Plastikosmd
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2016
- Messages
- 1,254
2k or a bit more for 3k sq feet, (25’+ ceilings in about 2k sq feet) held at 65 degrees
How much do you spend heating your shop/garage?
- Thread starter Yankeefarmer
- Start date
finn
Well-known member
Another way to normalize heating cost is on a square footage or volumetric basis. Penciling it out, my ~$850 annual fuel cost normalized for the 2640 sf footprint comes out to $.32/sf.
Normalizing for the 16’ ceilings, it’s $.02/ Cu ft.
Taking those numbers, and applying them to a standard 24’x24’, 576 sf garage, we end up with $184/ season on a footprint basis, and $115/season on a volumetric basis.
That means if a person pays more than $184/season, his expense is greater than mine corrected for footprint. Same for the building volume correction ($115).
There are also corrections for published “heating days”, I suppose, that would correct for where you live.
I guess it’s all irrelevant if all you are asking is what’s your out of pocket expense to support your hobby, in the manner you choose, though.
Normalizing for the 16’ ceilings, it’s $.02/ Cu ft.
Taking those numbers, and applying them to a standard 24’x24’, 576 sf garage, we end up with $184/ season on a footprint basis, and $115/season on a volumetric basis.
That means if a person pays more than $184/season, his expense is greater than mine corrected for footprint. Same for the building volume correction ($115).
There are also corrections for published “heating days”, I suppose, that would correct for where you live.
I guess it’s all irrelevant if all you are asking is what’s your out of pocket expense to support your hobby, in the manner you choose, though.
coljar
Well-known member
This is the first winter I haven't spent very much time in the garage, but I keep it 62 degrees when I'm not here and 70 when I am. My wife says she doesn't notice much on the gas bill.
I live over n Nebraska, winter temps vary widely between about 0F to 40F, can swing farther on occasion. Not much data to add. I have a 40 x 20' Shop/Garage. 17 x 20' insulated with an electric heater. Have a 7,500 watt electric heater, Comfort Zone with a remote control.
I only heat when I am out there, generally a few days a month, few hours at a time, plus we clean it up and put tables out there for the extended family for the holidays.
No way to easily measure with sporadic usage and having read of the main electric, but I would like to think it is a wash, as the insulated part of the shop was built on the North side of the house that used to have a large window and a door to the outside (now door to the shop).
I guess in answer, how much would I pay, enough to keep it warm while I am out there, however much that is. I got the electric heater because that is how I planned to use it so efficiency not as big a deal as cost of acquisition and install plus time to warm up the space. It gets comfortable out there in 15 minutes or so, maybe a little more if super cold out (generally stays about 20-25 degrees warmer than outdoors with no heat on.
I only heat when I am out there, generally a few days a month, few hours at a time, plus we clean it up and put tables out there for the extended family for the holidays.
No way to easily measure with sporadic usage and having read of the main electric, but I would like to think it is a wash, as the insulated part of the shop was built on the North side of the house that used to have a large window and a door to the outside (now door to the shop).
I guess in answer, how much would I pay, enough to keep it warm while I am out there, however much that is. I got the electric heater because that is how I planned to use it so efficiency not as big a deal as cost of acquisition and install plus time to warm up the space. It gets comfortable out there in 15 minutes or so, maybe a little more if super cold out (generally stays about 20-25 degrees warmer than outdoors with no heat on.
North Texas, foam ceiling and r30 bat walls with 1/2 osb walls 1,000 sq foot. Mini split $8-9 per month usually have to use about 3 times per week, If it is 55-60 outside temp. It doesn't take much to get it to 70
Same. Boiler, water heater, softener, plumbing, is all in my garage too, so not an option to not heat it.
Runs me about $500 a year for natural gas. Gas s
Kitchen stove, d
Clothes dryer, and boiler/water heater.
Much of that is the $20/month "customer fee" for simply having a connection to the system. Some months I only use $5-10 worth.
Reminds me of helping a friend put a clutch in his diesel truck. SOB is so tight we had to wear winter gear IN his garage because he refused to turn on the heat and spend probably $2 for a day of heat.
North central Ohio.
I heat with wood that I cut at my parents. So I have no cost for the wood itself. However, I do have a fuel cost for the saw, my truck and JD. I probably spend around $100, maybe a little more, maybe a little less.
Over the years, I have updated the wood burner with a new one and two years ago, bought a new saw. Wood burner is a way better unit and WAY more efficient than the old monster that I had.
I heat with wood that I cut at my parents. So I have no cost for the wood itself. However, I do have a fuel cost for the saw, my truck and JD. I probably spend around $100, maybe a little more, maybe a little less.
