How about a 'stand pipe' into the attic if it's an attached garage. Or one of those turbine air vents on the roof if its not attached? Either way, you wouldn't need to worry about covering it when not in use.

ok well i put on a bigger tube, so that should help if there was any probs, the tube is only like a 1-1.5 feet long.

as for shelter, it sits in a outside dryer vent cover thingy. dont need to worry about covering it up or anything. with the airfilter outside it shure takes the sound along with it, id say atleast half the noise is gone insie the garage.

while i was at home depot this morn i was looking at there air compressors and the Husky(cambell huasfeld( 60 gallon ones have a circle air filter and a like hole on the side for intake into the filter wich i could hook the hose up to and just run the hose outside, would be able to just hook up the hose when im doing sanding or priming/painting to get clean air. i wouldnt mind somthing like that. i looked around but couldnt see any for sale, u guys know where to get one?

maybe i should take a wrench with me next time and pull one off hehe jk

I used a piece of 4" pvc running through the wall with an elbow on the end pointing down (no water that way) and if you are worried about debris entering use a piece of cheesecloth around the end with a rubber band. Voila' , air filter

I have a friend who built a new garage and a separate attached small room at one end for the air compressor. It is on a concrete pad..part of the poured floor and accessible thru a sliding insulated door. That way it is still part of the garage and yet isolated.