Too hot in the garage... ne suggestions?

Well my garage has no windows and i live in arizona. I keep about 5 thermomiters in the room and notice at the highest shelf that i keep my lab cages on it gets to about 94 and its killing off about 1 breeder female a day and not to mention there not producing. basicly i was wondering if any one knows of a way to cool down the garage with no outside ventilation? Right now i have been putting 8 blocks of ice behind the fans but that only works for about 4 hours or so. the room is about 20X10 feet.

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Originally Posted by irishanaconda

Well my garage has no windows and i live in arizona. I keep about 5 thermomiters in the room and notice at the highest shelf that i keep my lab cages on it gets to about 94 and its killing off about 1 breeder female a day and not to mention there not producing. basicly i was wondering if any one knows of a way to cool down the garage with no outside ventilation? Right now i have been putting 8 blocks of ice behind the fans but that only works for about 4 hours or so. the room is about 20X10 feet.

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If you have fans circulating around already, you can try and putting an exhaust fan...Without windows you can also try running an ac duct into the room...

When i bred rabbits we would freeze milk jugs and 2 litter bottles to put inside of the cages. Maybe you can do that with smaller bottles and put them into the cages of the ones in the highest temperature. Then they could regulate their body temperature by moving closer or further from the frozen bottles. If they are dying, then the bottles sure couldn't hurt to try. You should be able to fit quite a few small bottles into your freezer. Make sure to leave air at the top of the bottles for the ice to expand or they will pop.

There are also room AC units that are self contained. They don't require any outside ventilation and I think they're pretty reasonable(under about $400 for a large one).

Otherwise, if you can lower the animals closer to the floor, put in fans for circulation, or even(if it's an attached garage) you could open the door to the house and let the house AC cool the garage(might get pricy).

If you put frozen bottles in the cages the rats might(will) chew on them, so I'd put them on top of the rack(racks right?) or outside the tank up against the glass.

Sometimes in summer my snakeroom gets too warm and I move the snakes from upper bins to lower bins and don't use the upper ones at all. That usually fixes the problem. Sometimes I use a fan too.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

There are also room AC units that are self contained. They don't require any outside ventilation and I think they're pretty reasonable(under about $400 for a large one).

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If you just want to get through the next month, some of the other suggestions might get you by. But, if you think you'll be doing the same thing again next summer, I think Wolfy's suggestion might work out for you. They aren't exactly self-contained though. They do not have a condensate drain, it just collects in a bucket at the bottom of the unit and you'll have to empty it regularly, at least this time of year you will. Also they have flexible ducting designed for intake and exhaust through a window, and since you don't have a window, you'll still have to accommodate that. You can't just plunk it down in the middle of the garage and expect it to cool. I looked into these for my snake room, but decided against them in favor of a window unit. I'm guessing it's not your house so you aren't allowed to cut an opening and frame in a window unit on the side of the garage, which would actually be your most affordable and practical long-term option. Good luck Shane!
- Paul

94 degrees is too hot.

Get yourself some air conditioning. Even if you only get the room temp down to 80 degrees you will be waaay better off.

I didn't realize there was ducting, the one at my bro's house didn't look like it had anything like that. Of course, I wasn't picking it up and looking either. I just know it made the garage icy cold.

And yes remember you don't need to drop the temps to 76F, or where you'd feel comfortable in regular clothing. You only need to drop the temps to a reasonable level for the rats. With a fan, it needn't be that low.

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Originally Posted by tomfromtheshade

94 degrees is too hot.

Get yourself some air conditioning. Even if you only get the room temp down to 80 degrees you will be waaay better off.

