How to Ventilate a Converted Garage

by George Karonis

Deciding to convert your garage into a workspace, movie room, gaming room, or other recreational room is always exciting, but it comes with some challenges. It takes some hard work from cleaning, sealing the floor, adding furniture, lighting, heating, and ensuring the space is well-ventilated.

No garage should be completely unventilated, although many are. But when you convert your garage, the need for proper ventilation is even more important, as you’ll likely be spending more time in there and have furniture or other items that are more vulnerable to damage from moisture.

Here are some of the impacts of an unventilated converted garage:

  • Indoor air pollution. This is especially problematic if you’re using the converted space as a workshop. Dust and other particulate matter can hang in the air, harming your health with every breath.
  • Wet surfaces. Without air circulation, warm humid air will accumulate in your garage and condense on your floors, walls, and equipment. This can make any rugs wet, or floors slippery.
  • Damaged goods. Condensation from the humid air can damage any furniture, equipment, or other items you keep in your converted garage.
  • Discomfort. You picture yourself spending more time once your garage is fully converted, but if it’s unventilated, you won’t want to. That’s because in the summer it will be too hot and humid for you to get comfortable.

Ways to Ventilate Your Converted Garage

  • Install a garage exhaust fan. A quality garage exhaust fan will work just fine in your converted garage. They work by pulling in fresh air through vents and exhausting the trapped air in your converted garage, ensuring you can quickly and effectively ventilate the space whenever you need to. This is the best way to ventilate your converted garage.
  • Use other fans. Other fans like standing fans and ceiling fans are an option. While not as effective as a garage exhaust fan, they can still help with air circulation. Either install a ceiling fan or place a standing or window fan near an open window or the garage door to ventilate the space.
  • Open windows and doors. You can also allow air to naturally circulate in your converted garage by opening windows or your garage door.
  • Install vents. Vents can be installed in the walls of your converted garage or in your garage door. Two vents, ideally placed away from one another, one placed low near the floor and the other high near the ceiling will allow air to pass in and out.
  • Install ventilation chases. Ventilation chases installed underneath a raised garage floor can also provide air circulation.

Looking to ventilate your converted garage? We have solutions here at WholeHouseFan.com. Give us a call. 1-661-775-5979 M-F 7 am – 5 pm PST

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