Garage Gym Fans – The Best Cooling and Heating Tools for Your Space
Isn’t it addictive, this pump that you’re doing?! There is nothing, nothing more exhilarating than getting a pump – that sudden burst of power and confidence especially when you’re just in the zone and every rep feels like it’s nothing that it’s so lightweight, you can literally hear Ronnie Coleman in the background, shouting, “lightweight, baby!” And the last thing on your mind is garage gym fans.
Now, I know this is super-easy to overlook and maybe feel unnecessary but let me share this with you. Keeping your body cool helps with sustaining that energy and keeping your workout healthy. It also can keep away some unwanted bugs that might be attracted to the sweat of your labor, intending to make you their next meal. (And those nasty critters, like mosquitoes, can make your workout even less effective if you have to stop it all together to combat some weird sickness they might be carrying).
And what about in the winter when the bugs hibernate? You don’t want to be deterred by the snow and chill either. Getting out into your garage gym is a year-round commitment. After all, you’ve already invested the time and the money to get the equipment you need, and the space designated to your cause of personal health and wellness. Don’t skimp on the temperature control and undo your hard work! Want some options to round out your garage gym space? Read on!
Keeping your Garage Gym climate-controlled may seem like an afterthought during the most comfortable months of the year. But when the temperature, humidity, and insects start interfering with your work out and your motivation, it’s time to start giving these essential pieces of gym equipment their due. Fans and heaters for you Garage Gym come in a variety of types and price ranges. The key thing to remember is that garage gym fans can be just as important addition for your health and wellness as picking the right workout routine – you need to know what fits your climate, your garage space, and your needs.
Purpose and Benefits of Garage Gym Fans
Keeping your body temperature low while working out is important for your health. Proper ventilation, air circulation, and its effect on your lungs as you exercise is the main benefit of fans and will lead to more productive workouts. Cooling fans will ensure the constant flow of cool air as you do your workouts.
Cooling fans are the best way to ventilate your garage gym as these improve air circulation, drawing in cool air from outside while pushing out the hot stuffy air from inside. While fans are no substitute for the coolness of air conditioners and their broad coverage, fans can easily cool off an average-sized room. Especially if you do not live in a very hot environment.
Ceiling or wall fans used for air circulation can also be an effective way to fight off bugs and insects by dissipating your sweat which produces an enticing, aromatic scent for such creatures. As the fans turn and produce a circumference of airflow, it essentially does “in with the good, out with the bad“ or simply neutralizes the area.
Your choice of a garage gym fan depends on how your garage gym is designed and on the size. If there is not much movement of equipment, a static fan that is mounted on the wall, is a good buy. If you move your gym equipment around frequently and need to pack up gym stuff after exercising, then a portable fan is preferred. If your gym is large, more than one fan may be needed.
To recap, here are 4 questions to ask yourself when selecting garage gym fans:
- How big is the space you want to cool? (Does the fan oscillate to accommodate this?)
- Do I want a portable or permanent solution for climate control? (Floor fans vs. Window AC Unit)
- Can your fan be mounted to the ceiling or wall? Or will it need to be moved and stored?
- What is my price range?
Recommended Garage Gym Fans for Cooling
Each of these fans are sturdy and have a few features that make them unique. Check the descriptions if there is something specific, like airflow, mounting, or oscillation that you are looking for.
Lasko: Floor fan
B-Air Firtana – For a smaller area
OEM Tools: Wall-mounted fan
Garage Gym Fan Combo: Add an Air Purifier
Another type of unit to consider when shopping for a garage gym fan might be an air purifier. Buying a combination air purifier and fan has its doubled benefits. These units clean the air, reduce allergens, bacteria, viruses, odors, and dust, in addition to cooling your garage gym. Whether they are small fans with air purifiers or tower fans with air purifiers, these dual-purpose units can be an excellent addition to your equipment!
What to Look for in an Air Purifier Fan:
1. Fan filter type:
There are two types of filters to choose from when going this route. (No air purifier offers both). So, it’s up to you to determine which one will best suit your needs:
- HEPA filters remove 99.97 percent of particles in the air that are .3 microns in size – dust, germs, mold, pollen, pet hair, other allergens. (For you woodworkers out there who share the garage gym with your saws and chisels, this is a good one for you!)
- An activated carbon filter eliminates and absorbs smoke, odors and other gases. (Possibly for you if you use your garage for projects that use turpentine, paint, wood stain, or other pungent chemicals).
2. Design: Tower fans tend to give maximum airflow, and a higher cooling capacity, but depending on your space, you may opt for a smaller, more portable option.
3. Oscillation: An oscillating fan is more effective than a stationary fan. It creates air circulation throughout the garage space.
4. Power: a more powerful air purifier absorbs more air; hence the air is cleaner and cooler because more air is dispersed from the fan.
Other Ways to Improve the Air in Your Garage Gym
In addition to having air moving in your garage gym, it’s also important to note that ventilation and sufficient airflow is important if you live in a region where there is a lot of humidity. Moisture in the air can make it feel much warmer than the thermometer reads. And can affect the way your body cools itself. While fans play their role, something as simple as opening a side access door or a window can create a nice cross-breeze to keep the air flowing in your garage gym.
