I can't speak to the unit but can to both the company selling it and the company making it. Alpine has been my families go to place for HVAC. We've bought 3 units over the last 5 years. The salesmen there are usually pretty well up on what will do the job and help pick the correct unit for your application.

If I have any brand loyalty in air conditioners at all, it's to Goodman. I helped commission an assembly line in their Houston plant a few years ago. The kind where humans assemble condenser coils; no robots. I know for a fact that (at least some of) their products are made in America, by Americans, and that's a good thing.

Alpine on the other hand, I've never heard of. Your vote is reassuring. Thank you.

 

Alpine was suggested to my youngest son by one of his co-workers. The co worker does HVAC work as a side business, learned how to do it from his father. When local wholesalers would no longer sell to him after his father passed away he found out about Alpine. Found he could get many other sizes and types of Goodman products at a lower price than the wholesaler was charging. And so far shipping time has been really fast.

 

I haven't re-read this entire thread to make sure my necro post is in context, but I'm happy to report that I've installed an air conditioner and it's awesome. I installed a Mr. Cool DIY Mini Split 36k BTU unit and it can freeze me out of my shop even in 98 degree Houston humidity. I installed the indoor unit up in the ceiling so it can throw air out across the whole shop.


I ordered & received this several weeks ago but it sat on a pallet in the corner because I was too busy to install it. I was getting by with this silly little portable A/C that I would position to blow on myself wherever I was working. Last week as temperatures started to rise into the high 90's (not imply causality, maybe related, maybe not) it started to release its ghost. Started tripping the breaker, then would not blow very cool, then started actually blowing hot. It was time. Temperature in the shop was rising above outdoor temperature and it was unbearable.

I cut my work day short around 3pm and started installing the unit. I refused to stop until it was installed and running. I refused to work another day in that heat. Finished up around 2am and turned it on, went to bed. Next morning I cam to the shop and found it in the low 60's inside. Very (VERY) welcome change.

 

Installing HVAC is not difficult, however properly sizing it to work correctly is a whole 'nother story. Did you do a sizing analysis? Temperature, humidity, and airflow are interactive and need to be properly balanced.

 

Installing HVAC is not difficult, however properly sizing it to work correctly is a whole 'nother story. Did you do a sizing analysis? Temperature, humidity, and airflow are interactive and need to be properly balanced.

Nope. I just got the biggest one they had.

 

One other thought, is build a room inside your garage.

Imagine building a log cabin inside the garage !
the log cabin has the built in insulation, the door fits good , you have air space above and around.

ok a log cabin might be a bit extreme, but you get the idea.

For instance the snow dome in Saudi Arabia, where you can ski all year round is basically a building inside a building,
The outer roof and walls take the suns heat, and the air between the walls makes a great insulator.

 

For instance the snow dome in Saudi Arabia, where you can ski all year round is basically a building inside a building,
The outer roof and walls take the suns heat, and the air between the walls makes a great insulator.

I've been there (Mall of the Emirates, Dubai). I did not go on the ski slope; I did not want to wait in line literally all day long to ski once. But I watched the people through the windows. It looked fun. Maybe worth the wait if you have never seen snow.

The ski slope is not exactly inside the mall. It's a separate structure on top of the mall. But I'm sure they have at least two walls of separation between the desert and the arctic as you suggest.