Radiant Tube Heater Location

[Dreamshop]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I built my last 17 x 19 garage simply by poking around here and putting info together. Thanks for that!

Now, we've moved to the country with more property. I'm in the design phase of my 32 x 48 detached shop so I'll need lots of input very soon!

In the mean time, I just bought a used tube heater to put in my detached (21'x 23'x10')garage. The tube heater is a 40k BTU unit. It utilizes 5" concentric venting and a 24V thermostat.

I'm hoping some of you can chime in that have used one of these heaters before on the location. My first idea was off the ceiling dead center of the garage between the back wall and the garage door opener. Then I though perhaps over top of the window (I'd take the shelf and light out). Then I thought maybe off the side (exterior) wall between the back wall and the garage door track.

Any input on which might be best? I've only ever used force air heaters before so I don't know exactly how radiant distributes it's heat..

Here's some pictures. Please excuse the mess, we just move in a month ago.....

 

[PoorUB]

What brand and model is it. Many of these tube heaters need 7-8 feet under them for clearance to any surfaces because they really pump out the heat. Too close to the roof of a car and it can even burn the paint, or at least melt plastic trim and rubber window seals.
Before you one step farther find the install information on the heater. I seriously doubt you an install it in your garage with a 10 foot ceiling.
10 foot ceiling, mounting the heater about a foot below so 9 feet, then you might need 7 feet of clearance below it, so nothing over two feet tall in your garage!

 

[Dreamshop]

What brand and model is it. Many of these tube heaters need 7-8 feet under them for clearance to any surfaces because they really pump out the heat. Too close to the roof of a car and it can even burn the paint, or at least melt plastic trim and rubber window seals.
Before you one step farther find the install information on the heater. I seriously doubt you an install it in your garage with a 10 foot ceiling.
10 foot ceiling, mounting the heater about a foot below so 9 feet, then you might need 7 feet of clearance below it, so nothing over two feet tall in your garage!

It is a EZ radiant Heatwave. Right on the unit the clearances are:

4" from top, 32" below, 18" side. I helped this before I bought it. It's actually designed for this purpose.

 

[PoorUB]

EZ radiant Heatwave

Well, that helps a lot. Keep in mind with the clearance above, the thickness of the heater and the 32" below you will end up about 3-1/2 feet from the ceiling for clearances below, or about 6-1/2 feet from the floor for the tallest item under the heater. Do you have a full sized pickup? don't put the heater over it!

Are you venting through the roof or the side wall, and do you have room under the soffit if you go side wall?

As far as locating the unit, closer to work area is better, but if your concern is to just heat the area then centrally located in the garage is probably best.

Often the venting, and what ever else is in the way limits the placement choices.

 

[Dreamshop]

Well, that helps a lot. Keep in mind with the clearance above, the thickness of the heater and the 32" below you will end up about 3-1/2 feet from the ceiling for clearances below, or about 6-1/2 feet from the floor for the tallest item under the heater. Do you have a full sized pickup? don't put the heater over it!

Are you venting through the roof or the side wall, and do you have room under the soffit if you go side wall?

As far as locating the unit, closer to work area is better, but if your concern is to just heat the area then centrally located in the garage is probably best.

Often the venting, and what ever else is in the way limits the placement choices.

Thanks for the replies! I plan on venting out the side wall or back wall. If going out the back it will be under the soffit, I should have enough room. Realistically if I place it horizontal in the middle of the garage it would vent right out over a garage window, maybe not optimal.

As far as working area, after the construction of my new shop, this garage will only be heated storage for the daily drivers and passage to the side dog run. So my main concern is generally a heated area in the ball park of 55*

 

[PoorUB]

If it is an operable window it might be against code to vent immediately above it.

Down load the manual and study it well.

Watch out! Many time soffits are lower that the ceiling, by a large amount so you may need to mount the heater lower than you realize to clear the soffit.

 

[Dreamshop]

If it is an operable window it might be against code to vent immediately above it.

Down load the manual and study it well.

Watch out! Many time soffits are lower that the ceiling, by a large amount so you may need to mount the heater lower than you realize to clear the soffit.

If it is an operable window it might be against code to vent immediately above it.

Down load the manual and study it well.

