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This thread is to solicit opinions or stories about:

How much work do you get done in your garage when the weather is a factor?

I'll lead with my garage in Pahrump, NV.

At this time of year, it starts out at lower than freezing in the early AM, finally getting to maybe low 40s in the mid afternoon. Then the temperature plummets to below freezing again a few hours after sunset. Therefore, I only have a couple of hours window for a tolerable work time per day. Because of my age, I cannot work much more than 15 minutes at a time, then I have to come inside and warm up.

In the summertime, the exact opposite is true. It is very tolerable from about midnight to maybe 10AM at which time temperature starts to exceed 80-85F. I call it quits then.

In the fall and winter, the conditions are perfect for working outside or in the garage. Then, the work is only limited by my (old) physical abilities.

What's the situation in your part of the world?

Craig

Climate, frailties, pretty much same as yours. My workshop is in one stall of the garage and have it kind of blocked off with cabinets, shelves etc. While open to rest of garage, is also sort of enclosed. One of those mobile refrigerated AC units does a great job of cooling that area--put it on high and aim it where I'm working. Could also roll it to a car if I wanted. Have some heat although not much. Don't do much in winter anyway so haven't upped it--below 50 is usually hibernation mode.

Same here. I have a 4 car garage but it has completed cars in it. I swapped out one of those for the clipperrod and will do some work in there as long as the temp is not to cold. Our down time here is after mid-april and after 11 am., until around October. Other than that rain is the only outside consideration. If I had a single car work station things would be a bit better. May have to work on that some day.

Well, It's -10F (windchill -20) outside tonight so working in the garage is not really possible without heat from about November to April except for short bursts. After that I can work in the garage without heat or AC until October day or night. My garage is only 20'x20' so I do have room for the Packard and one other smallish car for storage only but if I want to work on the Packard I must open the big door and remove the other car. The Packard is almost 18 feet long so moving arund the car requires the big door to be open. I do have 220 volt electric service in the garage so I use a construction heater when I have to and it works well because the garage walls and ceiling are insulated. I could put in a gas furnace but this is not only expensive but maintaining heat for 6 months of the year is costly. I am also getting along in years and climbing around under cars in winter is something I don't have much stamina for anymore although late last winter I removed the transmission and installed a rebuilt clutch by myself and the previous winter changed all the main and rod bearings so not too bad for an old codger. Air conditioning is not required as I have a huge natural one nearby (Lake Superior)

I usually shut down during the winter months and go online parts shopping. Then when spring hits, and the temps get to be about 50 degrees or so, I'll start back up again until like Craig says it gets above 90 degrees.

Keep in mind that Craig's definition of "hot" greatly differs from mine. I'm used to working in 90+ degrees with 90+ humidity, no problem. When I was out there at the end of May in 2005, I was ready to keep going when everyone else decided it was too hot to work. Heck, it felt like early springtime in Kansas to me! As long as I have something cool to drink, I can go on and on in the heat.

As for cold, I can't take the cold like I used to, when it gets below 50 degrees it's time to throw on the heavy coat and another log on the fire. Funny thing is, at the end of winter, when it gets to 40 degrees here, it feels like a heat wave, after suffering from "in the teens and below" temps here during winter.

First of all there are three thing involved in having a comfortable garage to work in.

1. insulation which includes garage doors walls and ceiling.

2. Heating

3. AC.

If you have a comfortable garage to work in all year round the more work you accomplish.

Being the walls in my garage are only 2X4 lumber. I put R13 insulation in the walls with one inch thick sheets of foam insulation over the R13. I also put R19 roll insulation in the ceiling rafters.

My garage measures 24ft by 24ft. I purchased 16 of used electrical baseboard heat from a friend of mine for $16.00 which included the thermostat. In the winter the temperature can be down in the 20's and in three hours the garage will reach 55 degrees. That is more than comfortable for me to work in the winter time.

My father gave me a ten thousand btu ac window unit which cools the garage in the summer with the help of a box fan to move the cool air around. I have worked in the garage when it has been 90 degrees outside and can maintain a cool 72 degrees all day.

Weather is never a factor as I have insulation and natural gas heat for winter that makes it easy to maintain an inside temperature of 15 C (60 F). The heat gets turned on low from about the end of November to sometime in March to keep a bit above freezing and turned up as needed for working.

No need for A/C since it rarely gets much above 30 C (85 F) in summer and the climate is dry.

Touch? Gerd!

Like I said, below 50 is hibernate and forget trying to do anything having to wear a parka. 60 to 80 is quite tolerable and above 80 is AC weather. Can still get a lot done even if a 100 with a nice cool 65 blowing on you. I will admit that I'm not made of sterner stuff.

Just the thought of -10 or -20 like clipper47 (and half the country this week) makes the rocks not only cold but shriveled and looking to locate somewhere else. Don't think pocket heaters in all the pockets and a few located outside pockets near strategic places for good measure would help.

The nice thing here vs the other half of the country is we don't get bone chilling cold but snow can be found if you look for it --but mostly you go find it, not the other way around. The 100 degrees here usually means 30% humidity along with it, not the 100 degrees 100% elsewhere. Here 30-40% and people start calling it muggy and miserable--

Well it's finally gotten cold here (relatively speaking) in So Calif. So this is the time of the year I get the most stuff done on the car. The garage can reach 115 in the summer, and all the fans do is move the hot air around. If it gets chilly out there I can usually close the big door, and it will stay warm enough.

Middle Tn. Temp ranges from Zero to 95F. Once every 8 years of so -15F to 107F. (2007).

Biggest problem here is that it is somewhat subtropical. Humidity often in the 85% range.

The problem with humidity is that at 95F and 85% ones cloths become soaked with sweat in about 1 hour and wet cloths restricts movement greatly.

Summer presents problems that slow progress. Terrific pollen in the air creates painting problems. Many flying and crawling bugs. Terrific mosquitos beginning at 4 pm.

Rattle snakes and Copperheads abound out 100 feet from the door yard. Makes it bad for scrounging junk piles or outback storeage sheds and parts cars. Ticks, chiggers, brown recluse and black widows do not help either.

Hornet nests crop up alot. I have outdoor storeage in various and mostly weatherproof shelter in which wasps buid nests.

None of this is a real problem other than it slows me down haveing to deal with it.

Right now it's about 27F and i just got in. Heat in the garage but it's too much trouble and takes too long to heat up unless i know i'll be out there all day long or for a big project over 2 or 3 days in a row. So quite often i just spend about 2 hours at a time when it's real cold. Move some projects to the basement.

My hands get real cold.