Hi all,
Due to the rising heat here in the Texas summer I loss several months each year when the garage pushes temps over 110F. Add into that the difficulty of working in a garage below 40F for the couple months of winter and I loss a lot of time during the year with the shop being in the garage.
I've contacted a general contractor to change the garage into a real shop or at least part of it. My idea (not to scale) -
The beige area is the garage door open, yellow the opener, and the gray as the new wall. New shop are should be the back area. Should be 12+ X 22+. I having a 40amp sub-panel put in and one of the hotel HVAC systems. My Dad had recommended it and the contractor had done it several times before. The advantage of the system is both heat and AC in a fairly small unit with a low profile. Disadvantage is it is 220 unit that will probably take up 20 amps of the sub-panel.
With the additional 20 amps (in a 220 setup) though I should be able to run the shop. I've been running it for three years on just the 2 20 amps that go there now. I assume the lights and GFIs are split among them. Even if not they should support the equipment that will stay 110. I plan to rewire the KMG to 220 and get a new oven that will be 220. I will increase the lighting and mount all the new plugs using surface mount.
Will also have all the walls and overhead insulated.
Any other recommendations?
Jim