A Window A/C thru a man-door in a garage. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Hey I have been thinking about how to cool my shop. I had first thought about doing a Mini-Split. But the wife didn't like the idea of more holes in the house etc... So that got nixed. Amazing how much power SWMBO has over my life. :)

Then I had the thought about doing a Swamp Cooler thru the window. They are larger outside and smaller as it goes thru the window. It would work. Probably. But even as dry as it is here in Utah that still isn't something I really want to try. I fear turning my Mustard Monster into a puddle of rusted mustard.

So I went back to a window A/C unit but my window in my garage is small enough it won't fit. Now I do have a man door, as opposed to a garage door, which I can begin working on. I have the thought of replacing the metal door with "something" and cutting it and adding bracing as needed in order to support the A/C coming thru the door. Which is similar indeed to cutting a hole in the wall and doing it that way. But did I mention SWMBO? No holes in walls, no questions asked. ;) So I thought about getting a replacment external door, or making money of dimensional lumber or ???

And I just wondered if anyone here had ever tried it before me. Anyone ever tried to mount a cooling device through a door in this type of way? And if so what was the outcome? It seems like it would work for the summer months. I expect to lose the use of the door while everything is mounted but that is fine. I am much more concerned about getting it cold than I am about walking around a bit from the front yard to get to the backyard.

So even if you haven't tried it if you have any thought do let me know. Because I have a few concerns about it. For instance:

- Will the hinges and handle/lock support a 24,000 BTU window A/C unit. Or is building something up and having it rest firmly on the floor and fill the doorway, as opposed to acting like a hung door, a much better idea. I am assuming that that A/C is a heaving beast.

- An external door would have a certain level of insulating factors naturally. If I build it up what would I need to do, if anything, to try and increase the insulation factor to a proper level.

Anythings else stand out that I have missed?

Thanks Guys! I am hoping someone can help me out.

Joshua

[Steven Green]

For what it's worth here are a couple of thoughts. Depending on the size of the AC I think I'd add a deadbolt above or just even with the top of the unit. Then I'd never, and I do mean never try opening that door unless the unit is out of it. The deadbolt would give you support on the active side but once it was dependent on just the hinges I think you'd be sunk.

[Don Alexander]

despite what SWMBO thinks it would be much easierand look alot better if you cut a hole in the wall for the Ac unit and trimmed it out to match the trim in the rest of the space inside and out

basically would look like it was meant to be there

might be a bit of a challenge talking her into it but you both would like it better after the fact

[Norman Hitt]

Could you not just replace the small window with one large enough to handle the AC unit?????:confused:

[Cliff Holmes]

That was my first thought. I mean, technically, she said no new holes, right? :)

[Steven DeMars]

A door will not support a 24,000 BTU unit very well. Vibration and noise will really be a problem.Since you are prepared to lose the door anyway, why not re-frame the opening.

A/C on top and 5 foot door below. You still have egress & ventilation if you need it.

The best idea is to re-size the window.

Steve

[Ted Jay]

Could you not just replace the small window with one large enough to handle the AC unit?????:confused:p

Or just use the bottom portion of the small window for the hole on the split unit. If it's a small enough window take it out and replace it with a smaller double pane that won't open leaving a section at the top or bottom for your 3 inch hole.

[Gary Max]

Try this------- a 3 ton AC unit would cost how many $$$$$ or that window unit could be bought for less than a couple hundred. SWMBO will may look at the subject in a different light .

[John Lanciani]

Let's face it, putting a window AC in a door is butch. Drop the idea and move on. If this is a permenant shop space and you plan on being there for any length of time just do it right and get it over with. Between the comfort, energy savings, and appearance benefits, a split is the only way to go if you can afford it. People put new holes in their houses all the time, it's really no big deal. just do it.

John

[Don Alexander]

Is your workshop in your garage the way it sounds like it might be?

if so you might very well be violating building code if you either make the door basically unusable as a door or remove the door in favor of an AC unit

i would definitely check on that before doing it

another consideration that you might want to think about is resaleability of your house.
the door idea definitely would be bad for that little detail

HTH good luck with a viable solution :)

[Joe Leigh]

Forget the window unit in the door idea. The hole required for a ductless split unit is about 2-2 1/2". If that small of a hole is not acceptable then replace the window with a larger one as stated above.

[Ben Hatcher]

There is a third option besides window and split units and that is a portable unit. They are placed completely inside the building and use two flexible hoses to exchange air with the outside. Certainly these will work no matter what size your window opening. Here's a site I found via a quick google search (no affiliation): http://www.sylvane.com/garage-portable-air-conditioner.html

If you already have the window unit, I'm sure that it wouldn't take too much creativity to modify it to work in a similar way to these. Build and enclosure for the back of the window unit, put a hose on the top and bottom, add a fan, presto!

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Thanks for the responses guys. I have just been sitting here reading them over and thinking. I am beginning to think that the major need is to moderate the temperature in there. Some of the guesses were correct. My shop is in my garage. It is a 3 car with the 3rd bay deep. This 3rd bay is my shop.

