Canadian shops how you heating yours ?

[Hoops1]

im in saskatchewan and was just wondering what everyone here uses to heat for the -30c temps?

i am on a acreage and natural gas is not going to happen way to much $$$ to get it

i run in floor heat with a water heater set up to run both elements. i have been running that for 6 years now and it works great

( my house is electric forced air )

 

[PhantomEB]

I run a Modine Hot Dawg 45 on natural gas in my 24x24 in Calgary. Pretty sealed up but not insulated in the attic yet (soon I will get blown in) and right now one length down the side is 4' open. I am sure once it's all sealed up, I definitely will be down to a tshirt working on my trucks despite what the temps are outside.

You didn't say how big yours is or what the issue other than too far to run natural gas.... are you looking for a back up to warm the air faster after the door opens? My buddy had infloor heat in his 24x32 with a small 220v construction heater as back up. You also could get one like mine in propane.

 

[Hoops1]

my shop is 26x28 10' walls walls are 2x6 and r20 and only r20 in the attic ( will be putting some blown in soon ) when i find some time lol

i do have a 220v heater as back up but it doesn't get used much + it goes to the house garage some times if i want some heat in there

if i do anything different i would try a tankless water heater or try something propane for the floor i do have propane fireplace in the house

 

[R.Grundy]

I heat mine when I want with a 50000btu RH50 empire room heater. Propane, runs off a 100lb tank outside. 20x24 with 9ft ceilings and only r12 in the walls and ceiling and un-insulated plywood doors (dont ask). keeps it nice and warm. in SWO

 

[Boilerhouse]

I heat my 24 x 30 with a outside wood boiler which I built myself. (It also heats the house). Hot water is continuously pumped to the garage and I have a forced air radiator on a thermostat which turns a fan off/on. Temp is 15 when working in it and 5 when not.

 

[oldschool59]

I use wood in a home made barrel stove. 27 x 32 keeps it nice and warm.Even in minus temps. we can keep it at 60 to 65 no problem.

 

[Hoops1]

think it will make a deference this winter if i up the attic from r20 to r40

 

[p_mori7]

I have a 240V - 5000w electric heater with a built in fan & thermostat. 16x30 plus a bump-out 4x14. R13 walls. R28 ceiling. Easily keeps the garage at 70* if I want to, usually keep it at 50*. Our Electric rates in QC might be more favorable than SK though.

 

[Blk88GT]

I've got a 40x50 with 12' walls and 15.5' ceiling. R20 in the walls and R50 in the ceiling. I use a 20KW electric boiler. I set the temp on the wall thermostat at 12.5C and find the shop very comfortable to work in.

 

[Jazz1]

Im in northwestern Ontario. I burn wood in garage by choice although natural gas is at my house. If you don't have ample supply of cheap/free firewood i would go with a propane furnace.
Locally there is a infestation of elm bore bug so be plenty of free firewood at the curbs over the next few years.
My wood stove is smallest Pacific Energy(fan less) and easily heats my 24x30 insulated and drywalled garage.

 

[freebo86]

Just installed a 5000w ProFusion heater that was on sale at princess auto last week for $99 in my 20x20 garage.

 

[Hoops1]

has been really cold here -30c the electric in floor has been great we had a baby on the 6th so with this month has been very full of things to do ( not in the shop ) lol

 

[wildstyle]

Northern bc here....28x36 with 13ft ceilings. I heat it with an Enviro Maxx pellet stove

 

[Doug Arthurs]

I have a small garage converted to a machine shop. Wood stove put in by previous owner. After I insulated and recovered the walls it gets to be too warm in there pretty quick. I would like one day to put in a natural gas furnace.

 

[Rickcnc]

I have a 28X40 12' ceiling and heat with a Modine Hot Dawg 80 propane unit. Natural Gas isn't a option for me and electric rates are....... well..

Shop is set up for in floor heat, just need to find a suitable cost effective heat source. was quoted 7K for a boiler install

Location is Ontario.. 2 hour drive N/W of Toronto

 

[MScott]

Eastern Ontario here so not quite a cold as where you are. 28 x 38 x 12 attached garage, R25 in the walls and R50 in the ceiling. I heat both house and garage with an outdoor wood boiler. The garage is separated through a heat exchanger and in-floor radiant heating using glycol as a coolant. I normally keep it at around 15C but I could raise that with a simple thermostat change.

 

[PCO6]

I have a 20'x20'x10' attached cinder block garage with brick veneer. Insulation is rigid foam R7.5 on the walls and R13 bats in the ceiling all covered by a 6mm vapour barrier. The walls are drywall and the ceiling is aluminum sheet. The double garage door and man door are R6. I use a 240V construction heater and 120V radiant heaters over my bench and desk ... 1 for each. I keep the garage at 50*F to 60*F but only when I'm working in it. When the heat isn't on it never drops below 38*F. We're about half way between Toronto and Lake Simcoe so not nearly as cold as out west.

 

[LX-Markham]

Surely you meant 50*F ?

 

[Outlander]

Garage is un-insulated (wife and I have entered negotiations on that), and I just bought a Mr Heater 38,000 BTU forced air propane heater. I can work while seeing my breath as long as my hands are not too cold. I'm hoping to get to a bit warmer than that until I insulate and do something permanent.

 

[PhantomEB]

Here's an argument for you, heating an uninsulated space is only a temporary thing,and pretty much cart before the horse as cold ***** down heat fast! If not working out there....I would hit up Home Depot one bag at a time if you have to!

 

[PCO6]

Surely you meant 50*F ?

WT"F" ... Edit made.

 

[CatSplat]

I use a 30K NG Reznor in my well-insulated southern Alberta 35x24, works great but obviously a bit slower to heat than a bigger unit. I got the heater for free, so no big deal. If NG installation isn't an option for you, I'd recommend getting a big honkin' propane tank (or two) and running propane heat. Electric heat tends to be really expensive compared to gas.

 

[trainer]

Empire dv-35 Direct vent, natural gas. Easily keeps my 28x28 detached garage at 68 degreees all winter. No electricity required. http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-95622685483394/empire-dv35sg-direct-vent-gas-wall-furnace-propane-16.gif

 

[djbmw]

1,500 sq/ft shop with 12 ft. ceilings, fully insulated (but there are air gaps in several areas).
Shop is only heated when I'm in it - I first use a 125k BTU Propane torpedo heater to get the chill out of the air and bring it up to 5-10 degrees C (5 to 10 min).
At the same time, I put a few logs in my wood stove, and turn on my two electric forced air heaters (4800 W which also blows air past the stove and 6000 W).

After 30 min to an hour I will turn off the 6000W electric heater and only use the stove + 4800W heater.

It could be -30C outside and +22C inside the shop.