Heating a lean to

[Horses Ghost]

OK here is my situation, I have a 30'X60' garage with a 12'X24' insulated lean to. The garage has floor heat and the lean to doesn't have anything. I don't want to add a heater in the lean so I am thinking that I can add a through wall fan and keep it somewhat warm that way. My question is should I push the air in the colder lean or pull the cold air into the heated garage?

 

[rburke65]

No heating contractor here buti would think ad long as you are circulating air what's the difference?

 

[The Cobbler]

I don't think it would make any difference either way, but I do suspect it will affect the air temperature of the main space . (much cooler)

 

[finn]

Pushing cold air from the lean to into the heated shop doesn't add any heat to the lean to air, so it is totally ineffective.

The replacement air inside the lean to will be outside air that leaks through the doors and windows.

 

[James-W]

If he has an opening in the wall so the warm air can circulate to the cold side as the cold air is being blown into the warm side, then it should work out OK.

Personally, I think it would be more practical to add some heat to the unheated side. If you aren't working out there you wouldn't need it to be 70 degrees, just keep it at maybe 50 degrees. That's what I do with my garage, then when I am working out there I turn it up to 70 degrees.

 

[D45]

Add a ventless radiant heater, one that is used for docks and open air spaced?

 

[tfinniii]

First thing to do is reduce heat loss thru frame and floor.

 

[Bretny]

I heat my house with a wood stove and moving the cold air is the best way. When you move hot air it cools.
What you will need to do is put a vent that connects both spaces high up on the leantoo and a fan blowing into the heated area. The more vents up high you put the better as it will slow the hot air moving through a small hole.
My house is about 50' long and i heat my back rooms with a simple box fan in the doorway when needed.

 

[Matt Matt]

Cut a hole as high as you can in the lean to and put an exhaust blower fan (The ones that have directable shrouds). What you're trying to do is **** the hot air from the top of your shop and blow it towards the floor in the lien to. Then cut circulation intakes from the lien to (close to the floor) kind of like a cold air return. This won't keep it warm out there, but it might take the edge off. You will feel a cold draft near the cold air returns. The cold air return should be twice the size of the port of the fan (or two of them). So if you mounted the fan centrally high up, on either end of lean to you can put down near the floor two intakes. You want to guard the intakes from varmints.