will definitely cool things down a bit, though it may not be an option for everyone. 

Install a ceiling fan

If your garage’s ceiling is at least 8 feet high, a ceiling fan is an excellent way to keep it cool in the summer time without causing your energy bill to spike. If your garage doesn’t have the height required for a ceiling fan, you can always get a standing fan that oscillates around the room as well. While neither of these options will actually cool the air in your garage, they will keep the air moving and flowing, making the room feel a bit more bearable.

Weatherstripping

This is a relatively easy and inexpensive process of sealing off the opening at the bottom of the door to keep cool air in and any heat out. Find any openings near your garage doors and windows and apply weatherstripping. This is sure to make a significant difference in the temperature during the summer.

Paint your garage door

Light colors reflect heat, while dark colors absorb heat. This means that if your garage is a dark color, it will be hotter inside. Paint your garage door a lighter color, especially if it’s facing west, and your garage is sure to stay a bit cooler.  Garage doors made of wood tend to stay a bit cooler as well, and they’re easy to paint!

Insulate the walls and ceilings

Garages don’t typically have the best insulation, which is why they can become both unbearably hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Make sure your garage is properly insulated, which shouldn’t be very expensive, and this will keep temperatures more moderate and bearable all year round. Insulating your garage walls yourself should be relatively easy if they are not already covered in drywall. You can also always call a professional to do it for you.

Portable air conditioner

Once you have your garage insulated, cooling it down with a portable air conditioner becomes much easier and more cost efficient. When a garage is not insulated, the air will escape through the walls and garage door, meaning the air conditioner will have to work extra hard to cool the room. These portable air conditioners are not the best option for everyone (especially if you live somewhere that gets over about 90 degrees in the summer or have a huge garage with no insulation), but they can certainly do the trick in the right conditions.

Plant trees around your garage

Ok, we know this one may sound strange, but planting trees around your garage will keep the sun from beating down on it, which is really what makes it so hot in the first place! The more shade you have around your garage, the cooler it will be.

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