Air conditioning for woodworking shops

Keeping your shop comfortable in the hot, sticky summer months. January 16, 2001

Question
I am planning to build a new shop, about 60 x 100. Temperatures in my current shop can reach 115 degrees. I have fans, cross ventilation, etc., but the Louisiana summers can be very hot. What kind of air conditioning/cooling systems do you use in your shops?

Forum Responses
I have a 27 x 32 shop with 10' ceilings and a 25,000 btu in-the-wall unit. The more you can control the dust, the better you will be with a/c in the shop. I clean my filter every two days I have it running.

Through-the-wall units are cheaper to run than central units, cost less and you can install them yourself. Make sure, whichever way you go, that the filters and coils are easy to clean.



I moved the compressor into my shop and the humidity level has dropped greatly. Good insulation is important for keeping your shop cool, too.


We have a 3700' shop, masonry, with 10' ceilings. It is hot and humid here in Virginia. Heat pumps keep it cool and the cost of electricity is very reasonable.