Inconspicuous Natural Gas Heating Options?

[luke000]

Hello Everyone, Im coming up on my 2nd winter in my new garage shop. Its 28X34 with 10 foot ceilings. All insulated and drywalled. I would really like to install some heat in it this year. Last year I just ran a propane torpedo heater, and it worked ok for some days, but it was labor intensive and eventually it would get cold again after an hour. (lots of heavy iron holds the cold pretty well) I will probably keep it in the 40's most of the time and bump it up a little when I am working.

I need to be as inconspicuous about it as I can (for reasons). Unfortuately all sides of my garage are visable from the street so having a big, tall, shiny galvanized exhaust pipe sticking out of the roof or high on the wall might draw the wrong attention.

Does anyone have any slick ideas on what I might do to keep my garage above freezing this winter inconspicuopusly? I am thinking maybe an exhaust that looks like a normal roof vent? Cant seem to find what im looking for.
I like the idea of having radiant tube heaters, but with only 10 foot ceilings, idk if that is high enough for them to work properly. At my work, we dont even vent them outside (much, much, much bigger building)

 

[Higgins]

We installed a radiant floor heating system in IL. ~ 700 ft 3/4" pex, 3 loops. We used a large energy efficient gas water heater for the boiler function, and it used a 3" PVC pipe for the exhaust, and could exhaust it out a side wall.

Not sure if that would work for you !!

AL

 

[like2wheel]

Electric would be very inconspicuous but likely very expensive depending on your rates

Edit;
Sorrry, disreguard. Missed the fact your title specified natural gas.

 

[Chevy-SS]

Modine 'Hot Dawg'. https://www.modinehvac.com/products...awg-series/hot-dawg-power-vented-hd/#features

Hangs from the ceiling. Vents through side of building with something that looks like a dryer vent. I've got one in my 30 x 30 garage (12' ceilings) and it heats the place up in 2 minutes. I absolutely love it.

Here's a pic of the side of my garage from 5 years ago;

 

[brewchief]

Rinnai direct vent wall furnaces use a small vent termination that would be pretty low on the wall.

In certain weather conditions you will see water vapor from about any gas fired heater where it terminates to the outside, if that poses a problem then your only option might be electric.

There are vent free gas heaters but they put a lot of moisture into the air along with other products of combustion.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

 

[Jackfre]

The Rinnai vent. 5.5” od. It comes in the box. Simple install. I’d suggest the EX-38.

 

[Showkey]

Still curious .........”draw the wrong attention“ ?????

Code enforcement , thieves, neighbor does not like you working in the garage ?

 

[nadogail]

The new high efficiency gas furnaces have very inconspicuous vents.

 

[harley jim]

Mine is 60,000 btu and is ventless and thermostaticaly controlled. I have used it for two seasons with no problems.

Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[luke000]

Modine 'Hot Dawg'. https://www.modinehvac.com/products...awg-series/hot-dawg-power-vented-hd/#features

Hangs from the ceiling. Vents through side of building with something that looks like a dryer vent. I've got one in my 30 x 30 garage (12' ceilings) and it heats the place up in 2 minutes. I absolutely love it.

Here's a pic of the side of my garage from 5 years ago;

That vent would be just what I am looking for! does it come with that particular vent or did you get it somewhere else?


Those Rinni units would work pretty good, but wow are they pricey

The ventless option is something interesting to me too, as long as I keep the dehumidifier going, it should be good.

Does anyone have any input on the Radiant units? WOuld they work in a 10' ceiling place?

Oh and the wrong kind of attention comment is mostly aimed at code enforcement.

 

[Chevy-SS]

That vent would be just what I am looking for! does it come with that particular vent or did you get it somewhere else? ....

You buy the vent separately from the furnace. Any HVAC, plumbing or big-box store would have them. Tell them what you're using it for. It has to be insulated to keep the heat away from combustible materials.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Still curious .........”draw the wrong attention“ ?????

Code enforcement , thieves, neighbor does not like you working in the garage ?

I'm going to take "someone else is paying the gas bill" for $100, Jack.

 

[pcampbell]

Rinnai direct venter heater ,the exhaust port is tiny. I think it is a 3" or 4" hole.

I put an EX38 in my 28x28 spray foamed garage in VT and it is way more than I need.
I honestly think I could have gone with the 11k btu unit (Note, the exhaust is all the same size) but the price difference isn't all that big between all units.


The bigger unit cycles on and off on the lowest setting, it would be more efficient for to run more constantly.

I have an 11k btu u nit in the my basement of my house, and it is perfect.

 

[Jackfre]

Rinnai direct venter heater ,the exhaust port is tiny. I think it is a 3" or 4" hole.

I put an EX38 in my 28x28 spray foamed garage in VT and it is way more than I need.
I honestly think I could have gone with the 11k btu unit (Note, the exhaust is all the same size) but the price difference isn't all that big between all units.


The bigger unit cycles on and off on the lowest setting, it would be more efficient for to run more constantly.

I have an 11k btu u nit in the my basement of my house, and it is perfect.

What you have discovered is the most important factor in modulating equipment, and a difficult point for folks to acknowledge. Most heating posts talk about the max output on equipment. That is because until a few yrs ago virtually all heating equipment was single stage, and in a heating discussion, having "enough" is what mattered. This changes when you start talking about "comfort". In a modulating piece of equipment, whether a Rinnai or a mini-split, your comfort is most affected by how low a unit will fire or operate. Your EX-38 fires at a low input of 13,200 btu. The old ES-38 low fired at 10,200. In my shop I originally ran the EX-22 (8,200-21,500 btu). It would give a very even temp and once the place was up to temp it would just loaf along at low fire seldom shutting off. Rinnai sent me a prototype to test the new 38. I installed it, and yes it heats the space well and when I go in the shop in the morning it brings the temp up quickly, but then will cycle due to the low fire being 13,200 vs 8,200 input. In your case, in Vt, for your sq ft, I would go with the EX-22. It is my favorite. The EX-11 low fires at 5500. Given the vertical orientation and fan style it is a bit louder to my ear than the 22. I introduced the Rinnai DV's in VT and the other 5 New England Statesin '91. They were the ONLY modulating gas fired equipment sold in NA. Oops, that is not correct. The Monitor and Toyo kero units modulated as well. The Rinnai is a great product and it was a lot of fun, and very profitable, educating the heating market about the benefits of modulating equipment. I have heated my homes, basements, garages and shop with them since '91 and would not be without them. One more thing. The 38, while an excellent wall furnace draws up to 135 W. The 22 draws 33-56 w, so very efficient in that regard as well.