Electric Plug in Heater for 2 car Garage

[schmiddlicous]

Can anyone recommend a plug in electric 2 car garage that I use as a home gym. Its insulated and I am assuming 120v since its just regular looking outlets. Looking to keep it at 60 degrees in winter.

 

[Stuart in MN]

The biggest heater that will plug into a regular 120vac outlet is 1500 watts. It doesn't make much difference which one you get, they're all going to put out the same amount of heat.

However, without knowing the size of your garage or where you're located (at the North Pole or the equator) it's hard to say how much good a little plugin heater is going to do.

 

[schmiddlicous]

The biggest heater that will plug into a regular 120vac outlet is 1500 watts. It doesn't make much difference which one you get, they're all going to put out the same amount of heat.

However, without knowing the size of your garage or where you're located (at the North Pole or the equator) it's hard to say how much good a little plugin heater is going to do.

a little less then 500 sq feet and located on the PA MD boarder above Baltimore.

 

[owenst7]

Costco sells a nice parabolic infrared space heater for about $60. You will probably spend a fortune in electricity trying to keep that area warm. 1500 watts isn't really going to be enough power to heat the place up quickly enough to only maintain the space when you're in there. Alternatively, if you're working hard in a gym, it shouldn't be bad if it's not very warm. Those parabolic heaters will do an excellent job throwing heat wherever they are pointed. I use one in the garage when it's 35°F and just point in at my work space. It will feel hot 10 feet away.

 

[schmiddlicous]

I am wondering since its an attached garage to my kitchen if I just leave the door open. Maybe the house heat will creep in... Guess I wont really know till the winter really hits.

 

[owenst7]

I am wondering since its an attached garage to my kitchen if I just leave the door open. Maybe the house heat will creep in... Guess I wont really know till the winter really hits.

If you have any humidity there and you do that regularly, you might start having issues with ice damming on the roof or condensation on the ceiling. I'm not familiar with your climate, but that is a huge problem in Alaska and I see it on a lot of older homes in reno even despite the dry climate. I'm guessing you don't have any vapor barrier over the insulation or any means of ventilation.

 

[Falcon67]

I'm pretty sure that most cold days that 1500w would be running 100% of the time.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I have to agree on the parabolic heater, you point it at what you want it to heat.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

My dad was wanting the same thing at his house in central Indiana. I bought him 2 each 1500 Watt heaters and it was enough to keep the garage 50ish during cold weather. So, they would never shut off on the t-stat.

1.5KW X 2 X 24 Hours per Day X 90 Winter Days X $.10/KWH = $648/winter power cost

So...if I was the power company, I'd be giving these away for free.

Good luck!

Phil

 

[Forest Road]

I built my 16'x24x10' garage last year. Wired it for 2 - 240v 4500w heaters. Installed one heater in rear corner and kept it at 60 all winter in NJ. Haven't needed to install the second heater. If you can run a 240v line you'll be happy.

Even on the coldest days I could warm it up to 70 in a few minutes.


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[Shiftless]

I built my 16'x24x10' garage last year. Wired it for 2 - 240v 4500w heaters. Installed one heater in rear corner and kept it at 60 all winter in NJ. Haven't needed to install the second heater. If you can run a 240v line you'll be happy.

Even on the coldest days I could warm it up to 70 in a few minutes.


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A single 4500 watt heater puts out about 15,000 BTU/hr. Lots of GJ members run 40,000 BTU or bigger heat plants. You evidently have a very tight and well insulated garage. Those of us who don't (like me!) envy you.

 

[TractorJeff]

If it is insulated and attached at the kitchen. Just leave the kitchen door open and put a 1500 watt heater at the far wall from the door. I think you will be surprised at how quick it heats up!

 

[Forest Road]

A single 4500 watt heater puts out about 15,000 BTU/hr. Lots of GJ members run 40,000 BTU or bigger heat plants. You evidently have a very tight and well insulated garage. Those of us who don't (like me!) envy you.

Yup! 6" insulated walls and doors. No windows.


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[fdtrucks]

I had a single car attached garage when I was stationed in KS. Since it was post housing and I couldnt modify anything, I doubled up two king size blankets over the uninsulated garage door and secured them with locking pliers. This alone helped a lot, the high winds in the Flint hills are mean in the winter. I kept a chicken coup heat lamp on over my weight area directed at the steel plates. I also had a radiator heater I set to med, and surrounded it with bricks, old brake drums/rotors, and it was placed towards the garage door. The workout equipment was never ice cold to the touch, and the radiating heat from the steel, stone, and heater at the other end helped a ton. Often times my wife complained of the heat towards the end of her workouts. It can take a bit to heat up the mass of steel and stone, but once its hot, it will radiate for hours.

 

[AirJunky]

I have the Costco infrared heater & a patio umbrella heater that I store in the garage suspended from the ceiling. Both of them turned on will warm the place up in an hour or so on the coldest winter days.