If you convert your garage into an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), it’s important to make sure that you can heat and cool it efficiently. Not only will this allow you to save you money, but it can also reduce your household’s energy usage, which helps to minimize your carbon footprint. Here are a few ways to improve the heating and cooling efficiency of your ADU:
Ensure that your converted garage is properly insulated
In order to ensure that your ADU is heat efficient, you’ll need to make sure that it has insulation that’s right for your climate. Not only could your garage be improperly insulated prior to conversion, but it may not be insulated at all. However, even if this is the case, it certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t convert it into an ADU. We’ll always make sure that insulation is installed in all four walls of the converted garage, including the wall that used to be the garage door.
Make sure that your garage isn’t drafty
In order to ensure that your garage is heat efficient, it’s important to make sure that any doors to the outside create a tight seal. Luckily, we will choose doorways that are designed to create a tight seal, which will keep cold air out of your home.
Choose the right windows
If you have windows in your ADU, it’s important to make sure that they are the right thickness for your region’s climate. This will significantly reduce the amount of heat that escapes through the windows of your new ADU.
Use an efficient heating system
While some people heat their converted garage with a space heater, this is not the most efficient way to do it. In fact, this form of heating is extremely inefficient. Luckily, it’s often possible to heat and cool your ADU with the same system that you use for the rest of your home.
In most cases, natural gas and propane heating are often the most efficient choices. In addition, converted garages tend to be relatively small, which means that you’ll be able to save a significant amount of money by using wood heat in your ADU.