Help with Propane Heater vs. Electric

[BlackHills]

I am currently looking for a heater for my garage. I want to make sure that it stays warm enough to work in during South Dakota winters. My garage is about 1000 sq feet with 11 foot ceilings. The entire garage is completely insulated and rocked, along with nice insulated garage door.

I am trying to figure out what kind of options I have for heating it. I do not have any kind of gas running to my house (LP or NG), since my house is 100% electric. I was looking at the following Propane Heater and thinking of getting a portable tank that I could take into get filled up:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200307959_200307959

Another option is to use some sort of electric heat. Since my house is 100% electric, I have an excellent rate 3.5 cents per kwh (everyone else in my city pay 7-8 cents). So electric would be an option, I am just having trouble finding a heater in the $200-$250 range that would warm up a larger area.

The last option is to put a vent directly from my air handler to my garage. I am not sure that one vent would really make much of a difference. Plus I have a heat pump for my house, extremely efficient, but it works by running more often and kicking our warm air, not hot.

Anyway as you have probably figured out if you read this I am very confused on what would be best for me and ANY opions would be appreciated.

 

[BlackHills]

Some extra information... I mostly use my garage on the weekends. And with no heating the garage seems to stay at about 50 degrees when temps get down to 0.

 

[Junkman]

If you go with propane, I don't believe that the small tanks like those used on outdoor grills will work for this application.

 

[Mulahontas]

I am planning on the same type of tank that you use for outdoor grills, just bigger. The one that I am looking at is about 2-3 times the size of the small ones.

 

[Stuart in MN]

There is a selection of electric unit heaters here. although you'd probably need two of them:
http://www.heater-home.com/category/garage.aspx

You may be able to find something similar used, check the local want ads or Craigslist.com if they have a page for your area, or call around to local electricians to see if they have some sitting around.

 

[Winmon]

I was looking at the following Propane Heater and thinking of getting a portable tank that I could take into get filled up:

I have the 75k btu version of the Big Maxx you are looking at. Works great. Although, I think you are going to need a tank that is larger then a portable tank. We have a 250 gal. tank that supplies the house (for a propane fireplace) and the 75k btu heater in the garage. I only use my garage heater on the weekends and I came home last week to find the 250 gal tank completely empty. We have never even came close to running out before. Called the propane company and they showed that we should still have a 40% full tank based on our typical useage (this was the first month the garage heater was up and running). What I am saying is that even only using the garage heater on the weekends, you might be surprised how much gas you will burn........BTW, that is a great price on that 45k btu Big Maxx you linked to.

 

[RonBou]

Most propane companies will lease you a tank. I have a 100 gallon tank, leave my heat on 24/7 and only go through 2.5 tanks in a typical northeast winter. That is with a 60,000 btu hot dawg heater.

 

[Junkman]

Usage depends on quality of construction and insulation. Size also figures into the equation. Without the details of what size your garage is, and how well it is insulated, type of doors, etc, your usage figure doesn't help much. Its the details that are important.

 

[monstershed]

Hey, I just bought that exact heater from northern tools. Got all the gismos and things with a total cost of only 420.00 delivered. Can't beat that price at all for a nice heater.

 

[Mulahontas]

Thanks for all the replies. I have figured out that an electric heater might be the best for me. I can not lease a large propane tank within the city limits, so that kind of rules that out. And after what everyone has said about propane usage I don't really want a portable tank either.

I am now looking at electric heaters, I have very cheap electricity so it should not cost too much to run.

My garage is 1000 sq feet with 12 foot ceilings. The walls are all 2x6 construction with maximum bat insulation (forgot the R value). 3 double paned windows facing south so I get lots of sunlight, and high quality garage door.

My brother, who is a general contractor, talked to his electricians about electric heat for me. The suggested that it would take 10 watts per square foot for finished interior spaces, so probably 7 to 8 watts per square foot for a garage.

I am looking at this 5700 watt heater from northern tool as a possible solution. I am not trying to heat the garage up to 75 degrees or anything, I just want it warm enough to work in comfortably. Do you think this heater would be enough for what I want?

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_595_595

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I am looking at this 5700 watt heater from northern tool as a possible solution. I am not trying to heat the garage up to 75 degrees or anything, I just want it warm enough to work in comfortably. Do you think this heater would be enough for what I want?

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_595_595

If you have insulated doors and 6" in the walls, and good windows, I think that heater would work just dandy. HOWEVER much better electric solution would be to install a heat pump. Yeah, it'll cost a lot more intially but you can use it for cooling and it will cost about 1/3 as much to operate. You should double check your power cost BTW. Not only do your numbers seem low...they seem unreasonably so. Take your total KWH and divide it into your bill. I'm not calling you a liar...I'm just saying I think you may be missing something....like the fuel tracker your electric provider is charging or something like that. In any case...power rates are expected to rise for the next several years everywhere, so you should figure on higher $ power, because whatever you decide will last into that period where power is more expensive.

Phil