Garage Heating Costs

[lavignerj1]

Good afternoon. New member and first post.

I own a 26' by 24' attached garage with 10' ceilings that is very well insulated (R50 blown-in insulation in the ceiling and R-19 batt insulation in the walls). The house/garage was built in 2017. I'm adding a Reznor 45k UDAP natural gas heater next month and I have some questions about heating the garage.

I live in upstate Vermont and my plan is to keep my garage heated ~ 50 degrees F this winter. The coldest my garage got last winter in -20 degree F weather was ~ 32 degrees and most of the time the temperature was around 40 degrees F. I keep two cars in my garage and do have to open and close the door daily.

Am I crazy to try and heat the garage all the time with the consideration that I have to open and close the door daily? Are there any other concerns (i.e. keeping salt covered vehicles in a warm environment) that I should be aware of? I was really just hoping to keep my garage a little bit warmer this year.

Anybody do something similar to what I plan on doing? Any thoughts on how much it will cost me to heat my garage this winter?

 

[James-W]

I have a 24X36 garage with an 8ft ceiling. I live in S.E. Wisconsin and I have R-30 in the ceiling and R-19 in the walls. I have a 60K Hot Dawg natural gas heater and I leave the garage at 50 degrees unless I am working out there and then I crank it up to 70 or 72 degrees. I don't open the overhead door too often, but I do open it on occasion if I need to work on the car or if I need to bring in some sheets of plywood.

The highest heating bill I ever had was less than $40 and that includes the meter charge which is around $10, I forget exactly what it is but that figure is real close. So roughly $1 per day to heat the garage and I work out there quite a bit in the Winter, not everyday and not all day, but I do work out there and enjoy myself on those cold snowy days when there isn't anything else to do.

 

[pogrelis97]

I have electric heat in my 40x60x14 shop, insulated decent but no ceiling. cost me about 150-200 a month to keep it at 40degrees, and crank it up to 60-70 in the evenings and usually all weekend long. I also open the doors a couple times a day.
Being your garage is smaller and more than likely better insulated I don't think it would cost too much to do what you want.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Close to you geographically.....24x32, 14' ceilings, 20' radiant tube heater. I used about 150-200 gallons of propane keeping it about 50/55 working. R19 walls, 30 something ceiling.

 

[yeldogt]

Good afternoon. New member and first post.

I own a 26' by 24' attached garage with 10' ceilings that is very well insulated (R50 blown-in insulation in the ceiling and R-19 batt insulation in the walls). The house/garage was built in 2017. I'm adding a Reznor 45k UDAP natural gas heater next month and I have some questions about heating the garage.

I live in upstate Vermont and my plan is to keep my garage heated ~ 50 degrees F this winter. The coldest my garage got last winter in -20 degree F weather was ~ 32 degrees and most of the time the temperature was around 40 degrees F. I keep two cars in my garage and do have to open and close the door daily.

Am I crazy to try and heat the garage all the time with the consideration that I have to open and close the door daily? Are there any other concerns (i.e. keeping salt covered vehicles in a warm environment) that I should be aware of? I was really just hoping to keep my garage a little bit warmer this year.

Anybody do something similar to what I plan on doing? Any thoughts on how much it will cost me to heat my garage this winter?

with NG -- It's not going to be all that noticeable. Obviously, when you open the door the air will cool ... but all the items in the garage will still be warm. It will quickly recover

 

[D45]

My NG heater adds like $35-$50 a month, depending how often I run it, how long, etc

My walls are insulated but I lose a lot through the roof/ceiling

Either which way, I love having a heater in my garage and the small extra heating bills cost is well worth it

 

[PelicanPines]

500 square foot, 11 foot ceiling... 6" walls fully insulated... 2 garage doors also insulated. It costs me about $25 a month to keep the space at 60-65 degrees all winter. I use an oil filled radiator plugged into the wall set on low.

I have to say... the weather strip around the doors could use some work but it all works within my expectations right now.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

You are absolutely NOT crazy. It's just a question of "Is it worth it to you?"

My best advice is to get to know your gas meter. Find a time when the temperature is going to be cold but consistent over a couple of days. Read your meter at 8:00 each morning for 3 days in a row. That will give you 2 usages. On one of those run your garage heat. On one don't.

The difference times...oh....say 75 cents/ccf is what it cost per day for your garage heat.

When reading your meter, remember if the pointer is between any 2 numbers, it READS THE LOWER OF THOSE. So...if the 2nd dial is between 5 and 6, that means it reads 5. It doesn't read 6 until the hand to the right of it wraps around zero.

If you aren't comfortable you are reading it right...post pictures here and I'll read it for you.

Some people like to keep their garages nice all the time. I get that.

Some want to save money...that's cool too.

I have seen attached garages that use more gas than the house they are attached to. R whatever is great, but if you have a bunch of drafts that allow your heated air to turn over several times a day, then R don't mean jack.