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I set the A/C in my garage to 87. My production from the Norway rats has slowed for the summer, but they are still producing and the ASF's are doing fine, although I did have a few adult ASF's die the first time the temperature spiked. A/C is costly to run when it's over 110 outside and overnight lows are above 90, even with a moderately insulated garage. I consider 87 degrees to be the tipping point. Any warmer seems to really hurt production and may affect the health of your breedstock. For every degree from 87 down into the 70's, you will be rewarded with increased production. I am probably going to drop my garage below 85 this week because most of my ball clutches are hatching now and I'll want a steady supply of fuzzy Norway's to offer the hatchlings.
- Paul

One more comment regarding my post above. The 87 degrees I'm referring to is 24 hours a day because it simply does not cool down at night in the Arizona metropolitan areas. They are probably less impacted by higher daytime temps if they can cool down a little at night.
- Paul

I change from pine to pellet bedding in the summer months
I have a few circulation fans but the building hit high 90's this summer. They are still producing. Humidity hurts them more than temps.

that aint that bad mine is in same shape but my temps were getting into 110.f to 120.f mid day i put a window unit in and with a good timer mine now stays about 76.mid day down to as low as 55 at night (night time temps been kind of low recently)

but cooler it gets at night in there the longer it takes to warm it up. as long as you got a timer set to run at least 1/2 hour every hour. i run mine 15 minutes on then 15 minutes off. but i don't have to worry about sun on roof after noon as big shade tree covers it from noon till late in the day.

my old garage and carport was recently redid so it is almost fully insulated. got to put a drop ceiling in and insulate the old carport section then fully insulated. (i used blow in insulation and used twice as much as what was recommended for standard installation so is about a r-64 value

I agree, at the very least buy the apartment/room air conditioner. We were going to buy one for our apartment, all you need is a plug in and a place to drain the water if you don't want to dump the bucket all the time. You can't expect to have good production or live rats in that sort of temperature with no ventilation or cooling system. I think the AC would be worth it.

Here is a small one. You're not going to get the room down to 70 with a small AC, but it will sure help!!! This one is $300
http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-...atalogId=10053

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

I agree, at the very least buy the apartment/room air conditioner. We were going to buy one for our apartment, all you need is a plug in and a place to drain the water if you don't want to dump the bucket all the time. You can't expect to have good production or live rats in that sort of temperature with no ventilation or cooling system. I think the AC would be worth it.

Here is a small one. You're not going to get the room down to 70 with a small AC, but it will sure help!!! This one is $300
http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-...atalogId=10053

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every portable I have ever seen needs to be vented somehow. Maybe technology has changed but the one we use in our attic uses a dryer style vent setup.

I use the older version of this one

http://www.walmart.com/ip/9-000-BTU-...ioner/10848160

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

every portable I have ever seen needs to be vented somehow

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yea thats sort of the problem because it does have a garage door but no windows, and i really dont want to smell up the neibhorhood. Is there any models without venting?

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Originally Posted by irishanaconda

yea thats sort of the problem because it does have a garage door but no windows, and i really dont want to smell up the neibhorhood. Is there any models without venting?

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they need to exhaust the heat

basically they intake the heat on the one side and exhaust it on the other.

If your concern is smelling up the neighborhood you could always filter the exhaust. There are plenty of ways to do that, but you might find the best advice on another type of forum LOL. I don't remember what the rules are here, but there are forums out there for people who grow plants in doors that need to vent heat without certain odors escaping through their exhaust system. You could probably apply the same technology.

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

they need to exhaust the heat

basically they intake the heat on the one side and exhaust it on the other.

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not if you get a swamp cooler it uses water to cool and recycle the air no exhaust needed

this is a small one but its the idea
http://www.air-n-water.com/product/ka70.htm

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Originally Posted by 771subliminal

not if you get a swamp cooler it uses water to cool and recycle the air no exhaust needed

