Garage heater.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 350
From: No Where USA
Garage heater.
What do you guys in the northern parts of the country use to heat your garage. Looking to put something in mine. About 550 square feet. Any recommendations. I was thinking and looking at an electric one.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,515
Likes: 12
From: Fisher, IL
I just have a 2 car garage and the walls are foam board in between the studs but the door isn't.
My little propane top heater can get the garage warm enough to work in pretty quick. A decent electric heater would be about the same...maybe slightly slower.
Now... if you want it to be 72 in your garage all the time that's way outta my league.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 364
Likes: 39
From: Sebastian FL
Garage Heat
Is your garage and door insulated? If not I'd start there for sure.
I just have a 2 car garage and the walls are foam board in between the studs but the door isn't.
My little propane top heater can get the garage warm enough to work in pretty quick. A decent electric heater would be about the same...maybe slightly slower.
Now... if you want it to be 72 in your garage all the time that's way outta my league.
I just have a 2 car garage and the walls are foam board in between the studs but the door isn't.
My little propane top heater can get the garage warm enough to work in pretty quick. A decent electric heater would be about the same...maybe slightly slower.
Now... if you want it to be 72 in your garage all the time that's way outta my league.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
It depends on whether you are heating the garage all the time. If you are then you might want the cheapest or most convenient fuel. If you only heat the garage when you are out there working then you might want to consider electric because anything that burns fuel will put water vapor in the air and it will condense on anything cold ... the frame, your tools etc. and they will rust.
Advanced
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster PA
My propane heater can sweat you out of there. But it eats oxygen and makes everything wet including cement floor. Takes a long time to heat up car and tools but you can work in a tee shirt. I try not to use it.
Next garage will get radiant floor heat!
Last edited by lopozza; Oct 19, 2014 at 09:21 PM.
The ORIGINAL and bestest
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 10,009
Likes: 240
From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
I use a 240v 4000w electric fan forced heater, it works awesome. As already stated, make sure your garage is well insulated first.
I used electric for a few reasons:
- it was cheaper and easier to install
- since it fits in a wall, it takes up practically no space
- most importantly, it produces a dry heat which means absolutely no problems with condensation.
The one I use is very similar to this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fahrenhea...4004/100192192
I used electric for a few reasons:
- it was cheaper and easier to install
- since it fits in a wall, it takes up practically no space
- most importantly, it produces a dry heat which means absolutely no problems with condensation.
The one I use is very similar to this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fahrenhea...4004/100192192
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 135
Likes: 4
From: NY
In my old shop, a 24x24 uninsulated block wall 2-car with 8' ceiling, I used a 35k btu propane forced air Mr. Heater and it did a good job. I'm building a new pole barn now and I won't get around to insulating it until spring. Once insulated, I'm going to install a perm propane heater...I plan on insulating the heck out of it...I may go with a 45k Btu Mr. Heater Big Maxx. My buddy has one in his pole barn and he's happy with it. I think he keeps his shop at around 45 during the winter and turns it up when work out there. His pole barn is very well insulated, so it does not take much heat to keep it warm.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 334
Likes: 6
If Enerjoy is still in business, I bought a couple of their radiant heat panels a few years back. These things are amazing. If you call them, ask them about their "woodshop" or "scratched/cosmetic" panels.
http://www.sshcinc.com/woodshopseries.htm
http://www.sshcinc.com/FineWoodworking.pdf
http://www.sshcinc.com/woodshopseries.htm
http://www.sshcinc.com/FineWoodworking.pdf
Instructor
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Bausman PA
I don't heat my garage all of the time, but when I do, I just turn on the gas BBQ grill which is stored in the garage when not being used. Added benefit is you can cook lunch while you are working on your pride and joy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Went thru this a couple years ago with my neighbor. He has a 2 car detached garage and wanted heat. Did some digging and found a Dayton ceiling mount gas furnace at Grainger that was discontinued. $200 shipped to his house. Had to run a gas line and a flue thru the roof, but it'll run you out of there.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,192
Likes: 343
From: Allenton Wisconsin
26x36 shop/garage, insulated. I'm using a wall gas furnace from an old mobile home. 1x1footx6' imprint. I keep it at 40 degrees, 30minutes to heat up to temp. Little longer when temps start getting down low. Also run a wood burner to help keep cost down. T
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 350
From: No Where USA
The garage is 20x22, 8 foot ceiling. two cars. 8 foot ceiling and is under the house. The inside wall is insulated, I don't know about the back and side walls as they are closed up. And the doors have insulation but the sides will leak heat out. I have a 160,000 btu kero bullet heater that heats it right up. But it is makes a lot of noise and I like to breath.
