Ok I am wrestling with this one and would be interested in some opinions. Here is the deal. I have a newly built 28 x 36 detached garage (T1-11), 2x6 construction, 12 foot walls with walk up loft area above that has knee walls on sides so open access on both sides at the end of the trusses. No insulation yet but will be bat insulating walls and roof and then closing walls off with shiplap or barn board. No plumbing unfortunately. First floor cars and tractor storage and mechanical work, second floor woodshop. Hobby use, weekend and occasional after hours use mainly. Location in northeast so heat is primary concern, but cooling and limiting humidity in the summer (and falls like this one) would be a plus.
Here are the options I was kicking around
1) Pellet stove - mainly because I have one in my main house and another in a second home, buy pellets in bulk and am very familiar with the stoves. Cost probably $2500-3500 might make it the most expensive up front and loading a bag of pellets each day might be a drag although I probably would end up only heating when needed.
2) LP Propane furnace - no NG in my area so I wasn't thinking about this until a neighbor offered me a next to new 120k BTU Comfortaire furnace that he used a temporary solution (less than a year) while his home was being built with geo-thermal. That size seems like it would be overkill for my application but it got me looking at other small options like Modine Hot Dawgs. Seems relatively inexpensive although I would have to get a larger propane tank.
3) Mini splits - I didn't know much about these but you don't have to spend a lot of time on this site to see they are popular. Having AC would be nice and they are probably the least noisy option which is also a bonus, but seems heat (my primary need) is not their strongpoint.
So given my situation and those options (or others), let's hear some opinions.
Here are the options I was kicking around
1) Pellet stove - mainly because I have one in my main house and another in a second home, buy pellets in bulk and am very familiar with the stoves. Cost probably $2500-3500 might make it the most expensive up front and loading a bag of pellets each day might be a drag although I probably would end up only heating when needed.
2) LP Propane furnace - no NG in my area so I wasn't thinking about this until a neighbor offered me a next to new 120k BTU Comfortaire furnace that he used a temporary solution (less than a year) while his home was being built with geo-thermal. That size seems like it would be overkill for my application but it got me looking at other small options like Modine Hot Dawgs. Seems relatively inexpensive although I would have to get a larger propane tank.
3) Mini splits - I didn't know much about these but you don't have to spend a lot of time on this site to see they are popular. Having AC would be nice and they are probably the least noisy option which is also a bonus, but seems heat (my primary need) is not their strongpoint.
So given my situation and those options (or others), let's hear some opinions.