Defaults reflect this space type, including its typical equipment/metabolic load of ~1,200 BTU/hr. Same engine as the main calculator.
| Cooling load | — |
A resting occupant adds ~600 BTU/hr; someone mid-workout puts out 1,000–1,500 BTU/hr of metabolic heat plus serious humidity. Two people training in a garage gym add as much load as several hundred watts of equipment. The estimate below budgets extra equipment/metabolic load on top of the garage's already-poor envelope.
You don't need 72°F to lift — most garage gyms target 76–80°F with strong air movement. A correctly-sized mini-split plus a big fan beats an oversized unit, and the inverter's dehumidification matters more than raw cold for workout comfort.
A typical garage gym (~440 sq ft) needs about 14,669 BTU/hr — a 1.5 ton unit in moderate US conditions; hot climates run 15–25% higher.
Plan on roughly 14,669 BTU/hr for a typical ~440 sq ft garage gym in a moderate climate, with the space-specific factors described on this page already included. Hot climates (Zone 1–2) add 15–25%.
Most people train comfortably at 76–80°F (24–27°C) with good airflow — cooler than that wastes capacity. Prioritize air movement and humidity removal over deep cooling.
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