Over the years, I have updated the wood burner with a new one and two years ago, bought a new saw. Wood burner is a way better unit and WAY more efficient than the old monster that I had.
ripperd
Well-known member
I'd estimate average of 20-50/month during the heating season. Total of maybe $200ish for the winter?
Attached ~40x24. Heated via natural gas unit heater. Minnesota.
Don't have a way to know for sure, since I put in the heater the same month we moved into the house. So I have no historical usage to differentate the house vs the garage cost. Total bill is usually 130-220/month during the winter. House is ~4200sqft.
Attached ~40x24. Heated via natural gas unit heater. Minnesota.
Don't have a way to know for sure, since I put in the heater the same month we moved into the house. So I have no historical usage to differentate the house vs the garage cost. Total bill is usually 130-220/month during the winter. House is ~4200sqft.
kelpaso1
MEMBER EMERITUS
Most insurance company's wont allow a wood stove in a garage these days.
Mine does, they know about it and have no issue with it.
As far as the insurance coverage of the other member's, that's their personal business. It's not relevant to what I heat with my garage.
Parsimony
Member
550 sq ft insulated shop with electric baseboard heat in west Montana. As others, I turn on before needed and off later on. So about $300/year. No need for AC, if it’s that warm I work outside in the shade. I can see the mountains, elk and deer. The only fox around here is my wife.
If the shop/garage provides therapy= you enjoy being there ... don't do what I did and wait too long to get her properly heated. Mine's about 1000 sq ft, insulated - I went with a vented forced air system (Hot Dawg). Keep the thermostat set at 45 and bump to 65 when working. No idea what it costs to heat... doesn't matter - should have heated it long ago. I do remember the feeling of a cold hand getting smashed (more than once over the years) when a wrench slipped and I don't miss the feeling one bit. 
farmall400
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2012
- Messages
- 304
2300 sf shop with 2 radiant tube heaters. I use propane and I think I go through 4-500 gallons a winter. I keep it at 52 when I'm not in there and turn it up anywhere between 64 and 68 degrees when I am in there. With the price of propane these days I am definitely over a $1000 for heat. It's worth it to me though so no complaints.
Uncle murph
Well-known member
Nothing.The emerald ash borer has killed dozens of ash trees around the farm plus the normal attrition of other species,I can’t burn it fast enough.most will rot before my shop stove ever starts to want for fuel.
Easier said than done. 8 years now staring at open rafters 20' up... and a shop full of stuff.
My Old Tools
Well-known member
Less than $10/mo, 1200sf, red iron, good conventional insulation, east Texas. Similar numbers for summer AC.
nadogail
Well-known member
Because Heating and Cooling costs are very impacted by local climate, location, type of construction and degree of use; any answer from me would have no real value
coldh2o
Well-known member
Central Ontario: $500 CAD annually, 27x40 detached shop, 14' ceilings, fully insulated, radiant floor heated with a propane boiler, 12 degrees C (54F) from November to April, bumped up to 16 degrees C (61F) most weekends.
Jazz1
Well-known member
I source free fire wood so the costs are gasoline and chainsaw...got 3 years worth of firewood 10 miles from home last year. $60 for gas but firewood is very time consuming...a wood stove is like a needy girlfriend
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
Air leakage is more important than insulation.
How much? I don't know. I have a mini split for heating and cooling and it's not that expensive to run. 1000sqf ground level garage and 1000sqf on storage loft above.
TractorJeff
Well-known member
Lot of interesting comments on "Insulated".
Leads to the thought of if R19 in a 6 inch wall is a standard.
When you put the same R19 in the Ceiling, then on top (attic) add 6 inches more at 90 degrees to that.
What does the "R" value become?
I ask because following the comments on low heating costs for a 900 to 1000 sqft. Shop, I think my Cost is too high?
Also, what is the insulation value of the Garage Doors most people have?
Leads to the thought of if R19 in a 6 inch wall is a standard.
When you put the same R19 in the Ceiling, then on top (attic) add 6 inches more at 90 degrees to that.
What does the "R" value become?
I ask because following the comments on low heating costs for a 900 to 1000 sqft. Shop, I think my Cost is too high?
Also, what is the insulation value of the Garage Doors most people have?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
R19 wall in residential walls are common today and code in many areas.
Older homes R13 walls were common place. Homes older than 40-50-60 years many have no insulation in the walls.
There are many area where garages and shops with R13 walls. Also very common that an attached garage will have no insulation in outside walls and ceiling. Insulation would be an upgrade.