Phil

 

[The One]

I have a similar question if you guys don't mind me thread jacking.

I am insulating and heating a garage/workshop that is 28x27 with 2x4 construction. I am in northern WI and will probably leave the temp in the winter around 55F and in the summer around 70F.

Am I better off insulating to R14 in the walls and R36 in the ceiling (2" of spray foam, remaining blown.) or spending the extra $1000 or so to go R21 in the walls and R60 in the ceiling?

I am young and healthy and have no plans to move (I have acreage here and my family likes it here) so if it takes a long time to pay off as an investment that is fine.

 

[matt_i]

Weird stuff can happen due to all of the snowmelt, it can up the humidity.

I have heard from more than one location that the increased temp causes the rust reactions to speed up, but I have no personal evidence for or against. However I've always kept my vehicles outside in the cold.

I think if you keep records of utility bills it will be apparent in a couple of months as compared to the year previous. If you maintained 32F with just heat bled from the house, then its probably not going to be a big dent.

 

[Showkey]

North central Wisconsin very well insulated 1000 sqft and 50* all winter with regular work at 65*........my NAT gas bill is combined shop and home. Ceiling mount 60k BTU failed replaced with 45k btu. My best guess is similar to the others at $30 per month. No change in the bill when the heater was changed.

 

[yeldogt]

I have a similar question if you guys don't mind me thread jacking.

I am insulating and heating a garage/workshop that is 28x27 with 2x4 construction. I am in northern WI and will probably leave the temp in the winter around 55F and in the summer around 70F.

Am I better off insulating to R14 in the walls and R36 in the ceiling (2" of spray foam, remaining blown.) or spending the extra $1000 or so to go R21 in the walls and R60 in the ceiling?

I am young and healthy and have no plans to move (I have acreage here and my family likes it here) so if it takes a long time to pay off as an investment that is fine.

So they are saying 2" is enough ? I would add a bit -- I did 2.5 with my flash and batt job. How are you doing the ceilings?

My studio is around 1700sf and the heating load is about 14k 00 that's what proper closed foam can do.

 

[b-boy]

I have a similar question if you guys don't mind me thread jacking.

I am insulating and heating a garage/workshop that is 28x27 with 2x4 construction. I am in northern WI and will probably leave the temp in the winter around 55F and in the summer around 70F.

Am I better off insulating to R14 in the walls and R36 in the ceiling (2" of spray foam, remaining blown.) or spending the extra $1000 or so to go R21 in the walls and R60 in the ceiling?

I am young and healthy and have no plans to move (I have acreage here and my family likes it here) so if it takes a long time to pay off as an investment that is fine.

I'd spend the extra money now. It's a lot harder to do it later. If you're looking to save money, I'd max out the ceiling before adding to the walls.

 

[The One]

So they are saying 2" is enough ? I would add a bit -- I did 2.5 with my flash and batt job. How are you doing the ceilings?

My studio is around 1700sf and the heating load is about 14k 00 that's what proper closed foam can do.

I've had 2 insulators out and they both quoted me for 2". I think due to my area, especially a garage, they would rather quote low and get the job than quote high and lose the job.

For the ceilings I am thinking 2" of spray foam bringing it to R14 and then bringing it all the way up with blown in cellulose.

I'd spend the extra money now. It's a lot harder to do it later. If you're looking to save money, I'd max out the ceiling before adding to the walls.

I can put the money into it if it's beneficial. I just don't know how far to go.

My HVAC guy is coming over tomorrow and I need to check with him if I go with too much insulation the furnace will be too small to recover when the overhead doors open.

 

[James-W]

Insulation is a wonderful thing and it can certainly save you money on heating bills. However, after a certain point adding more insulation doesn't do very much. With each inch of insulation you add, the amount of savings you get from that extra inch goes down. After a certain point the payback time would be such that adding more insulation wouldn't save you enough money to pay for itself unless you live practically forever.

 

[Matti]

My garage is well insulated (24x26x11 with R24 walls and R40 roof) and I never noticed the increase in my NG bill. I can't say I tracked it from the previous year It had to have gone up but not significantly I guess.

 

[Garett]

My garage is 80x30, I have in floor radiant in for about the first 3'x30' where it connects to the living area. The rest is not heated, it's well insulated but it does get cold in the winter. I've been looking at hanging a 220 electric heater from the ceiling for the simplicity of it. I just know I'll get in trouble from the other half if the garage gets heater before we upgrade the unit in the house!

 

[cwlo]

Does anyone do realtime electric pricing? I have heard it is sometimes at zero cost. I would gladly run an electric heater during those times, but not sure if its just an urban myth.

 

[Matti]

Does anyone do realtime electric pricing? I have heard it is sometimes at zero cost. I would gladly run an electric heater during those times, but not sure if its just an urban myth.

I have heard of very cheap power for industrial users that buy on the spot market at night to run big pipeline pumps, etc. but thats it.