Shop heater

[Silver R/T]

With cold season outside I was wondering how you guys keep your shops/garages warm inside when you work inside. For me it's impossible to work since it's so cold. Having a kerosene space heater is no option as I don't want to suffocate. I was thinking having a radiant natural gas heater like shops use, would have to pay someone to run piping to it and all that...
What do you guys have?

[skip68]

Yeah, I would stay away from kerosene heaters period! (for any room/garage, whatever.) we just lost the caretaker of my in-laws N. California ranch due to esphexia. He apparently was sick with a bad cold, turned on his heater in his rv (portable heater), and never woke up. Neighbors found him two to three days later in his bed. Very tragic. Propane is just as deadly in a small space if you dont have proper ventilation. I personally just turn on the clothes dryer in the garage!!! Lol! Mrs.skip68

[A383Wing]

I got a house furnace that I have running on a 5 gallon can of diesel... runs all day on 5 gallons

tall greenish thingy against back wall next to air compressor

[The70RT]

Wood for me,  just collect it when they clear for powerlines. They will cut in up for you too.

[Old Moparz]

I've been researching heat for the garage too, but haven't done it yet. The reason for me is that it'll require a lot of work in addition to the heating system. In New York state we have to follow the energy code to be able to install the system. That means a certain R value must be met by insulating the garage. This isn't a problem, but I want to install the system legally by getting a permit & a CO (certificate of occupancy) when I am done. This way the insurance company won't have an excuse to reject a claim if I ever need to file one if I were to have a fire.

I'd have to install some additional electric, rough in plumbing so I don't have to rip open walls later, & actually do all the drywall to cover the insulation. I'd have to empty the entire garage to do this & not ready to yet. Besides, I can't afford it.

However, if I did get the chance to heat the garage, I'd look into something like this, but a shorter version....

http://www.gasheaterstore.com/Infrasave-Gas-Fired-Tube-Heater--155000-Btu--50-long--Natural-Gas_p_393.html

I have propane for heat in my house & like that this type of system is one that has the flame sealed. It will never come in contact with flammable fumes like gasoline. Even the most careful & cautious person can still have an accident like tipping over a gas can or getting a fuel leak & not know it.

[adauto]

. Propane is just as deadly in a small space if you dont have proper ventilation.

Got that right! I bought a chimneyless Charmglo a few years back to suppliment heat in our sales area at the shop. Only used it a few times, and you really dont notice how bad it is if your working in the room when you fire it up. But go in the shop for 20 mins and come back in..... probly took a year off my life!   

[KSChrgr68]

im installing a potbelly stove my grandfather had in his tractor shop, in a corner on a brick platform, out through the roof with some pipe, boom, instant heat and an endless supply of wood nearby.   

[bull]

I got one similar to this on closeout a couple springs ago at Lowe's for like $15. It's an oil-filled radiant heater and it works great. Just plug it in and turn it on. If one is too small for the amount of space you have, buy two.

[The70RT]

I got one similar to this on closeout a couple springs ago at Lowe's for like $15. It's an oil-filled radiant heater and it works great. Just plug it in and turn it on. If one is too small for the amount of space you have, buy two.

I run one like that when I am not in the garage just to keep things from freezing. It keeps my 26X32 garage like 50 when it is in the teens. It works better when you run a ceiling fan right above it.

[Todd Wilson]

I got a natural gas furnace in my garage. Works great.   If one is going to build a new shop go with radiant floor heating and put insulation down under the floor and pipes.


Todd

[Khyron]

I got a fuel Oil heater from a old trailer, it's a 2 year old miller... should do be fine, just got to hook it up.

[Domino]

Put a magic pak unit in my shop and Dad's shop. Works great.

http://www.magic-pak.com/products.php

[elacruze]

We installed a take-out home furnace and had it converted to Propane, dropped a 500 gallon tank behind the building and ran it for 3 years. Much nicer than feeding the 55 gallon drum/chimney monster before that.

[ITSA426]

I have about 400 square feet of garage so I don't want to give up any room.  When remodeling started I had several electric mats put into a sand bed eight inches below the concrete floor.  Two inches of foam insulation surround the sand bed at the garage exterior walls.  There are several different mats made just for this application.  Segments are wired in parallel so if one fails everything else still works.  I got them connected to my electric company's off-peak system so they are powered from 11PM to 7AM at off peak rates.  The mats warm the sand, the sand warms the floor.  The garage floor is 71 degrees this morning.  It looks like about $2/day to keep it warm but the install, with commercially installed floor coating, was expensive.  No fan, no flame, no noise and you can walk in the garage in stocking feet all winter.  Soap and water clean up.

It may be eligible for tax credit in other installations but I replaced and upgraded a bunch of other stuff any ways.  Check to see if you electric company has an off peak system.  This assumes you're going to be staying where you live.

