Shed Airflow/Cooling Advice

[mtheurer]

After going through a divorce, I'm beginning the building project to be able to get my simulator set backup. Building a 25 foot wide by 30 foot long shop with 12 foot sidewalls. (biggest that will fit in the available space). My enclosure I already have is 10 high x 17 wide x 5 feet deep. Planning on using 1/2 the shop for the sim and then other 1/2 for workspace/hangout area. Rollup garage door will be on the end of the workspace. I live in Kansas, so have big temperature extremes. Concrete floors will be heated, so have that covered.

What suggestions cooling / airflow movement does anybody have with my setup described? Getting a little airflow would probably be sufficient for what I'm currently thinking instead of full A/C. Was considering an industrial fan, but concerned with size interfering with projector drop down from ceiling/golf swing/roll up door. I used a few floor fans in my previous setup, but thought they were loud and inefficient. Anybody have any good suggestions? If industrial ceiling fan is capable, what size should I get?

[darbysan]

I have a 1600 SQ ft garage. I cool it on "dry" days with a swamp cooler. Cheap to run and efficient. I do also have AC / Heat ( bought a used system) that I use when the humidity is high, or the temps or low. The weather here is dry ( humidity less than 20% most of the time - Las Vegas). If your humidity is high, then the swamp cooler won't help as much. Near my Sim I do have a ceiling fan, but if you also have bright lights, like for cameras, then the lights and fan might cause a "strobe" affect.

[Yrrdead81]

I would take a look at your envelope and insulation. The tighter you get that the lower your hvac demand will be. Spray foam plus mini split should be fine. (Don't have to spray foam it just does a lot of jobs at once in a metal building).

So many models of mini splits in the DIY market these days. 24kbtu units are <$1500. Could even dabble in a solar setup on the roof. These are just plans I've had if my shop build ever gets off the ground with similar size plans.

[MongoOnlyPawn]

Look at a mini split sized for your area. Place the output unit mid room, up high on a wall. Then buy a wide diameter ceiling fan to mount over the area where people will be sitting, with 12' walls you shouldn't have issues if it's mounted n the back half of the room. Make sure it's very quiet on one of the lowest settings. You'll appreciate the air movement, but won't get drwoned out by the noise. Don't worry about directly cooling or air flow the front half of the room, no one spends a long period of time near the front, and even though it might be a touch war,er/muggier up near the screen, it's not something that you'll have to worry about. Cooling is good, air flow is good, low decibel level is good as the mini split has all the noisy stuff mounted outside. Agree with Yrrdead81, make it tight.

[mtheurer]

I am going with a 2 ton mini split. Has R13 insulation. Going to be tight. Is floor heat worth considering? It is going to be pricey. Putting in the PEX alone is $2,000 and full blow floor heat with boiler is $8,200. Trying to spend money responsibly.

[Nugget]

I would not think floor heat is a must. I live in Canada and use my garage as a sim . Once you put down the foam tiles it will be sufficient warmth. For heat all I use is a 5000W electric heater. Though my walls are not insulated except garage door is insulated and it takes a good hour to heat it up. I have been thinking to install either a gas heater or some kind of minisplit system that heats and cools, just not there yet, but been fine past 2 winters.

[Simgolf503]

Mini split all the way. Whisper silent with a/c in the summer and heat in the winter. Mine's a 24k unit in a pole barn with 12' bays and 12x14 roll up door.