Watch out! Many time soffits are lower that the ceiling, by a large amount so you may need to mount the heater lower than you realize to clear the soffit.

All very good points! Thanks for the input.

 

[cannuck]

I have a 39 x 26 shop/garage in back yard of house in town. I designed it to suit a 20' (IIRC 80k btu) radiant tube down the center. I did this by dividing the shop into 3 bays - a 10 x 26 center bay that is about 13' high with an open to the peak ceiling and the heater sits there. There are trusses on 2 beams that give a side ceiling set up with overhead storage racks within the trusses. I have parked cars and trucks under the heater for 38 years and have never damaged any, but it is definitely a lot warmer in that center bay than to the sides. Heater is about 5' above tallest car or truck that uses the vehicle bay.

As others have mentioned: follow the manufacturer's instructions/limits since that is what the gas inspector will use to determine if your installation is legal. I have an overhead crane in my center bay and I have to remove and hide it when gas work is done (happened twice) to pass inspection (second one due this spring as I am going to change exhaust vent to other end). I don't think you want to go overhead with 10' of ceiling, from other installations I have seen they seem to work very well when on one wall as high as possible with no obstructions allowing IR to reach opposite side (that it does quite easily).

 

[gmcgeo]

That STI though!

 

[Dreamshop]

That STI though!

Lol. It's been sleeping so long up here I forget it's even there! Nice ride! That was the other colour I was looking at.

 

[gmcgeo]

Lol. It's been sleeping so long up here I forget it's even there! Nice ride! That was the other colour I was looking at.

Thanks! it has 12,000 miles 2019, so far short shifter, cobb intake and stage 1 tune. getting the Invidia R400 exhaust in two weeks

 

[Dreamshop]

I have a 39 x 26 shop/garage in back yard of house in town. I designed it to suit a 20' (IIRC 80k btu) radiant tube down the center. I did this by dividing the shop into 3 bays - a 10 x 26 center bay that is about 13' high with an open to the peak ceiling and the heater sits there. There are trusses on 2 beams that give a side ceiling set up with overhead storage racks within the trusses. I have parked cars and trucks under the heater for 38 years and have never damaged any, but it is definitely a lot warmer in that center bay than to the sides. Heater is about 5' above tallest car or truck that uses the vehicle bay.

As others have mentioned: follow the manufacturer's instructions/limits since that is what the gas inspector will use to determine if your installation is legal. I have an overhead crane in my center bay and I have to remove and hide it when gas work is done (happened twice) to pass inspection (second one due this spring as I am going to change exhaust vent to other end). I don't think you want to go overhead with 10' of ceiling, from other installations I have seen they seem to work very well when on one wall as high as possible with no obstructions allowing IR to reach opposite side (that it does quite easily).

Yeah I think I'm leaning to having it in the far wall. Unfortunately @PoorUB was right. My soffit is not as high as my ceiling. And the heater doesn't have an option for roof venting. May have to rethink my plan of attack.....

 

[Dreamshop]

Thanks! it has 12,000 miles 2019, so far short shifter, cobb intake and stage 1 tune. getting the Invidia R400 exhaust in two weeks

This one is a 2015 with 59k kms (36k miles. Way too many mods to list and more in boxes waiting for install.

 

[PoorUB]

Yeah I think I'm leaning to having it in the far wall. Unfortunately @PoorUB was right. My soffit is not as high as my ceiling. And the heater doesn't have an option for roof venting. May have to rethink my plan of attack.....

It helps after you have installed a hundred or so garage heaters. You think ahead a bit!

I can't tell you how many times someone wanted a garage heater and they were very specific about where they wanted it and how high only to have soffit or something else in the way.

 

[Dreamshop]

It helps after you have installed a hundred or so garage heaters. You think ahead a bit!

OK well then can I ask you, is there any reason I couldn't angle the piping down more this specified to get the clearance?

 

[PoorUB]

OK well then can I ask you, is there any reason I couldn't angle the piping down more this specified to get the clearance?

Heat wants to rise, so I would imagine if you drop the exhaust angle down too much it may screw with the operation of the heater.

 

[Dreamshop]

Heat wants to rise, so I would imagine if you drop the exhaust angle down too much it may screw with the operation of the heater.

Yeah makes sense