The man door is on the outer side wall of the 3rd bay. The exterior finish on the house is Stucco. My wife doesn't like the thought of damaging the stucco and having to bring in experts to repair it.

We had talked first, the little woman and I, about going for a Mini-Split. Her concern is that it would make it permanent and something that would be left behind should we wind up moving. Right or wrong a Realtor friend of hers convinced her that that would be the case.

Which is what led me to a window unit. Portable, removable and since I found a good one used a very nice price. Sadly the window is so small that nothing large enough to remotely be effect cooling the space will fit. It also opens side to side rather than up and down which sucks and limits the shape and options on an A/C unit.

I have to admit that for some reason it never occurred to me to replace the window. I could replace it with much the same size that opened up and and down and it would probably just fit the unit perfectly.

Another thought that occurred to be before and again reading this today was putting a small pass-thru element in the current window and mount a minisplit that ran thru that pass thru. Could still close the window against the pass-thru, could be sealed easily enough. Would be removable without external or internal damage to the structure of the house.

Anyone know if a mini-split requires professional installation? I have seen DIY instructions and then comments about get a pro. I can research that avenue again. I just wondered what experience anyone here might have.

I will have to take a good look at other options.

Thanks for the responses guys. I really appreciate the help and comments.

Joshua

[Steven DeMars]

If you like the Mini-Split, install it & remove it prior to listing the house.

I know if I built a swing and hung it on my front porch I don't have to leave it with the house if I sell it.

Steve:)

[Steve Kohn]

If you do install the mini-split AC and decide to move just put in the listing that the mini-split does not go with the house. Or as previously suggested, just remove it before showing the house to prospective buyers.

[Don Jarvie]

It sounds like your garage is attached to the house, correct? If thats the case why don't you tap your house AC (that's if you have central AC) and run a duct into the garage.

You can put a shut off in the duct so the AC won't blow in the garage when your not there.

Now if you don't have central AC this all goes out the window :).

[Rod Sheridan]

It sounds like your garage is attached to the house, correct? If thats the case why don't you tap your house AC (that's if you have central AC) and run a duct into the garage.

You can put a shut off in the duct so the AC won't blow in the garage when your not there.

Now if you don't have central AC this all goes out the window :).

It's prohibited by code where I live, probably where the OP lives as well.

Regards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Anyone know if a mini-split requires professional installation? I have seen DIY instructions and then comments about get a pro. I can research that avenue again. I just wondered what experience anyone here might have.

I will have to take a good look at other options.

Thanks for the responses guys. I really appreciate the help and comments.

Joshua

Hi Joshua, where I live you need a refrigeration license to install split systems as the refrigerant is a controlled product.

Have you considered one of those of interior portable units that just need a vent hose to the exterior?

Regards, Rod.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Hi Joshua, where I live you need a refrigeration license to install split systems as the refrigerant is a controlled product.

Have you considered one of those of interior portable units that just need a vent hose to the exterior?

Regards, Rod.

Hey I used to live In London Ontario. On Perth. Was a beautiful place to live.

Anyway, I have one of the portables. I have a little 8k unit that I bought a decade ago. I fear after all of this time that while it is still running it just isn't putting out that much cooling. When I point it straight at me I get a cool "breeze" blowing on me but the whole shop itself does not seem to get much cooler. I have thought about one of these double hose jobs but they all top out at about 12k btus... The used window units I have been seeing lately are 24k and 28k BTU units for <= $200.

The mini-splits I had seen run $2k - $3k for a 16k to 24k btu unit. Saving some money on it appeals to me as does getting my shop cool enough to enjoy going out to play in. With a 15 month old daughter I don't get tons of consecutive time in the shop. But I can often grab time at unexpected intervals and I would like something strong to make a difference relatively quickly.

Anyway, perhaps just waiting for fall and spring is a better call if a little painful to contemplate.

Joshua

[Joshua Dinerstein]

It sounds like your garage is attached to the house, correct? If thats the case why don't you tap your house AC (that's if you have central AC) and run a duct into the garage.

You can put a shut off in the duct so the AC won't blow in the garage when your not there.
I do have Central A/C but after checking with local experts awhile ago it isn't advisable. It makes the garage consider living space in the house and my taxes go up and it doesn't meet code for living space, apparently lots of people around here used to convert the garage into more living space, and so a lot of extra work needs to be done. Up to and including the removal of the garage door and the building of walls to replace them etc....

Joshua

[jared herbert]

I did this one very hot summer when I couldnt take the heat anymore. Only I did it in the house. There was a deck door that wasnt being used. I took the door off the hinges, cut a piece of 3/4 in plywood to replace the door, cut a hole in the plywood to fit a window ac unit that I had laying around. Then I just fastened the plywood in the door opening with some cleats that were screwed into the jamb. Granted it was not pretty, we dont have any codes here and it was a temporary measure but it did get us by until a better fix was found. All of our windows were casements that were too narrow to put an ac in. I have seen other places that have done the same thing. Its funny how you notice things like that if you are looking for them. Jared