[69 OUR/TEA]

I was fortunate that when I was building the addition on my house which consisted of a 30 x 44 garage with all living space above which is also the same dimension,and wanting to not be above a 30-40 deg cold garage,I knew it should be heated,and being fresh from ground up,I went with radiant floor heat in the concrete slab  getting the hot water from my boiler.
I realize that most are not going to chop up their slab to put it in,but if anyone is building a new garage,I would highly recommend researching it,as it runs so efficient.People that come over come and realize its warm,look around and wonder where the heat is coming from.I keep it at 61 in there,and being radiant heat,everything in the garage is uniform temp.

[Todd Wilson]

I was fortunate that when I was building the addition on my house which consisted of a 30 x 44 garage with all living space above which is also the same dimension,and wanting to not be above a 30-40 deg cold garage,I knew it should be heated,and being fresh from ground up,I went with radiant floor heat in the concrete slab  getting the hot water from my boiler.
I realize that most are not going to chop up their slab to put it in,but if anyone is building a new garage,I would highly recommend researching it,as it runs so efficient.People that come over come and realize its warm,look around and wonder where the heat is coming from.I keep it at 61 in there,and being radiant heat,everything in the garage is uniform temp.

That radiant floor heating is awesome.   Theres a lot of low to the ground working on vehicles.   Even with my natural gas furnace  it can still be cool down low to the floor.   Stuff is just warm with the radiant floor. Friend has one in a big shop and its awesome.


Todd

[John_Kunkel]

I've got two of these in my shop, natural gas 140K BTU's (don't look at the meter while one is running). Best part, both were given to me because they needed work..about $50 worth each.

[flyinlow]

I have a 30x50 garage insulated to r 25. A 55.000 BTU forced air furnace rejetted for propane. 92% efficient . Breaths thru pvc pipe so no inside vapors can get to the flame. Programable thermostat resets the temp to 45*F every six hours. I you want more heat you bump it up and it stays there until the next program reset to 45*  Basic ductwork .four 8 Inch ducts distribute the warm air. No cold air duct ,just a hardware cloth cage on the bottom to keep debrise out plus a filter on the furnace. Temp. in the garage increases about 1* per minute when it is running. Switch on overhead door to kill the heat when the door is open. About $200-$300 per season to heat in Ohio .More  if you paint alot.  Shares the propane tank with the house.

[bill440rt]

My attached garage is about 25 x 30. I have one of those little radiator heaters like Bull shows, it works OK if you are standing right next to it. Needs some time to warm up, but it works OK.

To supplement that, I also have a kerosene heater I bought at Home Depot for under $75. Works great. Garage will get nice & warm, at least comfortable to work in. I keep a window cracked open just slightly for air.

Are kerosene heaters that bad?? 

[elacruze]

My attached garage is about 25 x 30. I have one of those little radiator heaters like Bull shows, it works OK if you are standing right next to it. Needs some time to warm up, but it works OK.

To supplement that, I also have a kerosene heater I bought at Home Depot for under $75. Works great. Garage will get nice & warm, at least comfortable to work in. I keep a window cracked open just slightly for air.

Are kerosene heaters that bad?? 

I had more than a couple kerosene heaters, from torpedos to radiant-I hated them all, every one is noisy and stinky.

[Ghoste]

For the most part in the winter I try to work in a smaller shop in the backyard and that has electric heat in it.  The garage itself if I have to move in there for something I use a portable propane unit and if I really big stuff to do I go to a shop I share with a friend and it's natural gas but like John says, don't look at the meter while it's running.

[NHCharger]

I had this 75k BTU Hot Dawg propane heater installed six years ago. Heats my 30x50 shop with ease. Have not had any issues with it.

[71green go]

I got a house furnace that I have running on a 5 gallon can of diesel... runs all day on 5 gallons

tall greenish thingy against back wall next to air compressor

I do the exact same thing....
bought a used high eff oil furnace from paper c/w tank...$150
bought used stainless chimney pipe $175

run on diesel fuel...........oil heat is so nice and warm compared to propane which I had in my last shop....

5 gallons diesel runs 8-10hrs...i only heat shop when I am in there

love it

[BlueSS454]

Can you give a little more info on this?  I see these all the time on Craigslist and I'm thinking it might be a good option for my 30 x 40 pole barn shop.  I'm a little uneducated when it comes to these things.  Does it need electric (110 or 220?), also guessing it needs to be chimneyed to the outside.

I got a house furnace that I have running on a 5 gallon can of diesel... runs all day on 5 gallons

tall greenish thingy against back wall next to air compressor

[A383Wing]

yes...it needs 110v.....and it needs to be exhausted outside....(mine is exhausted through the roof)....the pic I have above is when we moved in...it's not up & running in that picture....I'll be out in the garage this weeknd...I'll take some detailed pics of completed installed furnace

Bryan