Is a Dayton G73 sufficient?

[regrossman]

I like to work on my 2 Mustangs during the winter. We usually hover around 35 - 45 degrees here in the southeastern PA. Been colder then normal this year. My garage is 20x20 2 car garage, 2 walls are insulated. One wall with a window and side exit door is not insulated. Front wall with 2 doors are not insulted. I could add a garage door insulation kit if it would help. Ceiling not insulated. 12ft ceilings.

I would like to maintain 55-60 degree temps in the garage. I keep reading about the Dayton G73 but I want to make sure its enough for my needs. I don't want to deal with gas and venting plus the initial cost seems very high.

I need to get something. I tried some space heaters from the local home depot but they do squat out there. If a single G73 isnt sufficient, would 2 on separate sides of the garage work? I like that its around 250 delivered from EBay and only like 150 to install the 240 volt line...

 

[royalton10]

I have the same heater in a garage 22x25 in a corner. Walls insulated but the attic is not yet insulated. I am in central Ohio. The heater will run you out with so much warmth in a lot less time than you would think. You will be fine with this heater.

 

[jvitez]

For a well insulated residential space, 8-10 watts of heat per square foot is a good rule of thumb. 5000w for 400 sq. ft. is 12.5 W/ft2, so even with marginal insulation it should do you well, unless the garage door is opening a lot. If you need a bit more than it can provide, you can always buy 1 or 2 $15 fan forced plug in 1500W heaters to help get the temp up, then let the Dayton maintain the temp.

 

[regrossman]

Thanks for the reply. I can find this for 253 shipped from EBay. Any cheaper places to get it?

 

[royalton10]

I bought mine from Greenhouse megastore, link is below. $259 with free shipping. Arrived in 2 days, mine was shipped from Grainger warehouse. Greenhouse... was easy to work with, answered my questions on the phone in a very friendly fashion. I bought a thermostat to go on the wall, works great. Not needed but I wanted that option.

Good luck and enjoy the warm shop!!

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/Electric-Utility-Heater/productinfo/HT-UTIL/

 

[burger]

I am happy with the G73 in a 24x24 garage in Southern NJ (same temps as you more or less).

Why not insulate the last two walls? Insulation is cheap and easy, even if you have to blow it in. The doors can be "insulated" pretty easily as well with some rigid foam.

 

[weicm3]

I am happy with the G73 in a 24x24 garage in Southern NJ (same temps as you more or less).

Why not insulate the last two walls? Insulation is cheap and easy, even if you have to blow it in. The doors can be "insulated" pretty easily as well with some rigid foam.

is there any blow-in insulation kit for finished wall that you can diy? I haven't found one and insulation company told me it's not cost effective to hire them for just 2 wall. they suggest to do other area that I currently don't feel a need to do at this moment.

and for garage door insulation. I know HD sells Owens Corning insulation kit but I'm not sure if it will work on my garage door. my door is flat without grid like brackets to hold those insulation panel(saw the installed picture on their website).

 

[Falcon67]

I am continually impressed with my G73, but my shop has decent insulation. I haven't had mine above LO on the knob yet. I would think it would do your job decently. Even batt insulation covered with 1/4" OSB on the uninsulated wall and some laid in the ceiling would make a huge difference and reduce the amount of cycling of the heater.

 

[1jjpop]

I ordered a Dayton G-73 from Greenhouse Megastre today. Going to put it in my 18'x22'x7'[sidewall] garage. Walls and ceiling have 4'' fiberglass insulation, a 6.5'x16' insulated overhead door, And a walk in steel door.[no windows] . building seems real tight.Overhead door doesn't go up much in cold weather. Hope this keeps building warm.

 

[bucs012]

I ordered a Dayton G-73 from Greenhouse Megastre today.

I ordered mine from there 3 months back. FAST delivery and GREAT price.
I only heat a space of 15x20 and it's well insulated. With our electric cost being only .0847 cents pkw....This thing is dirt cheap to run! I only run it when I am out there (5 to 10 hours a weekend), but the highest bill I have had for my garage running lots of lights and an air compressor also from time to time- was $15 for my garage! Our temps have been -12 to 3 degree daytime highs here in Iowa. Looking forward to 20-35 this coming week!!!

 

[wbclassics]

is there any blow-in insulation kit for finished wall that you can diy? I haven't found one and insulation company told me it's not cost effective to hire them for just 2 wall. they suggest to do other area that I currently don't feel a need to do at this moment.

Lowes and Home Depot will let you borrow their cellulose insulation blowing machines if you buy 20 bags or more of the stuff. For two walls, that might be a stretch to say you'll go through 20 bags. But even if you have to pay to rent the machine, they only get you $20 for that per day.

There is a sidewall nozzle that they'll supply you with to pump the cellulose into the stud cavities. For two walls, you're looking at 3-4 hours worth of work with the machine. Drill all of your 1" holes ahead of time. I prefer to use a 1" hole saw and save the drywall slugs so that you can use construction adhesive and glue them back in and then finish over the holes with Durabond or some other GOOD drywall compound. HD will sell you plastic push in plugs for your holes - but they take a ton more drywall compound to fill.

The cellulose is $11 bag, works great. You'll end up at the same insulation value as fiberglass BUT with reduced air leakage because of the greater conformaty that blown cellulose provides.

Depending on what type of siding is on your garage, you could choose to do the blow in from the exterior walls. There is a video on thisoldhouse's website showing this. It'll save the inside of your garage from a coating of dust, but that is the only major advantage I see to doing it from the outside.

 

[ripsnortMN]

Those things are expensive as hell to run aren't they? It was 20 below zero F here last week. I would think that it would be super spendy to use here.

 

[1jjpop]

Got my g-73 last week & got installed [with 30amp. breaker & #10 wire] works great. Fast delivery. My electrician got right on it. Heats up my garage pretty fast. Don't know what it will cost to run yet.... But we will find out...

 

[getem2nd]

i would go with a propane burning Modine Hot Dawg garage heater. theyre sealed combustion and blower motor is sealed as well making it safe to use in garages where fuel and chemicals could ignite.

 

[bucs012]

Those things are expensive as hell to run aren't they? It was 20 below zero F here last week. I would think that it would be super spendy to use here.

Mine is heating a 20x15 room. well insulated walls and ceiling but with 6 foot overhead door (not insulated) and 2 regular walk through service doors. Temp Sunday was 32 degrees high during the day and was about 20 at 8am when I took a meter read and turned the heater on. Ran the heater till 6pm and kept the shop at 55-60 degrees. Used 15 or 17 killowats the whole time. . At around 8.5 cents per kwh it cost me about $1.44 to heat the shop all day! True life experience and cost. No lie.

 

[70Chevy]

Does the single knob control on the G73 just turn it down to "Lo" or can it go to an "Off" position?
I am interested in being able to turn it off if I'm not going to be in the garage again until the following weekend.

 

[Falcon67]

Does the single knob control on the G73 just turn it down to "Lo" or can it go to an "Off" position?
I am interested in being able to turn it off if I'm not going to be in the garage again until the following weekend.

Full counter-clockwise is off. There is a detent, so you know you are turning it off.

 

[rickairmedic]

I have the Dayton 3VU36 in my garage 21X28X9' . The walls are not insulated ( house was built in 65) I insulated the garage door with Duct Wrap R4.9 . My garage stays a balmy 68-72* with the heater set just below medium on the dial and it does cycle on and off . I am quite happy with this heater and it is similar to the G73 other than it is portable and the G73 is supposed to be mounted.

Rick