Propane for an outbuilding?

[MushCreek]

Our barn is both my workshop, and a great room on one end for entertaining. I recently saw a used propane fireplace for sale which would look good in the great room. It got me thinking about getting a propane tank. One, I need a water heater out there, and I need heat for the shop. I have electricity, but only 100 amps, so I'm trying to go easy on electrical draw. Usage will be rather intermittent, especially the water heater and great room fireplace. I know propane can get expensive, but usage would be pretty light. We don't have natural gas available.

Thoughts? Anyone using propane for the above uses? Pros and cons?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Why not ? Many guys around here have a couple 100 lb cylinders or a 250 to run heat in their detached shops

 

[finn]

If you have natural gas available, go that way. It will be cheaper in the long run, and more convenient.

My options are electric, oil, wood, and propane.

Propane is by far the cheapest here, so that’s what we primarily use. No issues other than price fluctuations, but we do a pre buy in September to lock in.

 

[BigGarage]

Our barn is both my workshop, and a great room on one end for entertaining. I recently saw a used propane fireplace for sale which would look good in the great room. It got me thinking about getting a propane tank. One, I need a water heater out there, and I need heat for the shop. I have electricity, but only 100 amps, so I'm trying to go easy on electrical draw. Usage will be rather intermittent, especially the water heater and great room fireplace. I know propane can get expensive, but usage would be pretty light. We don't have natural gas available.

Thoughts? Anyone using propane for the above uses? Pros and cons?

If you have natural gas available, go that way. It will be cheaper in the long run, and more convenient.

My options are electric, oil, wood, and propane.

Propane is by far the cheapest here, so that’s what we primarily use. No issues other than price fluctuations, but we do a pre buy in September to lock in.

He doesn't have natural gas available.

Dennis

 

[BigGarage]

Our barn is both my workshop, and a great room on one end for entertaining. I recently saw a used propane fireplace for sale which would look good in the great room. It got me thinking about getting a propane tank. One, I need a water heater out there, and I need heat for the shop. I have electricity, but only 100 amps, so I'm trying to go easy on electrical draw. Usage will be rather intermittent, especially the water heater and great room fireplace. I know propane can get expensive, but usage would be pretty light. We don't have natural gas available.

Thoughts? Anyone using propane for the above uses? Pros and cons?

I have 3-100lb. propane tanks in my garage and 2 heaters for wintertime use. This past Winter I partially used 2 tanks and never touched the 3rd. The section of garage is basically a 2 1/2 car space and I do have a ceiling.

Up until March I was storing a propane-fueled home furnace out there that was given to me. I had considered using it several times but never did. I gave it away to a co-worker who's home furnace went out. He converted the orifice to the correct one and now has a furnace.

There is nothing wrong with your idea, it's nice to have heat. I don't know about a water heater if you will only occasionally turn the heat on though.

Dennis

 

[58Yeoman]

I have a 75k propane furnace in my 24x40 shop that is lightly insulated. I have a 120 gallon "pig" for that building, and it works fine. My propane company comes around and fills my tanks when needed (we have a 500 gallon tank for the house). It works for us.

 

[yeldogt]

In many parts of the country it's cheaper to heat water with propane vs electric -- it's a question of doing the math. Lots of people use it for cooking only -- running a fireplace.

Fireplace depends on type -- the more natural ones are vented and use more fuel. That's why all the various "modern" ones are popping up all over the place. They are not trying to look like burning wood ... it's dancing flames. They use less.

 

[alcorelli]

Please use a vented fireplace with a heat exchanger.
My friend used one of those unvented heaters and it dumped moisture all over his tools, milling machine, and bikes. Everything rusted in a short amount of time.
Plus, there is the issue of Carbon Monoxide with an unvented heaters. Even the ones that are " safe" can have issues.
40 yrs in the heating trade here.
Please exercise caution.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[MushCreek]

The fireplace I saw was a used Jotul, jetted for propane. It looks just like their wood-burning stoves. It was vented. I could just put in a wood-burning stove/fireplace, but the cost of a chimney would be prohibitive with a 27' tall building. I won't consider going up on that roof, which means I'd have to pay someone to install the (very) expensive stove pipe. A vented fireplace just goes out through the wall.

The water heater would be drained most of the time. Overnight guests could stay in the great room, and I would fill and use the water heater then. I've learned that leaving water sitting in a water heater unused for months can create an interesting science experiment! They do make instant point-of-use propane water heaters, but they get pretty spendy.

As for heating the shop, again, here in SC, you can run much of the year without heat. I'll eventually insulate the shop, then it will be worth having a heater to take the chill off. I've had it drop well below freezing in the shop- too cold for this old man to do much when it's that cold. Needless to say, I shut off the water and drain the pipes when it's that cold. I could see someday keeping it heated just enough to keep the pipes from freezing, then crank it up when I'm working out there. Now that I'm retired, I'm in the shop nearly every day.

