Heater for garage

[Jimmyb]

I have a two car attached garage and looking for something to use to make it more comfortable. To be honest it isn’t bad in the winter jeans and a hoodie but would like to be able to work in a t shirt. I know I can get a propane heater but Is that safe with saw dust and everything else floating around?
First world problems I know but if I spend 100 dollars and very comfortable it’s worth it for me.


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[James-W]

I have a two car attached garage and looking for something to use to make it more comfortable. To be honest it isn’t bad in the winter jeans and a hoodie but would like to be able to work in a t shirt. I know I can get a propane heater but Is that safe with saw dust and everything else floating around?
First world problems I know but if I spend 100 dollars and very comfortable it’s worth it for me.

I have a Hot Dawg natural gas heater and I do woodworking without an issue. But it is going to cost a lot more than $100 for the heater and getting it vented and run the gas to it. I hired it all done and it cost me right at $2,000 but it is done correctly and looks and works great. It wasn't cheap but I feel it is worth every penny I spent. I keep the garage at 50 degrees when I am not out there working, and I crank it up 70 degrees when I am working on a project.

 

[pbon]

If the OP’s garage never gets colder than jeans and a hoodie temperatures, he probably does not need a 45k btu shop heater. But with the details he provided about size, ceiling height, insulation and winter temperatures, we can’t offer any specific advice.

 

[cvairwerks]

I’ve got a window unit that will heat or cool, that sits up on one level of the pallet racking in the garage. I only use it for heat for our outside animals, so it’s not set up thru a wall. Have it set to 65 degrees for the most part. If I’m going to be out there working much, I bump it to about 72 until I’m comfortable.

 

[Bretny]

All these heater threads and no one posts where they live. Jeans and a hoodie sounds wonderfull. Im alreaty upto jeans and a jacket.

 

[Mick56]

I'm in Wisconsin and have an attached 2 car garage, fully insulated. If I need some heat out there in the winter, I just open the house door and let heat go out there. Gets it warm enough to be comfortable, and no extra heater, furnace or chimney to worry about.

 

[JPinSTL]

Location and garage size would be helpful? Insulated??

At my old house (in the city) I had a 24x24 concrete block garage with a raftered roof, so high ceilings with no insulation. I upgraded the electrical from a single 120/20 to 240/60 so I could run a compressor and welder. I hung one of these electric heaters in the corner. A 30A #10ga circuit was all that it needed and no fuel to mess with.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200631888_200631888

Made a huge difference in comfort. Evenings I'd turn it on when I got home, go in and eat etc, then work out there for a couple hrs and at least wouldn't see my breath. Weekends it would be plenty comfortable as I'd just leave it on Fri nite.

 

[Locker537]

I'm looking for the similar advice.

Two car garage. Walls are insulated but no drywall.

Rafters are open, no insulation. Open soffit vents.

Obviously insulating the ceiling and creating a vented attic space would be valuable.

110v electric only.

House is natural gas.

I'm not sure where to start, but I don't mind doing it right and or in stages. No issues with wearing a sweatshirt in the garage, I'm in New England after all!

 

[Showkey]

I'm looking for the similar advice.

Two car garage. Walls are insulated but no drywall.

Rafters are open, no insulation. Open soffit vents.

Obviously insulating the ceiling and creating a vented attic space would be valuable.

110v electric only.

House is natural gas.

I'm not sure where to start, but I don't mind doing it right and or in stages. No issues with wearing a sweatshirt in the garage, I'm in New England after all!

You guys are late.......garage heat questions are October’s ? Of the month. It’s was 8* this morning here !
There are 100 other posts on these exact questions........

Start with insulation, it not only valuable, it’s critical...........there’s absolutely no sense in heating a garage space with no insulation. Yes, once or twice a month
a giant torpedo heater to get a job is ok and done all the time.

OP sounds like a $100 unvented heater ........good for temporary heat only, fumes from the flame and fumes from the stuff in shop going through the flame it stinks, makes your eyes water and generally not good for you......plus unvented add huge amounts of moisture. But guys use them all the time.

NAT has heater installed as post 2 states can easily be $2k done by a pro and not hard to double that $2k on location and complexity.

 

[Locker537]

You guys are late.......garage heat questions are October’s ? Of the month. It’s was 8* this morning here !
There are 100 other posts on these exact questions........

Start with insulation, it not only valuable, it’s critical...........there’s absolutely no sense in heating a garage space with no insulation. Yes, once or twice a month
a giant torpedo heater to get a job is ok and done all the time.

OP sounds like a $100 unvented heater ........good for temporary heat only, fumes from the flame and fumes from the stuff in shop going through the flame it stinks, makes your eyes water and generally not good for you......plus unvented add huge amounts of moisture. But guys use them all the time.

NAT has heater installed as post 2 states can easily be $2k done by a pro and not hard to double that $2k on location and complexity.

Ha, October? I've been in this house nearly 10 years without the garage being heated! In New England no less!

 

[That1Guy]

Ha, October? I've been in this house nearly 10 years without the garage being heated! In New England no less!

I think what Showkey meant was that these types of heating questions should be asked in October so the work can be done by the time it gets cold.

With insulated walls, you are already ahead of the game. Believe it or not, just adding heavy mil plastic to the ceiling will make a huge difference. It stops all the warm air from rising straight up and out the ridge vent or gable vents. Adding a ceiling and adding either batt or blown insulation is an absolute game changer! I cannot stress enough how big a difference these changes will make.

As far as a ceiling goes - give SERIOUS consideration and research to a corrugated steel ceiling. I know drywall "seems" cheaper but only if you never plan to finish the drywall. All of the extras that come with finishing a drywall ceiling (or walls for that matter) completely eliminate the price difference IMO. With the steel, there is no mudding, taping, sanding, priming, painting and the panels weigh a fraction of the same size drywall sheets. Not to mention it looks pretty amazing when it's done - just sayin.