this is a small one but its the idea
http://www.air-n-water.com/product/ka70.htm

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The evaporative cooler, AKA swamp cooler cools through the evaporation of water. They work great here in Arizona by sucking in dry air from outside, running it through wet pads where the evaporation cools the air and then into the building. This pressurizes the interior slightly and it is exhausted passively through bathroom vents, stove vents, and poorly sealed windows and doors, or actively through an open window or specially constructed barometric dampers. They can also be used outdoors to blow cool air directly on you. If you put one in an enclosed, unventilated area it becomes a humidifier. You might have a cooling effect for about 30 minutes or so while it is steadily increasing the humidity of that environment, but the air inside will quickly reach a saturation point at which time the swamp cooler no longer cools and the building will begin warming up again to the ambient temperature imposed by the environment, except now with nearly 100% humidity. It is a nice, lower cost suggestion however it is not quite the right thing for this application. As for cooling the air with a portable refrigeration unit, I have seen them with dual ducts or a split single duct where they suck in outside air to cool the condenser coils then blow the very hot air back outside again. It is actually more efficient because in order for a unit to exhaust the air, it has to pull it from somewhere. And without a dedicated intake duct, you are pulling hot outside air into the space you are trying to cool. Just shop around for a portable that has that feature. BTW, window A/C units cool and recirculate the inside air, the condenser fan and coils are outside where they belong, and the better units can heat in the winter, too.
- Paul

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Originally Posted by PiedPeddler

The evaporative cooler, AKA swamp cooler cools through the evaporation of water. They work great here in Arizona by sucking in dry air from outside, running it through wet pads where the evaporation cools the air and then into the building. This pressurizes the interior slightly and it is exhausted passively through bathroom vents, stove vents, and poorly sealed windows and doors, or actively through an open window or specially constructed barometric dampers. They can also be used outdoors to blow cool air directly on you. If you put one in an enclosed, unventilated area it becomes a humidifier. You might have a cooling effect for about 30 minutes or so while it is steadily increasing the humidity of that environment, but the air inside will quickly reach a saturation point at which time the swamp cooler no longer cools and the building will begin warming up again to the ambient temperature imposed by the environment, except now with nearly 100% humidity. It is a nice, lower cost suggestion however it is not quite the right thing for this application. As for cooling the air with a portable refrigeration unit, I have seen them with dual ducts or a split single duct where they suck in outside air to cool the condenser coils then blow the very hot air back outside again. It is actually more efficient because in order for a unit to exhaust the air, it has to pull it from somewhere. And without a dedicated intake duct, you are pulling hot outside air into the space you are trying to cool. Just shop around for a portable that has that feature. BTW, window A/C units cool and recirculate the inside air, the condenser fan and coils are outside where they belong, and the better units can heat in the winter, too.
- Paul

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this would be how a vented one would work. if it doesnt have a vent (intake or exhaust) how would of pull in air from the outside and pressurize the room? the model type i posted a link to is pretty much a fan that cools the air.

I live in Sonoita , AZ and keep mine in a green house. Now my Beardie loves the haet but of course I have windows and breezes in there , and the temps dont get that bad but..

Regardless I am thinking of bringing the snakes inside in tubs.

If you have the room with no AC blowing in the area, you might try that.

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Originally Posted by 771subliminal

not if you get a swamp cooler it uses water to cool and recycle the air no exhaust needed

this is a small one but its the idea
http://www.air-n-water.com/product/ka70.htm

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things change I guess

Our old swamp coolers (in new Mexico) were fed water and had a relief valve. When the water reached a certain temp, the cooler dumped the water and a pressure regulator filled the cooler with new cool water. They looked like a huge car radiator with a huge fan behind it.

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Originally Posted by 771subliminal

this would be how a vented one would work. if it doesnt have a vent (intake or exhaust) how would of pull in air from the outside and pressurize the room? the model type i posted a link to is pretty much a fan that cools the air.

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That's kind of my point. The one in your link won't work for this application. There are some situations it will work for, but not Shane's. The humidifier "feature" described is what you'll end up with. Evaporative cooling works on the principal of... Evaporation! And in a sealed environment that evaporation will constantly ramp the humidity (That humidifier "feature" again!) until the air has so much humidity in it that no more evaporation occurs, hence no more cooling. It will cool for a little while, but once the air is saturated, it's done. If you expect to put in in the middle of a sealed room and keep it cool on a continuing basis, please make sure you buy it from somewhere with a good policy on returned merchandise.
- Paul

Most garages have little or no insulation above the ceiling. I added some fiberglass roll-type insulation which prevented some of the heat to permeate through the ceiling and into the garage area. The overall temp drop was around 7-10 degrees. May be worth a shot.