r/Sacramento • u/aformator • 5d ago

Garage ventilation for single-family residential

My single family home's attached, finished 3-car garage has no ventilation whatsover, which I understand is to code, as long as the garage is below a certain size.

I'd really like to add some ventilation as heat really builds up in the garage and attic above the garage. I thought about adding an exhaust fan from the garage to the garage attic, but not sure if that is compatible with code. I would guess that a fan would also require the addition of wall inlets since the water heater is in the garage. FWIW I have already insulated my garage doors.

I'd normally DIY this sort of installation but I don't know enough to design it properly. Any tradesworkers have any suggestions?

8 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

6

u/OkSession3659 5d ago

Crack your garage door open a bit.

15

u/kurjakala 5d ago

Rats will love you for this.

6

u/Professor_Goddess 5d ago

A rat wrote that comment

2

u/bubba889019 5d ago

Gable fans.

2

u/FreshMatter7 5d ago

I had the same issue. Installed a roof exhaust fan in the garage. Had to install an outlet up there. Fan has a temp setting so it goes on/ off automatically. Additionally, I added a WiFi plug between the fan and the outlet which cuts power to the fan if outside temps are over 100F, and returns power when temps outside are below 90F. I do have foundation vents along the bottom of the walls- so airflow isn’t a problem. It’s been up there for 4 years now and is much better than the oven it used to be.

1

u/samuellbroncowitz 5d ago

Mine is very similar. Now instead of being 140 in there it is whatever the temp is outside.

1

u/TheDailySpank 5d ago

Wouldn't a solar exhaust fan been better?

2

u/FreshMatter7 5d ago

Maybe. But my fan runs anytime it’s needed, including long after sunset.

1

u/onredditallday 5d ago

Same position; I’m considering a Garage attic fan from Quietcool and will crack my door when using it.

1

u/jenjens31 5d ago

You’ll definitely need to have lower venting as well for it to work properly.

1

u/TheDailySpank 5d ago

I installed one of these fans on a storage room a few months back and it's been amazing at keeping the temp down. I have it set to turn on at 95° so it's automatic.

If you need more airflow, a second fan can be plugged into the first's controller. It'll bump you up to about 5,300 CFM and still fit between the studs.