Construction advice needed to turn non AC space into one with AC

[Just1more]

Yep...another vouch for the spray foam. My last house I had the attic spray foamed and it stayed way cooler than any attic up there with no A/C

 

[testdepth]

You need the vents at the ridge and the soffit. Without that you will cook your shingles off.

the roof of my building is all metal

 

[haas2418]

Okay the best thing you can do is spray foam the top buy a dual head mini split put one head upstairs one head downstairs otherwise you'll be fighting the heat load from downstairs to upstairs I have doing HVAC for over 30 years all the new mini splits are 110 inverter systems very cheap to run and spray foam you will save your money in the long run. You can massage me with any questions.

 

[testdepth]

Spray foam insulation is fairly expensive , but it saves you doing any physical work yourself installing batt insulation. It depends on what you value your time, dollar wise, at.

Since you’re only cooling the upstairs, batt R-13 insulation under the roof and walls.. I’d go ahead and do the ceiling of your downstairs area (which is the floor of your upstairs) probably r-26 or r-30 for that. Good idea

I forget about nasty, labor intensive drywall, rather I like to staple Tyvek house wrap on the inside walls to help hold the batt insulation flat, stop outside air from blowing into the cracks and brightly illuminate the interior space since Tyvek wrap is white. Tyvek will last 15-20 years exposed inside. I was thinking to use Masonite or luan door skin 4x8 sheets because plywood and OSB are outrageously over priced.

Use a medium size window unit to cool, use one of your upstairs windows. Window unit can both heat and cool if you have 240VAC in your shed, otherwise a dedicated 15-20amp circuit of 120VAC will get you sufficient cooling. I framed in a window unit into the T111 siding end.

You should be able to perform all this work yourself without help, except placing the window unit in the upstairs frame. Will be a comfy little room.

 

[Just1more]

Okay the best thing you can do is spray foam the top buy a dual head mini split put one head upstairs one head downstairs otherwise you'll be fighting the heat load from downstairs to upstairs I have doing HVAC for over 30 years all the new mini splits are 110 inverter systems very cheap to run and spray foam you will save your money in the long run. You can massage me with any questions.


^^^there you have it^^^^

and not from someone who just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express but a professional

 

[GeauxLSU]

Pics might help. Or maybe it's just my perpetual inability to visualize.

 

[jeep78]

Spray foam insulation is fairly expensive , but it saves you doing any physical work yourself installing batt insulation. It really depends on what you value your time, dollar wise, at.

Since you’re only cooling the upstairs, batt R-13 insulation stapled under the roof and the 4 exterior walls.. I’d personally do the ceiling of your downstairs area (which is the floor of your upstairs) using up to r-30 depending on the height of those floor joists.

I forget about nasty, labor intensive drywall, rather I like to staple Tyvek house wrap on the inside walls to help hold the batt insulation flat, stop outside air from blowing into the cracks and brightly illuminate the interior space since Tyvek wrap is white. Tyvek will last 15-20 years exposed inside.

Use a medium size window unit to cool, use one of your upstairs windows. Window unit can both heat and cool if you have 240VAC in your shed, otherwise a dedicated 15-20amp circuit of 120VAC will get you sufficient cooling.

You should be able to perform all this work yourself without help, except placing the window unit in the upstairs frame. Will be a comfy little room.

Drywall is relatively cheap these days, and is why I mentioned it. If you ar going to occupy the space, you need more than tyvic for covering.

 

[testdepth]

Okay the best thing you can do is spray foam the top buy a dual head mini split put one head upstairs one head downstairs otherwise you'll be fighting the heat load from downstairs to upstairs I have doing HVAC for over 30 years all the new mini splits are 110 inverter systems very cheap to run and spray foam you will save your money in the long run. You can massage me with any questions.

What is the cost of a mini split?

 

[boomer]

Okay the best thing you can do is spray foam the top buy a dual head mini split put one head upstairs one head downstairs otherwise you'll be fighting the heat load from downstairs to upstairs I have doing HVAC for over 30 years all the new mini splits are 110 inverter systems very cheap to run and spray foam you will save your money in the long run. You can massage me with any questions.

Agree on the mini split and open cell foam on the roof.

 

[joel2000]

Yep...another vouch for the spray foam. My last house I had the attic spray foamed and it stayed way cooler than any attic up there with no A/C

^^^ this^^^
We had all of the cellulose insulation removed from our attic. Closed up all the soffit vents and spray foamed the the roof. Best money we spent during the reno. Heat and cooling costs dropped and less dusty in the home now.