Just a little heat.

[JayClay]

So I'm keeping my eye on the impending fall and winter and thinking about heat. Up until now I have used kerosene heaters for just when the building is occupied. During the summer I have A/C that I keep a little high be reasonable during the day and when I come home and need to work I turn it down. I’d like my method of heat to work that same way maybe not letting it go below say 45-50 during the day in the winter. I live in Maryland and winters are usually not too bad so it’s not like I’m in the northern states. I wouldn’t mind running something small during the day and then turning on the bigger heaters when I get home, or if someone has a more economical single solution. Another reason for heating during the day is that I have a parrot that has been relocated to the garage with me, since the addition of our daughter (stole the parrot’s room). I’ve had the bird 20 years so getting rid of her is not an option. I would have to say my biggest hurdle is cost. Currently my house is completely electric but I would be open to propane providing it doesn’t cost me hundreds of dollars a week to run. Bearing in mind I would run it a minimum temperature. Let me know what you guys thing would be a good solution.

Oh yeah. My shop is 24x32x10 and insultated to the hilt.

 

[phbsales]

If I am understanding you correctly, the shop is already cooled with a forced air system? If this is correct, you could swap your condenser out with a heat pump condenser and add resistance heaters to the air handler to accomplish this without major modifications. You would be able to get away with a 2 ton heat pump condenser and add about 7.5 KW heater pack to the AHU.

 

[JayClay]

Sorry, no. My AC is a 18K Wall unit permanently mounted.
I've been thinking about the propane route but not sure how much fuel is going to be needed or how big of a tank to do something like what I’m looking for.

 

[787B]

Dayton G73 (or myriad knock-offs), Marley/Berko, or similar 5000+ Watt electric unit with a remote, set-back thermostat. With as much insulation as you have it shouldn't have to work hard or hurt your electric bill much. And they are relatively inexpensive so even if it's not enough and you go another route later it won't be an expensive mistake. You can still keep it as supplemental heat or sell it. Then you can reuse the 220v circuit for a welder.

A guy here in Maryland had a bunch of new Berko HUHAA520 5KW units on Craigslist for a good price. I bought two of them and planned to use them both to heat my 1000 sq-ft not-so-well-insulated garage up quickly, but could probably be talked out of one for the right price.
http://www.shophmac.com/berko-huhaa520.html

I heat my house (on top of my garage/basement) with propane. It's also 1000 sq-ft. I have two 100 gallon tanks. You could probably get away with one 100 gallon tank. It costs me $50+/week to heat the house during January and February and I keep it cold. (I'll have to double check that number that when I get home tonight.) The garage would be probably half that. Propane is cheaper than electric, but it still isn't cheap. I'm using electric in the garage because it's only used on-demand and I don't own the house. Never gets below freezing anyway.

 

[MichaelM]

My suggestion would be a garage electric heater. You could set it via timer to stay "livable" for the parrot during the day and then turn itself up a few degrees higher for when you're going to be home. I'd check out NewAir electric heaters, they're the most affordable that I've found and I've had great luck with them in my garages over the years.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have a woodburner in my garage, it rarely gets below 48-50 in the winter once the concrete gets warm. I build a fire everyday I'm not at work. Fortunately, I have a place to cut wood and time to cut. This may not be an option for you though. I have freinds that utilize a ventless gas (propane) heater in the garage with good results.

 

[klhitman]

i would do a little elec work with you k1 heater and put a Johnson a19 in line with line voltage and mount the a19 on a wall. you can set it to a temp and make sure you have plenty of fuel and it will kick on and off at the temp you want. when you are working in there just turn the dial up to what you want. a local hvac supply house should have it or i can send you one for a fee.
i kinda have the same plans for when i am in the garage but i don't want it to get to hot and waste fuel

http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/publ...lestage/multipurposea19series/cropdrying.html