Heating and cooling shop?

Firstgear

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I have decided that I want to add heat and a/c to my shop. I am looking at a Samsung Split unit. Doing a search of reviews there are a lot of negative ones. Many are from international locations but some even here is the USA. I understand that those that have problems will voice their concerns while those with no problems have better things to do with their time than write reviews.

What did you do for your shop? If you added heat and cool what manufacturer did you use? I have about 900 sq ft.
 
My AC is basically a 12k BTU window unit that I mounted through the wall (no windows). For heat, I have a Big Maxx natural gas forced air unit. My shop is @900 sqft. Insulation helps out a lot, so at least get you ceiling insulated.

Randy
 
For heat, I use a 75,000 btu Beacon Morris gas heater from Menards. For AC, I use an 15,100 btu Artic King unit thru the wall. Both are way over kill for my 450 sq. ft. area that's insulated.
 
My AC is basically a 12k BTU window unit that I mounted through the wall (no windows). For heat, I have a Big Maxx natural gas forced air unit. My shop is @900 sqft. Insulation helps out a lot, so at least get you ceiling insulated.

Randy
my ceiling has 12-15" of blown in insulation.
 
Mini splits are the absolute best choice for small to medium sized shops that have electricity available. First, insulate the shop really well, then get a good mini split. It will run amazingly quiet (inside and outside) and amazingly efficiently. The prices are pretty reasonable and they are fairly easy to install yourself if you get one with pre-charged lines and follow the instructions to the letter. They will not work well as a stand alone unit for heating in really cold winter temperatures.
 
I have a whirlpool a/c window unit now and during the winter I have been using electric and propane heater in the shop, but would like to go with something better than I have been using. We added onto the original garage (now my shop for my machines and my mid rise lift where I work on my cars) a 3 wide by 2 bay deep garage about 12 years ago. To get to my shop from outside you have to go through the addition.
 
Mini splits are the absolute best choice for small to medium sized shops that have electricity available. First, insulate the shop really well, then get a good mini split. It will run amazingly quiet (inside and outside) and amazingly efficiently. The prices are pretty reasonable and they are fairly easy to install yourself if you get one with pre-charged lines and follow the instructions to the letter. They will not work well as a stand alone unit for heating in really cold winter temperatures.
Bob, the unit being quoted are good for as low as -10 degrees F.......which where I live is plenty good enough.
 
I have a 30 X 40 X 10 tall steel sided building in southern Michigan
1" foam side walls
2" ceiling insulation
.060 Aluminum sheet covers the entire inside
6" concrete floors
1 entry door two 10' sliding doors
(1) 10 X 10 utility room Heat- air compressor - electrical
it has (4) 250' 1/2" water lines runs in the floor
a 40 gallon natural gas water heater supplies the heat to the floor
at 80 Degree water temp in the winter the floor stays at 64 degrees that is with temps in the 0 to 5 degrees outside
in the summer with two fans on when I'm in the shop it stays at 75 degrees
installed an attic fan for summers heat but never used it
I keep the small door shut when it gets in the 90 degree days
 
My York thermo pump is rather noisy. If I were to do it over again I would get a Trane.
 
Bob, the unit being quoted are good for as low as -10 degrees F.......which where I live is plenty good enough.
Think about how a heat pump works. For cooling, it takes your shop heat, compresses it even hotter, and then moves the heat to the hot outside air. You are transferring, say, heat from 200F coils to 100F outside air. For heating, it takes heat out of the cold air and moves it into your shop. When the air that you are taking the heat out of becomes more and more really cold, it becomes more and more difficult to compress the Freon enough to make it hot enough to efficiently transfer heat into your shop. Yes, they will work at low temperatures, but at lower and lower BTU output (and efficiency) as the outside temperature declines. It is a function of how much heat is in the outside air, and how much the freon is compressed, which becomes problematic for affordable and reliable compressors. In cold country, heat pumps usually work better when using ground water to add heat to the freon. It might be "good" down to -10 degrees F, but does not put out as much heat, an efficiency and comfort issue.
 
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