# Fan for my Garage Shop in Texas



## Ardubya (Apr 8, 2015)

Hey gang - I live in southeast Texas and you can imagine what summers are like here and how long it stays hot. I need to get a fan for my detached 2-bay garage shop. I'd like to move as much air as possible with relatively low noise. My first thought was a pedestal fan but now I'm considering wall or ceiling mount to save floor space, but there is something to be said about the ability to situate the fan wherever you want it.

Typical places like Northern Tool and Harbor Freight have decent options. Recently I saw a Vornado product that claims to move a lot of air, and it can double as wall mount or floor stand. I hear Vornado products are good.

Any recommendations? Thanks!


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

https://www.globalindustrial.com/g/hvac/fans/ceiling-beam/oscillating-ceiling-mount-industrial-fans :<))


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

I've never done it but I've thought about for myself using a box fan and putting a HVAC filter on the intake side of it. It would circulate air and clean it as well


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## Bill_Steele (Aug 29, 2013)

I'm curious how well those evaporative coolers (a.k.a. swamp coolers) work? I wonder if that might be something that would help you? It may be more than you want to get into, but I found this interesting video where a guy built something for his greenhouse. He took the temp from 99 to 86-but the humidity did go up-which might be a concern for a wood shop.


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## Ardubya (Apr 8, 2015)

Yes, I will be avoiding anything with a moisture element. Thanks anyway.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Used to be, they would mount a "turbine" on the peaks of roofs….Hot air rising up out through them….any breeze coming along would give the blades a spin…drawing even more hot air out ( outlawed in Washington DC?) to cool the insides of the barn/shed/shop. You can add a fan under it, to help draw the heat.


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## Jeff28078 (Aug 27, 2009)

I live in NC and the heat and humidity in my two car garage is sometimes unbearable. The most effective thing I did was to insulate my garage door. This knocked ten degrees off the inside. However, it's not always the solution. I've tried several fans but the moving air always seems to get in the way. Either blowing my plans all over the place or sawdust where I don't want it. Right now I have a small floor mounted fan. But when it gets too hot I just give up and work another day.


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

IMO, the only way you are going to make your garage comfortable for woodworking is to insulate it and install an AC unit. With a fan only, you will be doing nothing but moving the hot humid air around and it won't help much. Fans work best in drier climates where the moving air will evaporate your perspiration and make you feel cool. In high humidity, they are much less effective. The same for swamp coolers. They cool the air by evaporating water. If the air is already saturated, they don't work. I'm in southern Alabama and I cannot work in my shop in mid summer with fan only. I'm sure your situation is equal to if not worse than mine.


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## patrickhoelzel (Jul 9, 2018)

I have what started as a pedestal Lasko fan. It moves some serious air and makes my Texas garage bearable in the summer, but the pedestal takes up way too much floor space, and it was always in the way. 
There was not a wall bracket available for it, so I made my own. It's overkill, but that tends to be my style.

I have a tandem 3-car garage. I mounted the fan to cover the main, front 2-car portion and it does well with that. It is in the middle front of the space so it covers well. I plan to add a second wall mounted fan in the 'back' third car area as there is no air movement back there.

Answering your question, the bigger fans will absolutely improve the comfort in your space. Skip a pedestal style as it will rob too much floor space. If you have the ability to run two, mount on on each side of the garage for full, constant coverage.


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## DBDesigns (May 29, 2018)

If you have a window, I would suggest mounting a fan in it. That way it can double as an exhaust fan and as an airborne dust cleaner.

I am in The ATL and it gets hot here. My shop has AC and I'm not afraid to use it.


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## BroncoBrian (Jan 14, 2013)

My first suggestion is to load up your F-150 (you know you have one) with your tools and get out of SE Texas. The only place worse than where you are is SW Lousiana.

If that does not work, get a BAF and you will move air while keeping your flat top trimmed.

But really, a good mounted fan with a dehumidifier is a decent option unless you can install a mini-split. I would run a dehumidifier piped out a wall either way.


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## Mike_D_S (May 3, 2012)

I'm in houston and I just use a floor mounted fan. The trick for me is to put the fan just outside the garage blowing in on me.

It's not scientific proof, but it just feels cooler blowing air in than blowing air from the back of the garage out towards me.

Mike


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

They have these on sale at the big orange store. Saw them today. You might have to tie things down though.

Man I practically live in the darn store these days


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## redlee (Apr 11, 2016)

https://www.bigassfans.com/industries/industrial/manufacturing/

Should suffice.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Have you thought about plain old ceiling fans? I have 2 in my 20×20 shop, and they do move some air. 52" multi-speed from Lowe's.
My shop is fully insulated. Ceiling, walls, steel doors, and dbl. pane windows. Money well spent. Never (yet) gets above 85, and N.E. MS it gets pretty darned warm.


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## edapp (Jun 27, 2014)

Harbor freight is your friend. I purchased a large pedestal fan (36-42" or so?) from them a few months back for ~$90 and it was well worth it. Use it in my shop, use it to workout in the garage. It moves a TON of air…


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