The Easiest Ways to Keep Your Garage Cool During the Summer

Photo: Alita Xander (Shutterstock)

Between the heat and humidity, garages without air conditioning can feel like saunas in the summer. In fact, the temperature inside can be 10-18° F higher than outside. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your garage cool during hot weather. Here’s what to know.

How to keep the inside of your garage cool when it’s hot outside

Here are six strategies for controlling the temperature in your garage during hot summer months (short of getting air conditioning):

Clean it out

This may not be the most obvious place to start, but hear us out. Not only can stack of boxes and piles of junk retain heat, but they can also block windows that provide a crucial source of ventilation, and prevent air circulation in the garage.

Open the door

The fastest way to cool down your garage is to open the door and let the hot air out.

Create a cross-breeze

Now that you have access to all of your garage’s windows, open them, as well as the garage door, to create a cross-breeze. Just make sure everything is closed if you leave, and once you go in for the night.

Let your car cool down outside

When you’ve get home after being out and about, leave your car outside to cool off instead of pulling into the garage immediately.

Install a ceiling or window fan

Your garage may not have air conditioning, but installing a ceiling fan, or a two-way window fan (where one side brings outside air inside, and the other side sends the hot air from inside the garage outside) can help get the air moving.

Add a dehumidifier

If your garage is not only hot, but also humid, using a dehumidifier can remove some of the moisture from the air, and make the space feel cooler.