Heat Suggestion

[Marcmcm]

Been lurking here for awhile and the time has come for a garage project.

I have a small 13.5' x 23' (interior) workshop that I work on motorcycles. I Currently it's all studded and sheeted. I've recently started insulating the walls with R-13 and I'm planning on sheeting the ceiling with 3/16 prefinished paneling, glued and nailed with R-38 above.

The shop has a 100amp panel and Natural Gas is not available. I would prefer not to use propane due to the cost. Any suggestions on heaters? I live in PA and this week will have highs in the teens. I've been checking out Northern Tool and a few others. What should I be looking for. So far I think that a 4000-5000 watt electric 240V heater should do the trick. Am I on the right track?

 

[tfi racing]

One of those heaters should get it smokin' hot in there.Another choice would be baseboard heaters,15-2000 or so watts should be plenty for a space that size,as long as the big door isn't used a lot.

 

[Marcmcm]

One of those heaters should get it smokin' hot in there.Another choice would be baseboard heaters,15-2000 or so watts should be plenty for a space that size,as long as the big door isn't used a lot.

Unfortunately the big door is the only way in or out. I would like to get something with a thermostat and keep it 45-50 in the winter so I don't have to change the Water Wetter to anti-freeze in the race bike

 

[Steve in Mi]

My suggestion is buy 2 1500 watt electric space heaters with thermostat control. The reason for 2 heaters, one may be over taxed in the very cold weather we are having now and secondly if one heater should fail the other will keep it above freezing (protect the bike) and finally two heaters with fans will give you better distribution of the heat.

 

[Marcmcm]

My suggestion is buy 2 1500 watt electric space heaters with thermostat control. The reason for 2 heaters, one may be over taxed in the very cold weather we are having now and secondly if one heater should fail the other will keep it above freezing (protect the bike) and finally two heaters with fans will give you better distribution of the heat.

I wouldn't think that 2 1500 watt space heaters would be enough to bring it up to temp to actually work in there in the winter. All the BTU calculators I've looked at say 4000+ watts and almost 14,000 BTUs.

 

[Steve in Mi]

My suggestion is based on what I found to be acceptable for my 13.5 X 25 garage in the early 70's. My space was sealed up tight with R-13 in the walls and R-24 in the ceiling, poly barrier behind the drywall. I did have a 32" man door, one 24 X 34 window and seldom opened the 7 X 9 overhead (all wood and uninsulated). I worked on restoration of wood working and metal working equipment mostly in the Winter and often used the small portable heaters to warm items to be painted and baking the painted items as they dried. Of coarse that was just a PLUS to warming up the space.

It wasn't the best of conditions in the colder periods but was workable. As I think back on it today (and shiver a little), I wonder why I didn't get another one or even two more space heaters to boost the initial warm-up. It was slow. The 110 volt portable heaters were less than $20.00 each at the time I bought them. I still have one of them today and it has seen duty in our 16.5' camper trailer (save the LP gas when electric hookup is available) and occasionally to bake a paint job.

Back to the garage space. Adding a third portable space heater will get you to 4,500 watts just be sure you feed them a strong 15 amps each and not overload any circuits.

Oh yah, I was younger then and not as soft. Today I heat my two story hobby shop 24/7 to ~63-65, it's so sweet to spend time in my shop. Headed back out there now!

 

[Kevin54]

For the size, my wife has a 20'x20' building. R19 in the walls, R32 in the ceiling. She keeps it at 65* with two of the oil filled radiators that you see at Lowes, etc. And she keeps them set on 4 out of the #6 settings. Propane wouldn't be all that outrageous. You can get a stand-alone tank at 120 gal. and put a small propane heater in. As well as you are going to insulate it and for the size, it wouldn't use much. I have a 28'x36' garage, keep it at 50 when I am not in there, and turn it up when I am, and on the average it will last me 2 months depending on what I am doing. When I am out there I cranks the furnace up to where I can be out in short sleeves. That is using a house furnace. My wifes building with the oil filled heaters keeps it real comfortable. That's my opinion for a small space.

 

[dstryr]

You are on the right track. A long-standing rule of thumb for a fairly well insulated residential space is 10watts/square foot. You may lose more heat if your floor is an uninsulated slab or if you have an overhead type garage door that isn't as well insulated as your walls and ceiling, but at 310 square feet a 4kw-5kw heater should be able keep you warm.

 

[walrus]

Heat loss calculation might make sense?

 

[dstryr]

I used 2 calculators a few minutes ago. First came out at 3488 watts, assuming -20*F lowest temp with a 70*F target, un-insulated slab on grade, 9' walls, 7x9 overhead door, no service door.

2nd one came out at 3635 watts based on similar criteria, adding one 2'x3' window(6sqft). I think 4kw will keep you warm, 5kw will get you warm faster unless you leave the thermostat up when you're not in the space. Hope this helps.