Our South Boise, ID loved his garage workshop. He’d amassed plenty of power tools, not to mention a mini-fridge, over the years. He had the perfect setup for woodworking, home improvement, and even tinkering with the cars from time to time.
The only problem? The temperature.
With no heating and cooling, the garage would be too cold to work in January and February. And, it was unbearably hot by August.
He thought about extending the ductwork from the central part of the house. But, after doing some research, it didn’t seem like it’d be worth it.
Then, he heard about ductless heating and cooling. Before long, he had the perfect garage workshop.
This case study covers:
- Why Heating And Cooling A Garage Can Be Tough
- Why A Mini Split Works So Well In A Garage Or Single Room
- Installing Ductless Heating And Cooling In A South Boise, ID Garage
And, if this sounds like what you want in your Treasure Valley home, call or email Snowflake Air today to learn more!
Problem: A South Boise, ID homeowner used his garage as a workshop. But, it didn’t have any air conditioning or heating. That made it uncomfortable in the summer and winter.
Solution: Installed a single-zone Mitsubishi ductless mini split for heating and cooling. It offers incredible comfort, works separately from the home’s main HVAC system, and barely impacts his energy bills.
Read More: How Much Does A Mini Split Cost In And Around Boise Metro?
Why Heating And Cooling A Garage Can Be Tough
Heating and cooling a garage is challenging for two big reasons: It’s often not as well insulated as the rest of the home. And, there’s no ductwork in that area.
First, there’s the question of heat escaping in the winter and seeping in during the summer. The problem? The garage door.
It’s not sealed nearly as tight as your front door. And, it’s certainly not insulated like a wall. As a result, heat passes through it with almost no problem.
Next, these “rooms” were designed as storage spaces, not living or work areas. As a result, builders and HVAC professionals didn’t route ductwork in here when they set up the forced-air systems.
That means you’re relying on whatever heating or cooling “leaks” in from the main part of the house. And, since there’s a fire door between the two, there’s not a lot of circulation going on.
That’s where ductless heating and cooling comes in.
Why A Mini Split Works So Well In A Garage Or Single Room
Ductless heating and cooling in a mini split set up works great in this South Boise, ID garage — or any single room in the house that never feels quite right.
The key is that it combines the power of a whole-home forced-air system with the customization of older single-room solutions.
How Ductless Works
Imagine a space heater or window AC that worked just as well as a furnace or AC condenser. But, it cost less than both of those to use.
There are two main parts to a mini split: The outdoor heat pump that moves warmth into the house in the winter and out of the house in the summer. Then, the air handler in the room draws in air, warms or cools it, and recirculates it.
And, in the summer, it handles dehumidification.
Better Control
It’s powerful enough that you can heat and cool your entire house with multiple air handlers. And, each indoor unit uses a separate, built-in thermostat.
So, in the case of this garage, you have a gauge measuring the temperature directly in the space you’re treating. That’s much more accurate than relying on the thermostat a few rooms away.
Even if our homeowner had extended the ductwork to reach the garage, it still wouldn’t have worked as well. It would always be warmer or cooler than the rest of the house because the thermostat would never take this area into account.
Better Comfort
On top of all that, the new mini split heats and cools even better than the home’s main system! The temperature remains more consistent, and our homeowner never notices any hot and cold spots.
Inverter Technology
First, the heat pump uses Inverter technology with a variable-speed motor. So, unlike the furnace, it has more settings than just “On” and “Off.”
By contrast, conventional HVAC waits for the temperature to drift away from your thermostat’s call setting. Then, it sends a blast of air that over-corrects.
When the temperature drifts again, the system roars back on.
Instead, the heat pump runs most of the time in a low-power mode. This way, it keeps the temperature steady all the time while using very little power. The result is more comfort and consistency.
Fans And Sensors
Next, the air handler doesn’t just push air back into the room with one push. Instead, it uses sensors to detect hot and cold spots in the area. Then, tiny fans inside the unit direct the treated air to the exact locations that need it.
It’s an excellent benefit for any room. But, for a garage, it’s a huge advantage.
Remember, the door here isn’t that well insulated. So, you always end up with drafts. Now, the air handler can direct extra treatment toward this problem spot.
Read More: Rebates and Financing For Mini Splits In And Around Boise Metro
Installing Ductless Heating And Cooling In A South Boise, ID Garage
Our homeowner decided to go with ductless heating and cooling for his garage on a Monday, and we had the new system up and running before the weekend! Installation only takes a day for a single-zone system.
Without worrying about ductwork, all we need to do is find the best place near the garage outside for the heat pump.
Then, we mount the air handler on the inside of the wall close to that location. Since the air handler works so well, we can put it up high and out of the way. It doesn’t take up any space where our homeowner likes to hang his tools.
After that, we connected the two with a lineset that went through the wall. We made a whole less than six inches around, fed the lines through, and then sealed it back up.
With that, we left our homeowner to enjoy his new climate-controlled workshop. With heating and cooling this good, he may never go back inside!
And, the workspace in your home can be just as comfortable. Whether it’s a spare room, basement, garage or detached garage, or shed, call or email Snowflake Air today for a free consultation for efficient mini split installations in Boise, ID garages.
We’ll help you decide if ductless heating and cooling is right for you.