I was leaning towards electric. How big of one will do the job. I only want it at around 60 degrees and when I am in there. I won't heat it all the time. Also the boiler room is right next to the garage and it is always hot in there when the house heat is on. I was thinking of putting a fan in the wall to suck some of the heat out of that room.
I was leaning towards electric. How big of one will do the job. I only want it at around 60 degrees and when I am in there. I won't heat it all the time. Also the boiler room is right next to the garage and it is always hot in there when the house heat is on. I was thinking of putting a fan in the wall to suck some of the heat out of that room.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 508
Likes: 59
From: Oscoda Michigan
Best home improvement I have bought since moving to Michigan. $600 installed, I keep it set at 45F year around, only increased my gas bill about $10 a month. Warm car to get into in the winter, priceless.
Last edited by mike48750; Oct 20, 2014 at 08:17 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
The garage is 20x22, 8 foot ceiling. two cars. 8 foot ceiling and is under the house. The inside wall is insulated, I don't know about the back and side walls as they are closed up. If those outside walls are below ground level then they provide some level of insulation. And the doors have insulation but the sides will leak heat out. I have a 160,000 btu kero bullet heater that heats it right up. But it is makes a lot of noise and I like to breath.
I was leaning towards electric. That's what I would go with in your situation. How big of one will do the job. I only want it at around 60 degrees and when I am in there. I won't heat it all the time. Also the boiler room is right next to the garage and it is always hot in there when the house heat is on. I was thinking of putting a fan in the wall to suck some of the heat out of that room. I don't think that's a good idea. The reason your garage isn't heated is that having a duct from the furnace would provide a path for fumes (carbon monoxide) to get into the house if the car is running in the garage.
I was leaning towards electric. That's what I would go with in your situation. How big of one will do the job. I only want it at around 60 degrees and when I am in there. I won't heat it all the time. Also the boiler room is right next to the garage and it is always hot in there when the house heat is on. I was thinking of putting a fan in the wall to suck some of the heat out of that room. I don't think that's a good idea. The reason your garage isn't heated is that having a duct from the furnace would provide a path for fumes (carbon monoxide) to get into the house if the car is running in the garage.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 99
From: Orrtanna Pa.
I heard a lot of people mention condensation would be an issue with gas, or propane heat, so I went electric. It's only 5000 watts, and I keep it off unless I need to work out in the cold, then it takes maybe a half hour to heat the whole garage.
As others have said,....insulate first. If your insulation is working, you will not need a huge heater. It was 38 degrees out this morning, and the garage was 64,....and the heat was off.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 178
Likes: 17
From: South Shore Massachusetts
I have an attached 3 car garge and use forced hot water through a blower that is fed from my boiler. I keep it at 50 during the winter and if I turn it up only takes a short time to get even hotter. Have had it for over 10 years works awesome.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 350
From: No Where USA
This what I was just going to post, hot water off the boiler, What type do you have and how is it hooked up.
I was looking at this one http://www.h-mac.com/modine-hc63.html.
Anyone else with this setup.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 26
From: Ocean County NJ
I have the same heater as Money Pit. Works great. Turn it on to get the chill out and it only kicks on once in a while to maintain temp. Very inexpensive and does the job!
http://www.air-n-water.com/product/cuh05b31t.htm
http://www.air-n-water.com/product/cuh05b31t.htm
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 178
Likes: 17
From: South Shore Massachusetts
This what I was just going to post, hot water off the boiler, What type do you have and how is it hooked up.
I was looking at this one http://www.h-mac.com/modine-hc63.html.
Anyone else with this setup.
I was looking at this one http://www.h-mac.com/modine-hc63.html.
Anyone else with this setup.