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Heater for New Shop

Olympus

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2014
Messages
70
Location
Missouri
Hey everyone, last summer we moved to a new house and there was a shop already built. It is much smaller than the one I had built before, but this one is fully brick construction, all 4 sides brick, with blown in insulation for the walls and ceiling. Interior dimensions are 25ft by 29ft with 9.5ft ceiling height. The shop already has a hotel-style heat and a/c unit, I believe the are referred to as heat pumps. The problem is during the winter, the outside air is too cold to use in normal heat pump mode, so it goes into auxiliary heat mode. This is pretty pitiful in terms of the amount of heat it puts out. So I've learned that I need some other form of heat, at least something to supplement the auxiliary heat that is being put out by the heat pump.

Now floor space is a premium so I can't use something like a wood stove or pellet stove that takes up floor space year round. I've got too many things inside and I can't give up any more dedicated floor space.

The shop has a very tall and steep pitched roof so I have plenty of easy access to the attic area, so mounting a heater from the ceiling would be pretty easy. I do not have natural gas service, so it would either have to be propane or electric. I do have 200 amp service coming to the shop. I would prefer not to have to drill through the brick exterior walls for anything though. I could probably get by with a small forced air/torpedo propane heater or one of those tower style propane convection heaters. For $100, that would be the quick and easy fix. I don't spend a ton of time in the shop in the winter, just for little "piddle" projects on the weekend. If I could get the temp inside up to 60-65 degrees, I would be good with that. But I'm interested in everyone's thoughts on heaters for my shop. Thanks!
 
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toyotadriver

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
1,586
Go vented if you are gonna be burning a fuel for heat. Ventless ***** (but is better than freezing)
 

The Cobbler

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
25,824
Location
Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada
a propane forced air hanging heater would be my choice, but , since you don't want to drill the brick, and you are just out there randomly, a tank top or torpedo heater would do. Just know that they produce a lot of moisture and if you run it a lot , you'll have condensation form
 
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Olympus

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2014
Messages
70
Location
Missouri
I have a 5KW electric heater in my work shop and 23 Solar Panels that make 30 Amps in full sun.

I’ve looked at those too. I have plenty of electric service to my shop so I would not need solar panels. I’m just curious how fast they heat up a shop.
 

Ty.

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Messages
171
Location
Northern Wi
Non vented propane heaters ****. I used one for years and will never go back. The fumes and moisture were horrible. If your only running it to putz around out there and not heating it all the time I would go with a 240 wall mount electric heater. Simple to put up, no venting required, and will heat that area up to a comfortable temp in a short time.
 

jbwilkins

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
310
Location
Nashville Tn
I use a propane wall mount radiant heater in my unheated/uninsulated garage similar to this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dyna-Glo-30-000-BTU-Vent-Free-Infrared-LP-Wall-Heater-IR30PMDG-1/206556627

30k BTU's and run it off 20-30lb cylinders. It puts out enough heat to keep the space (25X30) warm after I use the 70k torpedo to knock the chill off. In an insulated garage it would probably be more than enough. They make convection units too.

Just keep it off the floor a bit, if you store gas in the garage the fumes are heavier than air. This is the same reason water heaters in garages are on stands.
 
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