R19 in two layers will be R38
Recent DIY project increased home insulation from R38 to R60. Attached garage R19 to R60.
The attached garage with no added heat never drops below 35*f with out side temp -15*f.
“Reasonable winter temp” garage stays at 40-42*.
Detached 1000sqft shop walls R13 ceiling R50.
R19 wall in residential walls are common today and code in many areas.
Older homes R13 walls were common place. Homes older than 40-50-60 years many have no insulation in the walls.
There are many area where garages and shops with R13 walls. Also very common that an attached garage will have no insulation in outside walls and ceiling. Insulation would be an upgrade.
R19 in two layers will be R38
Recent DIY project increased home insulation from R38 to R60. Attached garage R19 to R60.
The attached garage with no added heat never drops below 35*f with out side temp -15*f.
“Reasonable winter temp” garage stays at 40-42*.
Detached 1000sqft shop walls R13 ceiling R50.
Last edited:
We have just 2 HVAC vents in our deep 9' high 3 car. This has kept the G temp above 38 to 40 degrees even when it's ~ 20 below ambient. Garage is insulated both in the walls and somewhat heavily in the attic (blow-in). That said, I'm pretty sure that I spend more on the beer I drink in my garage than I do heating it.
Jazz1
Well-known member
I believe 12" insulation is R40,,,that was standard for attics when I spent a season insulating homes. Insulated garage doors are usually R10 at best...
I replaced the seal on my 16' insulated garage door,,its readily available by the foot and well worth it to keep the cold out
No expert here just a homeowner. I've always just added the "advertised" R values together. Right or wrong, I don't know.
I have and like adding a second layer of fiberglass in the attic rather than one thick layer of insulation. More work, probably, but IMHO, the second layer perpendicular to the first (turned 90°) allows a thermal break for the bottom chord of the trusses or prevents thermal bridging. Second layer blanketing the first is unfaced.
MO-Iron
Well-known member
I average using 470 gallons of propane through a 96% efficient furnace to heat my 30 x 45 shop in southwest Missouri. The thermostat is set at 45 when unoccupied and 60 when I am working. The shop has 14' walls with two insulated overhead doors, one walk through door and no windows.
Von Psycho
Well-known member
My shop is roughly 700 sq. ft. x 8 ft. high.
My wood stove is a Pacific Energy "super 27" and takes a stick of wood 19" long straight in.
There is always wood for the taking in my neck of the woods.
I don't mind spending money on decent tools so the initial cost of saws, splitter, trailer, stove, and consumables
can't be ignored.
So the fuel is free, kind of.
My wood stove is a Pacific Energy "super 27" and takes a stick of wood 19" long straight in.
There is always wood for the taking in my neck of the woods.
I don't mind spending money on decent tools so the initial cost of saws, splitter, trailer, stove, and consumables
can't be ignored.
So the fuel is free, kind of.
300sqft with 30kbtu propane reznor unit heater, not great insulation, but it warms it up, no thermostat. Just on or off. Only when working do I leave it on. I use 20lb propane tanks and maybe go through 2 or 3, thats how little I am out there in the winter;(
vavet
Well-known member
24x32x12, 2x4 walls insulated with blow-in fiberglass to ~R14, ceiling insulated to R30
18x8 aluminum door insulated from the factory - certainly not well sealed around the edges. Not sure what the R value of the door is.
Mr. Cool 18k mini-split. I've tried various strategies, but given the cost, I've settled on leaving it on 62F and letting it be.
I pay about $0.115/kWh from my PoCo. We have ~10kW of solar panels on the roof of the house, but it doesn't put out quite enough to keep us going through all whole winter. It costs me a little less than $1/day on the COLDEST of cold days here in Virginia. We rarely see single digits.
I monitor the energy consumption with a current transducer and meter to keep track.
It costs less than half that to keep it below 80 in the summer.
18x8 aluminum door insulated from the factory - certainly not well sealed around the edges. Not sure what the R value of the door is.
Mr. Cool 18k mini-split. I've tried various strategies, but given the cost, I've settled on leaving it on 62F and letting it be.
I pay about $0.115/kWh from my PoCo. We have ~10kW of solar panels on the roof of the house, but it doesn't put out quite enough to keep us going through all whole winter. It costs me a little less than $1/day on the COLDEST of cold days here in Virginia. We rarely see single digits.
I monitor the energy consumption with a current transducer and meter to keep track.
It costs less than half that to keep it below 80 in the summer.
