Garage heater needed - seeking advice

[ksarauer]

I've got an attached 24x24 garage with 10'6 ceilings. The walls are rocked and insulated, the ceiling is rocked, no insulation yet (will be in the near future). I'm looking to heat it and not sure which way to go, radiant tube or the traditional modine heaters. Will be using NG for fuel source.

I do have a larger modine heater in a detached 30x50 shop that I'm happy with but thinking the radiant tube would be better in a smaller space. My concern is parking vehicles under the tube heater. Is this a concern? From the cab of my truck to the ceiling is 53", so I'd be close to the clearance limits of most heaters.

What are others thoughts? Go traditional or radiant tube?

 

[ksarauer]

If it makes a difference, I'm in central MN, north of the twin cities.

 

[BillK]

How often are you going to need it heated ? A traditional heater will warm it up a lot quicker if you are not going to keep it heated all of the time. I would be concerned with the radiant heat on vehicles myself.

For what its worth my attached garage is 22 x 22 with 8' ceiling and I have a 5000 W electric heater that keeps it perfect for part time use but you are probably a little colder up there

 

[Dagny]

Reznor makes the best unit heater. Your house furnace may be able to do it but there are codes that may not like it. I put a high eff. furnace in my shop but I wanted AC.

 

[PoorUB]

My concern is parking vehicles under the tube heater. Is this a concern?

Yes, it is a huge concern. I have seen vehicle parked under infrared heaters that burned the paint, melted clearance lights, plastic trim on the top of the cab. Some companies want 5-6 feet of clearance.

Some companies manufacture lower clearance heaters, I don't know who, but I have seen information on the 'net.

Make sure what ever brand you are considering that you find the installation manual before you buy and give the clearances a good look.

I would hang a 30,000 BTU unit heater in it.

If anyone says 30,000 BTU is too small, my buddy has a 24x32 garage he heats with 17,000 BTU.

 

[Jackfre]

A Rinnai EX-22 will do this for you. Sits on the floor against the wall. 2.75” hole for the vent which is provided in the box. takes 2-3 hrs to install.

 

[daws87]

My garage is about the same size as yours and I installed the Big Maxx 50k BTU. Keep it at 50 degrees all winter long and if I'm out there for an extended time it gets up to 65-70 degrees very quickly.

Menards has the heater right now for a really solid price. I wouldn't put off insulating the attic/ceiling though as you'll be throwing money away if you install a heater and don't insulate that soon.

I did blow in on my ceiling to about R49 and air sealed everything prior to that. Super easy and cost effective if you do it yourself.

 

[ksarauer]

Yes, it is a huge concern. I have seen vehicle parked under infrared heaters that burned the paint, melted clearance lights, plastic trim on the top of the cab. Some companies want 5-6 feet of clearance.

Some companies manufacture lower clearance heaters, I don't know who, but I have seen information on the 'net.

Make sure what ever brand you are considering that you find the installation manual before you buy and give the clearances a good look.

I would hang a 30,000 BTU unit heater in it.

If anyone says 30,000 BTU is too small, my buddy has a 24x32 garage he heats with 17,000 BTU.

Thank you, this is what I needed to hear. Even though I like the radiant heat over forced air, I'm gonna cross these off the list for the garage.

A Rinnai EX-22 will do this for you. Sits on the floor against the wall. 2.75” hole for the vent which is provided in the box. takes 2-3 hrs to install.

I hadn't considered these, I'l take a look at them.

My garage is about the same size as yours and I installed the Big Maxx 50k BTU. Keep it at 50 degrees all winter long and if I'm out there for an extended time it gets up to 65-70 degrees very quickly.

Menards has the heater right now for a really solid price. I wouldn't put off insulating the attic/ceiling though as you'll be throwing money away if you install a heater and don't insulate that soon.

I did blow in on my ceiling to about R49 and air sealed everything prior to that. Super easy and cost effective if you do it yourself.

I'm planning on blowing the ceiling once I get it installed. Didn't want to blow it until I have all the wiring/lines in place.

 

[PoorUB]

Thank you, this is what I needed to hear. Even though I like the radiant heat over forced air, I'm gonna cross these off the list for the garage.

I wouldn't give up on that style of heater, just do some research before you buy. I believe there are radiant heaters that will work with lower clearances.

 

[ambenz]

I have 660 Squares of barely insulated R13 to R8 on ceiling. I have used area rugs on the floor where we store our summer vehicles.
I keep my garage at 55F 24/7 in the winter with a Procom ventless 3 feet away from my Mustang under a window...


I paid $220 for the heater, at Menards, 10 years ago. It has a built in snap switched fan to broadcast the heat. I wired in a relay to the circuit so I can use a box fan over the heater to blow around the discharge the 30 feet over to the other side of the garage. I also have a smoke alarm I can hear though a baby monitor. The heater has been in service for 10 winters now without any issues.
My garage was built in 2002.

 

[4x4Pete]

In my opinion, radiant tube heat is better than forced air for comfort, it has almost no noise and there's no dust blowing around or air filters to maintain. But, like other radiant heat systems, you have to maintain a fairly constant temperature for it to be the most effective. I chose a radiant tube over all other systems, since I built my shop the choice was mine to make, and I wouldn't change a thing. I also worked in the industry for 30 years. I have a 52" tv mounted within 20" of the heater and it hasn't been damaged, as well as my old firebird and several motorcycles in there depending on the project at hand without any problem with paint or plastics on anything. My shop has a 12'6" ceiling and the heater is mounted at a 45 across the back.

 

[pbon]

My garage is about the same size as yours and I installed the Big Maxx 50k BTU. Keep it at 50 degrees all winter long and if I'm out there for an extended time it gets up to 65-70 degrees very quickly.

Menards has the heater right now for a really solid price. I wouldn't put off insulating the attic/ceiling though as you'll be throwing money away if you install a heater and don't insulate that soon.

I did blow in on my ceiling to about R49 and air sealed everything prior to that. Super easy and cost effective if you do it yourself.

I have one of these as well in a roughly 800SF attached garage/shop and run mine all winter at about 65 unless I am away, in which case I drop it to 55-60. Bought for about $250 on sale 6-7 years ago and paid more than that for the stainless horizontal vent kit. It can heat the 2nd floor as well if I leave the door open at the top of the stairs, but I rarely do that.

If money had been no object, I would have bought a smaller unit, 30 or 40k, with separate inlet/outlet air.