Shed is a 40x60x10. Just picked up a bit maxx 80kbtu but debating where to hang it. As seen in my crude drawing I have two walk through doors and 2 over head doors. My first location i was thinking of hanging in the corner at a 45* facing the opposite corner. Second location would be on the west wall pointing straight to the east wall in between the bathroom and the overhead door. The east overhead door is actually where my driveway is so that door would be openee once in awhile but not often. Would one be more beneficial then the other and where would be best spot for thermostat. Also have 4 ceiling fans already installed that continuously run
Heater hanging location
- Thread starter Reit38
- Start date
Undersized? If it's heated constantly I'd say it's probably oversized! Not ridiculously though.
MichaelP
Well-known member
I have this size heater in a well insulated former 2.5-car garage in WI (20'x30'x10', IIRC), and it's about right. After the initial heating which takes about 20-30 min, it switches ON and OFF about every 10 minutes or so in the winter. And I don't open the garage door.
Before the garage was insulated, the same heater could take 2-4 hours of continious work to bring temperature to about 60F.
It blows hot air diagonally from a back corner.
Before the garage was insulated, the same heater could take 2-4 hours of continious work to bring temperature to about 60F.
It blows hot air diagonally from a back corner.
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TurnipTruck
Well-known member
80k btu is easily heating my 40x60x14 here in Alaska. I started out with a new 80k big maxx in a back corner, but it is now the rarely used backup to a nearly new 80k 95% efficient ducted furnace that blows into each of the back corners and the upstairs office then wafts into the tall part.
Try hard to put the thermostat on an interior wall instead of one of the perimeter walls, and definitely don’t place it where the heater will blow on it and the sun won’t shine on it. So thermostat on a bathroom wall and the heater in the corner.
Try hard to put the thermostat on an interior wall instead of one of the perimeter walls, and definitely don’t place it where the heater will blow on it and the sun won’t shine on it. So thermostat on a bathroom wall and the heater in the corner.
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I have a 40 x 60 built by a "Tinner" freind for his fab shop. H put in the center of the far 40' end blowing through the shop so as one said above somewhat away from where I ussually work (not a tinner). It is 100,000 BTU's and as said warms it up pretty fact in Colorado. He put the thermostat directly below and slightly behind it (off the exterior wall on a small wall that supports a shelf) so that the return air it pulls in goes right past the thermostat. I love it!
Assuming reasonable insulation, 30 BTU per square foot will generally heat a shop building.
40x60=2400 sqft.
2400x30 BTU= 72000 BTU
72000 X .80 (Efficiency of the heater) = 57600 BTU
I might recommend a larger unit, but I don't know the location, or the building construction. He is at 24 BTU per sqft.
As for where to hang the heater, I would generally have it blow it at the largest heat loss, but my unit is doing the opposite as I hung it in a space that wouldn't be used for anything else.
With ceiling fans running all the time, hang it where ever you want. Some obscure place in the shop the you can't use for anything else.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
The general rule is to locate a heater so it's blowing at the largest heat loss, so in most garages and shops that means you put it in a back corner blowing diagonally towards the over head door.
58Yeoman
Well-known member
I put my 75k Big Maxx in the rear corner at a 45* angle pointing to the far corner. I mainly work nearest the heater where the double door is, it points toward the single door of the 24x40 shop. Metal shop with 6" in the ceiling and 1.5 styrofoam in the walls with osb covering. It does pretty well. The thermostat is on an outside wall below and to the right (as facing the heater) of the heater. No inside walls.
Recoveryman
Well-known member
For me to keep my 25' x 36' x 12' H machine shop comfy, I have a 80,000 btu gas updraft furnace situated 6" off the floor. It draws cool air off the floor which keeps my feet comfy. Just remember, the cold air on the floor is where you are working. For me to pull the cool air off the floor and thru the furnace works well. I work in short sleeves, usually a Tee shirt. Its too dangerous to work around a lathe or drill press with long sleeves. I would never want a hanging furnace. I have worked in shops with hanging heaters and froze my **** off. Good luck.
Recoveryman
Recoveryman
MichaelP
Well-known member
This would be ideal, indeed. But it takes precious floor space.
NO! Not if it is properly built.
carcruse
Well-known member
Make sure you take into account what you will have in the garage now AND in the future. My garage is 40x60x 12.5, I had to take into account where the GMC Motorhome would be parked, where my future lift would go, where open overhead door would be, where other tall vehicles or items would be, etc. so they were outside the minimum clearance from the heater.
That's what the ceiling fan is for...
Recoveryman
Well-known member
My furnace occupies about 6 square feet (2'x3'). Space well used.
Recoveryman
Recoveryman
Well-known member
To use a ceiling fan is like squirting warm water into a tubful of cold water. Remember, you are working in that tubful of cold water, hoping a little bit of warm water will hit you.
Recoveryman.
Recoveryman
Well-known member
I guess that it would depend on how tight and insulated the shop is. My shop is metal on the outside and insulated with only 2" of fiberglas batting on the walls and ceiling. Remember, I have 12' ceilings, and I take blood thinner, so I need more warmth than a young man.
Recoveryman.
When I used conventional furnace in my (leased) office warehouse it was just one 8 x 16 outlet at end of trunk after passing through office. Had a commercial box fan to pump (not dribble) the high warm air down into the concrete (kept temp moderate untill use then full bore. I (and many) am fully convinced the ceiling fan made alot of difference!
As I said above; I currently (40 x 60 x 12 shop) have a 100,000btu NG Lennox hanging shop heater with fins pointed slightly down across the length and get the same warmed concrete effect through the shop. I still may add a ceiling (or good box) fan to grab the excess heat floating above. Climbed up my 10’ step ladder and I could feel it up there. Thats MY heat up there!!
Recoveryman
Well-known member
You found what I learned, that it is beneficial to get the cold air (off the floor) and that leaves room for warmer air for your feet. Good luck
Recoveryman
I run a ceiling fan in my garage. It runs 24/7. I find it works very well to stir up the air. About as good as one can do with forced air in a shop. I could add a floor return, or bring the supply down and blow across the floor, but that only works if the furnace is running.
Is it perfect? No, floor heat would be better, but that option isn't available unless I want to spend tens of thousands of dollars.