Any ideas how to heat this garage??

[sixpack_sid]

I live in PA, so it's going to get cold soon. I have a 24x24x8 ft high pole barn garage. I'm finding that I don't have enough time in the summer to do the body work & paint work on the panels. I will have a lot more free time in the winter. I would like to put some kind of heat in the garage, but am not sure which way to go. I currently have a torpedo heater, but am looking for more permanent heating. The heat has to be on until the putty and paint cures. Any suggestions on what I should do?

[Old Moparz]

I was contemplating the exact same thing several years ago & went to the building department to find out what I needed to do to secure a permit to make sure I could get it approved & receive a C.O. for it. If I ever had a mishap, most notibly a fire, didn't want to let the insurance company have a way out of paying me by saying that it was an illegal set up that didn't meet code. New York requires that I meet the latest energy codes to heat any space whether it's a garage or a home. I didn't want to empty the garage to insulate & drywall it to install heat, so I am using a kerosene fired torpedo heater.

What I wanted was a sealed system where there would be NO OPEN FLAME inside the garage to worry about igniting gas fumes.

This type of unit, but it was a different brand:

http://www.schwankgroup.com/en/prod-tube-str.asp

Tube Heater Overview:

http://www.schwankgroup.com/en/prod-tube-intro.asp

It's vented directly to the outside

[tommymac]

Try a used mobile home furnace.oil fired.sidewall vented.They throw tons of heat out the bottom,it sits on a stand uoy make or put it up in the attic and run ductwork for it like I did. I also used a 55 gal drum for oil or kero.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Wood burning stove.  
Not to worry about the flames.

[elacruze]

Wood/coal/oil burner outside the building, preferably in a tin windbreak
flue run through the garage wall into a big truck charge air cooler
cheap floor box fan blowing through CAC
flue returns to outside

You can adjust the distances between the burner and CAC and the length of flue inside the building to get the best radiant heat. This setup doesn't have any smoke or flame issues, and you can use a flue fan to get the draw you need to start the fire if you have long runs of flue. You get both radiant heat and hot air circulation. Hot clean cheap and relatively easy to put together.

[Daytona R/T SE]

.

[PocketThunder]

With the amount of money you might spend to insulate and heat the garage, use that money to hire out a body shop to finish the work for you.   

[ITSA426]

I just got some info on LEXIN far infrared heat panels.  Came highly recommended but I'm still checking them out.  Supposedly it's a new technology, it's supposed to be a low power use electrical panel 2' X 4' sections.  Two of them work on a 15 amp circuit.  They are European manufactured and attach to, or can be built into, an existing wall or ceiling.  Warm to the touch so no red hot panels, they radiate heat in 170 degree pattern. I'm still checking them out but would like to hear if anyone else has experience with them.  I'm told two panels will easily keep a 400 sf garage at 60 degrees in MN.

info@lexinusa.com is their sales site. 

I'd be open to suggestions also.  Any body have experience with these?

[Old Moparz]

With the amount of money you might spend to insulate and heat the garage, use that money to hire out a body shop to finish the work for you.   

What about once the car is done?

What happens if he gets bored during Christmas vacation & wants to go out in the garage to work on something?

He'll freeze his butt off. 

[41husk]

inside the mopad I paid about $300 bucks to have installed a nonvented gas stove.  The room is the size of probably a 3 car garage.  One big open space.  It is comfortable if it is below 20 degrees outside.  above 20 and you will tirn it off after 4 or 5 hours.

[71green go]

I just scoured the for sale section of newspapers and Kijiji and craigslist....hit the jackpot, people are always upgrading away from oil furnaces so I found an add that a guy wanted to give away a 10 year old furnace, tank and ducting...all free
I grabbed it and it works awesome!.....heats my shop up no problems...I just grab 5 gallon cans of Diesel fuel to run thru it....works great two years now....I built a little furnace room in my shop so no open flames get to fumes....

Check out adds ya never know!

[tommymac]

nice snag...Oil heats best.