Boosting auto shop efficiency with an evaporative cooler

That afternoon slump doesn’t have to be business as usual for your auto shop. Heat from heavy machinery, hard labor, and open bay doors builds up all day, making your employees uncomfortable and slowing down productivity. We’ll show you how to increase shop efficiency by cooling down your garage with evaporative cooling and help your techs stay safe, focused, and productive.  

How hot is my garage?  

Most auto repair shops aren’t designed with hot temperatures in mind. They’re built with standard cinder block walls, metal roofs, and little to no insulation. This can turn your shop into a solar oven—with your garage getting up to 20°F hotter than the outside air. Open bay doors add to the problem, making traditional air conditioning for auto shops costly and ineffective. 

“It can get up to 98-100° F inside the shop. I can’t work in that kind of heat.” – Shannon Aikau, lead builder and bike manager at Count’s Kustoms.

How does heat disrupt auto shop performance? 

Most people feel naturally tired in the afternoon, thanks to our circadian rhythms. Unfortunately, afternoons are the hottest part of the day. High heat compounds fatigue, tanking productivity and impacting safety.  

Hot working conditions decrease productivity by as much as 4% for every degree above 80°F. An 85°F space could tank productivity by 20%. 

Hot working conditions are dangerous 

All that heat inside your garage isn’t just bad for productivity and profits. It’s dangerous for your employees and your business.  

Hot working conditions can: 

• Increase the risk of heat-related medical conditions 
• Heat exhaustion 
• Heat stress 
• Heat stroke 
• Greater risk of mistakes, accidents, and injuries due to fatigue 
• Increased medical costs due to workers’ comp claims 

Evaporative cooling improves auto shop safety and efficiency 

To protect your employees and maintain optimal workflow, your auto shop needs a cooling system built for open spaces and heavy-duty conditions. Unfortunately, fans and air conditioners aren’t effective cooling solutions for garages with open bays. Fans simply circulate hot air, while air conditioning systems struggle with heat loss and high energy costs. 

Evaporative coolers (also known as swamp coolers) are one of the best cooling solutions as a cost-effective and energy-efficient way to cool open, industrial spaces. These coolers reduce heat stress, improve air circulation, and significantly enhance overall auto shop efficiency.  

What is evaporative cooling? 

Evaporative cooling is a natural process that uses water to cool the air. Evap coolers take in hot air, run it through water-saturated media, and circulate it back into the environment.  

Why is evaporative cooling the best cooling solution for auto shops? 

Open bay doors, high ceilings, and metal structures that trap heat are the perfect conditions for industrial evaporative coolers. Unlike traditional HVAC systems, these coolers work with outside airflow rather than against it. 

Key benefits for using evap coolers in auto repair shops include: 

• Powerful cooling: Reducing temperatures by up to 30 °F 
• Energy savings: Costs as little as $1 a day to operate 
• Portability: Portacool evap coolers are mounted on wheels for easy, targeted cooling 
• Increased productivity & comfort: Improving morale and retention in demanding workspaces 

Choosing the right evaporative cooler for your auto shop 

To choose the right evaporative cooling system for your auto shop, consider 3 main points: 

• Shop size: Determine your square footage and the number of open bays. 
• Targeted cooling zones: Identify workstations, lifts, or tool areas that need direct airflow. 
• Airflow requirements: Consider cross-ventilation and strategic placement for maximum results. 

Choosing the right size evaporative cooler 

The Portacool APEX™ Series offers a wide range of evaporative cooler sizes.  

• For small areas and spot cooling under 700 sq ft, choose the APEX 500 or APEX 700. These models have a front-facing air intake—so you can place them against flat walls and save even more space.  
• For mid-sized spaces under 2,000 sq ft, consider the APEX 1200 or APEX 2000. 
• For large spaces under 6,500 sq ft, opt for the APEX 4000 or APEX 6500. 

Cool your auto shop with cross-ventilation and targeted cooling 

Portacool APEX coolers can lower shop temperatures by up to 30°F—even when bay doors are fully open. For best results, use multiple coolers for cross-ventilation. 

To keep his Count’s Kustom’s shop cool, bike manager Shannon Aikau uses two Portacools for cross-ventilation. He places a smaller unit by the interior door of the shop, and a larger unit by the exterior doors. This gets the shop temperature down to a comfortable 75°F-80°F range. Without Portacool, Shannon says his work product just wouldn’t be the same. 

The final tune-up: cooling that works for you 

Don’t let the heat slow you down. Shift your auto shop work into high gear with evaporative cooling. Keep your teams stay safe and focused with a smarter solution, offering more cooling power and efficiency than air conditioning and fans.  

Portacool APEX coolers are built for the hottest environments and fit into any space or corner. Ready to take the next step? Visit your nearest Portacool dealer to learn about our auto shop evaporative coolers.