I have a 30x30 metal building. I have no windows. What would be the best and cheapest way to air condition it? I thought about a window unit but I have no windows and not sure if cutting the corregated metal would work right.
Insulation first...
You can either install a window kit and have the luxury of a window as well or simply frame a unit into the wall if that isn't desirable but unless do something about the heat transfer unless it's an awfully benign climate it'll take a terribly oversized unit for the space to do much good.
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Well, you could add a window(s) first, and then add the window unit(s).
This pdf describes "the window you install after the metal siding is ijn place"
Have you considered a big fan and an huge block of ice? ;-)
A window shaker will have to be pretty big to do 900 sq/ft of uninsulated space. You are probably looking at a ton and a half at least. I would look at a mini split system like a Sanyo 18KS72 or similar clone. Then you are just drilling a hole for the line set. I have one in our rec room and you can hardly hear it running standing right next to the condenser.
Yeah, you might have boucou vibration.
Consider mini-splits. You can install 2-4 12,000 btu units, sequence them as needed. Even tho one unit might not cool the whole space, the area *near* the unit will be markedly cooler than areas farther away -- if you are going to be working in just one area for some while. Moveable partitions would help, as well. Or full partitions.
Much quieter than window units, more efficient, etc. They vary greatly in price, as well, and most seem to have heat pumps.
Also consider ceiling fans, and vents in the roof -- these can greatly reduce the heating load. Ceiling fans help in both summer AND winter, perhaps even more in winter. Ideally, summer/winter fans would not only change rotation, but would be height-adjustable, as well.
And yeah, insulate!!
You can also paint windows inside yer structure, with a sun, clouds, sky, etc.... Can really help!
A big fan at the door or at another opening farthest from the open door will get your through then next month. More or less depending on where you live.
Depends on the construction. You can easily cut a hole, but supporting a big enough AC will take some extra reinforcement. Add a couple of braces that take the weight on the ground. In reality, all you have to do is cut an opening the size of the ac, make a tray for it to rest on with legs secured in the ground, both inside and outside if needed, put the AC into place.
Next is air circulation. You may want to have a fan blowing the air around inside as 30' is a long way to go. As for size, that depends on how much insulation and ceiling height, etc. You may need two if you go for window shakers. They will be 220V on the larger size too.
You can always go for a split system.
*These are nice package units and are available with heat or without. You would need to cut a hole for the ventilation grill to penetrate to the outside.
The heat will collect in the high part of the roof. Unless you partition it into rooms, and put a ceiling in there, you're pretty much cooling a lot of hot air that won't feel any cooler. The sun load on the exterior of the building will heat any cool air in the place immediately.
Sorry.
Steve
I've installed Bard package units and I like them because they're high quality and have a lot of options. I installed one in a pizza place that needed extra cooling in the kitchen during warmer months. It's a metal building and the installation went quite well. I ordered grills for it since we in stalled it through the wall without any duct work. The discharge is a few inches from the ceiling and the return is a few feet lower. It's a four ton 3 phase unit with several factory options including a phase protection module to protect the unit from any power problems, high and low pressure cutouts, low ambient temperature control and the 2" thick pleated filter option. It's given zero trouble in four years. the only maintenance has been changing filters and cleaning the condenser once a year. Pizza places are very rough on air conditioners.
Window ACs work better when you don't waste a window on them. Most come with optional cases meant for going through a wall, but you might not need even that.
This reminds me of how I installed an AC in a 5th floor window. I was afraid it would fall out when in installed it or when I opened the window, so I made shelf, well nailed (nails at opposite angles) to the window sill, and supported on the cement ledge. Worked fine for the small AC. If only I'd made it 20 inches deep instead of ten......
It is a metal building aand roof. It will have a 10 foot ceiling. Above that is the attic area.
Window AC draw air in the sides, to dump the heat out the back. If you put them in a metal sleeve, they stop working.
Then why do they make metal sleeves for them? Why do apartments come with metal sleeves already installed, waiting for ACs to be bought?
Why do motels always have their ACs in the metal sleeves? I'm sure the motel AC worked. It's longer ago, but I'm sure my brother's apartment AC also worked.
just buy a goodman furnace or just air handler if you dont need heat with AC.
Window ACs cost a fortune to operate, when I replaced my window units with whole house air my electric bill in summer dropped by over a third, and its m,uch more comfy too. Plus we can see out the windows:)
window AC and thru-wall AC AIN'T the same thing. Some units go both ways, but most don't The 'motel' style units are usually a lot bigger, and often include a heater. Before central AC units got cheap, lotsa cheap apartment complexes did bulk deals on thru-wall units, and only installed the sleeves as units were built. They keep a dozen extra out back somewhere for ones that crap out or get killed by tenants. Major PITA when that brand or size goes out of production, and they have to scramble for a 'universal' one to fit that model-specific sleeve.
Then he should get one that is thru-wall or goes both ways.
Usually. I'm not counting the ones that are 3 feet wide or so, start at the floor and og up almost two feet, and the entire thing stick 8 inches into the room.
I don't think you're saying otherwise, but the heater is irrelevant to whether the sleeve is a problem when using the AC.
I'd have to take a closer look, but doesn't enough of the AC unit stick out past the metal sleve so that the air intake fins are past the sleve and outside? Or alternatively, the sleeve could be wide enough so that there is an inch or so clearance on either side. In any case, they must work because they are common.
So what do you guys think?
What would you do in this situation? Just not fool with it? I could ger some fans I guess.
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