Arizona is known for a lot of different things. From the Grand Canyon, to the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country and brings tourists in from all over the world.
One thing we’re not definitely not known for though, is mild summers. We’re famous for our summer heat that literally melts your shoes when you stand outside too long. 2020 is the year of extreme and this summer is no exception. Phoenix has shown daily temperatures above 110 degrees for 30+ days. Sheesh.
This brutal heat can really do a number on anything left outside. Cookies baked on car hoods. Eggs fried on the sidewalk. And don’t even get me started on crayons left in the car by my kids.
Examples of Garage Issues with Heat
That same extreme heat can wreak some serious havoc on our garages. When our garages get hot, it causes all sorts of issues ranging from electronic failure, lubricant evaporation, and can even cause framing to warp.
Electrical Issues
One common electronic failure due to high temps is the motor capacitor overheating and exploding, causing your garage door operator to fail (anything to do with exploding is really not great.) We’ve also seen wire connections separate causing wall buttons and eye beams to stop working properly.
Heat Issues
What’s our famous line in AZ? “But at least it’s a dry heat!” While not having much humidity is one of the bonuses of living with temperatures hotter than the sun, the dry heat can cause lubrications to evaporate quickly, which causes premature wear on moving parts.
All those changes in temps and humidity mess with the garage door frames as well. Residential garage doors are mounted to wood framing which sometimes twist and shift, causing clearance issues with door movement.
The heat doesn’t stop once you get that garage door closed. When you pull in your hot car and close the garage, it becomes (almost quite literally) a giant oven. Most appliances that are kept in the garage also radiate heat which adds to the “oven effect” (we’re looking at you extra freezer and water heater.)
All you have to do is open your interior door from your house into the garage to notice the huge jump in temp (and then close it again immediately–we don’t want to be responsible for your A/C bill!)
Simple Low Cost Heat Solutions for Your Garage
Without investing any money, here are some simple tips to try to combat the heat in your garage. First up, ventilation. It’s extremely helpful in cooling our garages. Make sure you don’t cover your wall vents with boxes or cabinets to allow air exchange. You can also open your garage door a few inches after you pull your hot car in to get that air flowing. Lastly, you can put your hot water heater on a timer to shut down when it’s not in use.
Ready to invest more time and money into cooling your garage? Here’s 4 options:
Add additional vents to your wall or garage door to increase air flow
Add a gable fan to your attic space
Add additional insulation in the garage and/or attic
For the really committed, you can add a wall air conditioner or mini-split, which is a great option for those that spend a lot of time in their garage.
Finally, we get to the garage door itself. If you’re cooling your garage with a type of A/C, make sure the garage door properly seals to the opening, which doesn’t allow cool air to escape. If you’re ordering a garage door with windows, make sure to order insulated glass.
There’s even some new technology with garage door openers that can help with cooling. For example, the Sommer EVO has a temperature module that tells the opener to lift the door 2 inches if the garage exceeds a pre-set temperature or automated assistance. Genius!
Need Help From The Experts?
If you’d like more info on cooling your garage, give Gecko Garage a call at 623-546-8868 and ask for a technician to come and talk to you about heat and cooling management. We can help you have the “coolest” garage on the block (sorry, we had to!)
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