1,000 sq.ft. with R19 walls and roof. Heated with 20' radiant NG tube down the middle. Very low cost when built, but fuel prices make it something my wife can now see in the gas bill (tapped from house) so I am guessing $6/700 a year. Vapour barrier (foil on batts taped at seams) has failed so down it comes this year to be replaced by 6" of urethane foam sprayed on this spring. You have no idea how much work it is to empty out a 40 year old shop to gain access!!!!!!!
cgall
Well-known member
Mine is 42 X 21 attached with 11' ceiling, fully insulated. Bedroom above garage felt cold in winter, so I added a 240v Farenheat space heater, keep it set at 60*. Cost to electric bill is about $40 per month from November to March.
mikeyr
Well-known member
980sq. ft. garage in So. Calif. I have a HotDawg heater that i keep set at 55 degrees, so it really only comes on a few weeks a year when outside gets below 40 during the night and then sometimes on weekends when i don't feel like putting on a heavier shirt and i move the temp up for the weekend. I basically keep it at 55 to keep rust off my tools, shop is really over insulated and heater is just a luxury.
I do spend more on cooling the shop then i do heating, i can work in 55-60 degree shop, but 72 is way too hot to work in. Since I have the HotDawg from decades ago, i don't use the heat part of the mini-split, I think (but never checked) that gas is cheaper than electricity for heat. Mini-split is set to come on at 90 degrees if I am in the shop or not and cool to 85. If I am going to work out there, i bring it down to comfortable.
I do spend more on cooling the shop then i do heating, i can work in 55-60 degree shop, but 72 is way too hot to work in. Since I have the HotDawg from decades ago, i don't use the heat part of the mini-split, I think (but never checked) that gas is cheaper than electricity for heat. Mini-split is set to come on at 90 degrees if I am in the shop or not and cool to 85. If I am going to work out there, i bring it down to comfortable.
Dang. I don't think I've ever been in a house that huge!
Place I grew up in was around 1000 sq ft. Current place is about 1400.
Wouldn't mind a bit larger to have an arctic entrance and closet for cold weather gear.
Basement would be awesome too.
Musky_Hunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2021
- Messages
- 117
People who think wood heat is free have never heated with wood.
What is an Arctic entrance?
In the Arctic buildings generally have a first exit/entrance door with all of the locks and latches but then a small fully enclosed "porch" about 4' x 4' with yet another outside door (usually with no locks, just latches). This is done so you can close one door before opening the other and letting a blast of -40/-50 air blow into the interior, it just has to swallow the 140 or so cu.ft. of air in the "arctic entrance". You don't leave your gear in that porch as it is ******** COLD! (.i.e. closet inside as Sumboodie implies).
Written by someone who spent years enjoying the odd "50-50-100" day in Churchill MB (i.e. -50, 50mph North wind blowing a thousand miles over an open Hudson Bay that doesn't freeze until late Jan - thus 100%++ rel humidity - super saturated air). The very definition of "cold" weather at its finest.
Oh: did I forget to mention? Those doorways in Churchill also helped keep the Polar bears on the other side of the wall.
Novamania
Active member
This may seem like a fiction to most of you but, our electrical rates here in central Washington state are the cheapest in the country.
I have a 3,000 sq ft home with an in-ground pool and a 3200 sq ft shop with 14' ceilings. Both have forced heating and a/c. We are all electric, no gas. We heat the pool off and on from May until mid-Sept. Winters dip into the teens and summers low to mid 90's most of the time. My total electric cost for house and shop in 2021 was $1442.00.
I have a 3,000 sq ft home with an in-ground pool and a 3200 sq ft shop with 14' ceilings. Both have forced heating and a/c. We are all electric, no gas. We heat the pool off and on from May until mid-Sept. Winters dip into the teens and summers low to mid 90's most of the time. My total electric cost for house and shop in 2021 was $1442.00.
toyotadriver
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2010
- Messages
- 1,586
That seems like a lot for that part of the country. Are the walls and/or ceiling insulated?
BruceMc
Well-known member
Just got fuel oil delivered the other day. Located outside Fairbanks, AK with ambient temps dipping down into the low -40s in December and January. With an 1,100 ft^2 garage, 12' ceiling over 64 days -- 183 gallons of #1 at $3.76/gal. I heat the place with a single Toyostove, keeping the thermostat at 65 from 9 am to 10 pm, set back to 50 at night.
I'd be quite happy if the price of heating oil went back down, but it still costs me less than my daily commute to work cost before retiring. Being able to walk out into the shop anytime and have it be a comfortable temperature is a small luxury I can afford.
I'd be quite happy if the price of heating oil went back down, but it still costs me less than my daily commute to work cost before retiring. Being able to walk out into the shop anytime and have it be a comfortable temperature is a small luxury I can afford.