The best time of year is finally back. That's right: It's football season. For a lot of us, that means weekends are spent in front of the TV. If you're lucky enough to have a decked out “man cave”, you have it for this time of year. Basements and garages are being transformed into football-watching safe places complete with memorabilia, good-luck charms, and plenty of seating. Whether you have a garage man cave or spend hours in the basement, there are affordable ways to make it more comfortable (no matter how many people gather around).
If you’re looking for décor, check out this post on how to create the best-looking man cave on the block. But if you want to improve the quality of your space, see our list of man cave necessities for a comfortable, fun season of football binge-watching:
Garage Man Cave Ideas: How to Stay Comfortable Year-Round
The garage can be an ideal place for watching sports: It’s separate from the rest of the house, and you can usually get as loud as you want. The main problem with garage man caves is the temperature. A lack of insulation means temperatures can range from unbearably hot to nearly freezing in just one football season. Here are our picks for the best ways to keep your garage man cave comfortable all season:
Avoid Stagnant Air
A fan will help avoid stagnant air that's sure to arise in garages without access to AC. Keep the airflow moving with a quality fan. A customer favorite choice for man caves is the Lasko Wind Curve. This tower fan stays out of the way and adds a refreshing breeze throughout large areas. You can also set up the Wind Curve app and control the fan from your phone - so you won't miss a second of the game. It's the perfect addition to a small man cave.
Create a breeze and avoid odors with the Boneco Fan & Air Purifier. It combines HEPA filtration, UV light and powerful fan to spread clean air around your room. It's an ideal way to feel good, be healthy and stay cool all at the same time.
Shop All Fans and Air Circulators
Keeping Your Man Cave Cool
With people, TV equipment and confined spaces, your man cave can feel warm well into football season. Keep your basement cool with a single room AC. The easiest way is to install a portable air conditioner. All you need is a window to vent out warm air, and a portable AC will cool you down immediately. Window ACs and mini splits are two other options.
Select portable air conditioners also come with cooling and heating capabilities are popular options for year-round comfort. You can even wheel it to a different area or into storage after the season.
Evaporative coolers may be another good option, particularly if you're watching football in a garage or on a covered patio. If you're not familiar with them, evaporative coolers are portable cooling solutions that use the power of evaporation to reduce temperatures. They're perfect for garages or outdoor cooling. Learn more about cooling your garage with an evaporative cooler.
Stay Warm During Winter Games With A Heater
It may be hot in your garage right now, but temperatures drop quickly once football season really gets going. If you can deal with a few more weeks of warm weather, consider only a heater to your garage.
For rugged places like an unfinished garage, King Electric ECO2S is easy to mount on your wall or ceiling. It's a hardwired heater, but once you get it set up you'll enjoy heavy duty heat for years to come. If you're in a traditional room, then a standard heater will do. Lots of space heaters are compact and affordable, making them a perfect addition to any cold man cave or football room.
Basement Man Cave Ideas: Protect Your Man Cave “Stuff”
Sports memorabilia can be expensive and sentimental, so you want to keep it in top condition. If you collect basketball cards, leather baseball gloves, or signed footballs, preserving them can be a challenge. Sometimes a case isn’t enough, particularly if your man cave is in a basement with humidity issues. Mold and mildew become a serious concern. The best way to maintain a healthy humidity in your basement is with a dehumidifier (mold and mildew can prosper in areas with humidity levels above 60%).
Other Man Cave Ideas
There are endless ideas for improving the man cave experience, including before and after your friends leave:
Don’t Dread the Clean Up
The worst part of any party is the mess everyone creates. Your guests leave as soon as the game ends, and you’re stuck cleaning up after them. You probably don’t want to haul your vacuum to the basement, so consider the Dyson V12 Detect Slim Cordless Vacuum. You won't find an easier way to clean up after a long day of football. It's small and lightweight - so you can use it to clean crumbs off furniture, rugs, or bare floors. Cleaning up after a group, large or small, will take less time than a commercial break.
Avoid Smells & Air Quality Issues
With food, alcohol and a lot of people around, man caves can create some funky smells. On top of that, man caves can become a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. The best way to remove airborne particles like allergens is with an air purifier. Adding an air purifier will clean your air before, after or during the game. You'll avoid smells and breathe healthy air anytime you're in your zone.
Having people over to watch a game? Unfortunately, we're still living with the COVID-19 pandemic. High quality air purifiers have enough filtration to trap even the tiniest airborne particles like viruses. They can help remove virus particles. The Aeris Aair Lite offers top quality filtration and also an antimicrobial layer of filtration.
When it comes to the perfect man cave, it can’t just look the part. It needs to feel the part too. The college football kick-off was only the beginning of months of ups and downs for your favorite team. Use these man cave items to stay comfortable from now until February.
Take Your Man Cave to the Next Level
No man cave is complete without drinks. Take yours to the next level of comfort by upgrading your beverage solution:
- Built-in beverage cooler from Smith & Hanks holds up to 90 cans of cold beer or other items.
- Wine lover? Keep wine at the perfect temperature with the Summit 21 bottle wine cooler.
- The GrowlerWerks pressurized growler is an ideal choice for your favorite beer.
How Are You Keeping Your Man Cave Comfortable?
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