You may also want to draw the hot air out. If your garage has been closed the whole day, the air inside your space may be warm. Raise the garage door by a foot. Open any windows or side access doors you might have. Have a fan blow the air out through the window, pull in fresh, cool air from outside. You can also put roof vents on the roof of your garage gym.
These steps will facilitate airflow to clear out the hot air before you turn on your fan or air conditioner. Thus, your Garage gym cooling will be faster and more efficient. (And, as an added bonus, your utility bills will remain at a reasonable level).
Efficient Garage Gym Cooling with Air Conditioners
Now, I know that some of you, like us, may live in regions where the summers get blazing hot. Even if you venture out into your garage gym after the sun goes down, the sun has done its work and the air inside is way above work-out friendly levels. In this case, you may consider a higher-powered air conditioning solution. This will more than likely mean some permanent changes to your garage space, with other related projects like insulating your garage to consider in tandem.
Air-conditioners come in all types and price-ranges. So, we compiled a short list that gives you a snapshot of some of the options available.
Permanent Air Conditioners for Garage Gym Climate-Control
These wall-mounted units are the most common type of indoor AC units on the market. They are electric, don’t require any attached ductwork, and are generally compact in size. The unit moves air using a powerful fan to bring temperature control to a room. Many of these systems also double as heat pumps, which takes care of other problems in the winter. Common brands include LG, Daikin, Mitsubishi, MrCool, Gree, and Fujitsu.
Pros:
- Size: The capacity of systems with a single indoor unit ranges from 6,000 BTUs for a 1-car garage during mild climates, to 42,000 BTUs for a 3+ car garage during hot temps.
- Heat: Some ductless systems can generate heat in sub-freezing weather
Cons:
- This type of AC can be two to five times the cost of a wall or window air conditioner. (But honestly, if you want and investment built to last, you often get what you pay for.)
2. Air Conditioners: Through the Wall
Yep. You read that right. To install this kind of unit, you will need to cut a rectangle through your wall and add a metal sleeve before sliding it through. It goes without saying, but this type of AC will require some labor, either done by a professional or your confident DIY self. (And It may be more work that you want, if you just need a little airflow for your workout). But it is an option, so we wanted to include it, if you are in the market for a project and a garage upgrade. Brands include LG, GE, Arctic King, Frigidaire, Koldfront, Friedrich.
Pros:
- More efficient than the window and portable air conditioners because they are tightly installed through the wall.
Cons:
- Heating is accomplished by an inner space heater coil heat. This means that overall, it has a low heat capacity, so it is costly for heat to cover a large space.
- You in it for the long haul as soon as the wall hole is cut.
These are available in 6,000 to 28,000 BTU models. They might produce enough cooling in small garages or 2-car garages in climates that are moderate to warm. Brands include GE, LG, Frigidaire, Haier, and Friedrich.
Pros:
- The least expensive ACs
- Energy Star-certified units.
- Most have remotes, oscillating louvers for airflow, timers, multiple fan speeds, multiple cooling levels, and an auto-restart when there is a power outage. A few are Wi-Fi-enabled, so you can turn on the AC remotely ahead of time. Then your garage is comfortable, and you can get straight to work.
Cons:
- Window size in garages can be problematic. A window air conditioner rarely fits the size of garage windows. There are some vertical window/sliding window air conditioners. If your garage gym has a sliding/gliding window, this is an accommodating window.
Garage Gym Heating
Again, depending on where you live, Garage gyms can get very cold in the wintertime, which is far from being workout-friendly. (Especially if you’re still working up the motivation to get out there every day). The other side of the coin then, for a climate-controlled garage gym, is heating.
When you set out to buy the proper equipment the common choices are either an electric or propane-powered device. As you shop around, be sure to check the features and the efficiency. Also, consider the size and architecture of your garage gym to get the proper radiator needed to heat the garage area.
As you consider the cold temperature raging outside, you generally will feel comfortable with an average temperature range between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way, however, is to keep your garage gym heated at a temperature level that will give you the most comfort, according to your body needs as you exercise. So, it is good to constantly vary the heat thermostat until you’re confident and comfortable.
Safely Warming Your Garage Gym Space on a Budget
While propane heaters have their place, we will only be recommending electric space heaters in this article. In part, because they are more cost-effective, but also because it’s simpler to plug a unit into the wall than to work around filling a propane tank and ensuring that everything is adjusted and vented correctly.
Whether you choose an electric heater or propane heater though, make sure that there are protective features included to prevent overheating. (Generally, this means that there is a thermostat that monitors the temperature for you to avoid fire).
Just as with cooling fans, there are also options to ceiling or wall-mount space heaters to warm the space more evenly. But, if you are like me, the small unit that I can move out for my workout, and then stow when I’m finished works just as well.
Space Heaters for Your Garage Gym
The features for these are nearly endless – some are remote controlled, some have touchscreens, some plug into the wall and just with a flip of a switch make you warm. Whatever your style, here are a few products to look at:
Conclusion
Comfort and safety are the name of the game when it comes to climate-controlling your garage gym. Most people will go with a portable solution, rather than rework the insulation and vents in their garage. But, as with most things, it’s good to know your options. A long-term solution may be the way to go if you use your garage for things other than working out. If you are looking for more tips for how to cool your hot garage, check out our article here. For other more permanent upgrades to your garage, check out our articles on garage insulation.