 

[denis4x4]

I have a real barn that was converted to a shop. I have a 500 gallon propane tank that replaced to 120's. I did have to get an $85 county permit and meet some reasonable requirements for the installation. The lack of real insulation was a problem in keeping it heated with the 120's. Ran out several times in the winter and that creates issues with making sure that there is no damage and the heater is restarted. All in all, glad I installed propane heat. Not all that expensive here in Durango.

 

[nadogail]

Have you considered adding solar to your options?

 

[SethB]

For occasional use get a 250 tank, would last for plenty of time and give you options to fill off season when propane prices dip.

 

[sberry]

Get a 500, so much more common and easier to get minimum fills in even if it isnt empty and will likely run a whole season.

 

[MushCreek]

I don't have a good exposure for solar on the barn. The front roof of the house is perfect for it, though.

I'll have to call the propane places and see what makes sense for a tank size.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I heat my shop intermittently with a modine style heater on a 100 GALLON (420lb) tank. Dang near lasts all season, they top it off automatically, easy peasy.

Maybe try to find a local mom and pop not a chain. Mine are a family setup, pretty laid back.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

you're in SC, so a minisplit seems like a very reasonable option to consider as well. easy on power, probably cheaper to run than LP.

 

[dcg9381]

I built a small pad for a 100-250lb propane tank and we run the shop off that propane. It runs a propane dryer and a tankless 3.5 GPM water heater. We do not use it for heat. The 100 lb propane tank cost about $140 (Costco) and costs me $70 per fill at Tractor supply. Add cost for a regulator. I have two of these tanks and I just swap them out. One 100lb tank lasts us at least 3 months living here full time, but again, we're not running a fireplace or heat.

I do have to load the tank on a trailer and transport it for refill, but I avoid paying a service fee.

Residential propane tanks here start at around $1400 or so (above ground).

Shop also has 6KW of solar - which helps offset energy costs. We cool with 2 ductless units.

 

[sberry]

Bulk delivery is 1/3 that cost for gas right now if its above minimum fill.

 

[Mattlt]

Talk to a couple of local suppliers. They may want you to purchase a tank vs leasing one to you. I had a 500 gallon leased from my supplier for many years. Then I installed an outdoor wood boiler, didn't use any propane at all for nearly 10 years. The company made me a deal and sold me a 200 gallon tank and took the 500 back. That should be big enough for a while should I ever quit burning wood.

Also, around here they have a keep fill option. They stop to fill you up on the same day every month during the heating season, and cut you a little break on the price. You don't have to watch the tank, and they don't have to make an emergency trip out to fill you up at an inconvenient time.

Another thing to look at is contracting the price. Typically done in August for the winter. It ties up some cash, but it eliminates any price fluctuations over the winter. Lesson learned the hard way the first year I built my house!

 

[MushCreek]

you're in SC, so a minisplit seems like a very reasonable option to consider as well. easy on power, probably cheaper to run than LP.

I'm going to put in a minisplit, as A/C is at least as important as heat. They don't heat water, though, and aren't much fun to watch on a cold winter's eve. I'm test-driving an old window unit this summer to try to get the mini sizing right. It's a 25 y/o 10K BTU rig, and it cools it right off. I'll put a mini in the shop, too, but the shop is twice the area, so supplemental heat might be required. The idea of the propane was for a fireplace, water heater, and shop heat, in that order.

 

[Pluribus]

I heat with one of those propane stoves that looks like a wood stove. It doesn't even have a fan, and requires no electricity. It's set up with a conventional, battery powered thermostat that will kick it on & off. Highly recommend it if you don't have electricity available economically. I'd rather have a ductless mini-split system, as power is relatively cheap here in the PNW, but I have a pretty sketchy 100-amp service right now, and upgrading would be crazy expensive.

Tank size is dependent on whether you're leasing or buying. I lease, and based on lease rates, propane quantity price breaks, minimums, etc. I'm using a 250 gallon tank. Propane delivery works out to about 3x per year. Typically they fill to 80% and want to refill around 20%.

 

[Prospecter]

I use a Rinnai propane / LPG heater in mid-coast Maine. Maybe 250g. per year for intermittent retired guy use. 24x30 garage, insulated to R50ish ceiling and R40ish walls.

The Rinnai is efficient and reliable. I had to go with an outside vented and air supplied unit in my garage per insurance company, even though everywhere else I heat with woodstoves. My tank is "free" but the LPG costs a little more per gallon. Bonus is the grill that is also hooked into the LPG supply. No running out to fill a 20lb tank!

In SC, or almost anywhere with winters shorter than here, I would have gone with a minisplit.

 

[JOE.G]

I have a Two story shop, Work shop on the bottom and a finished Man cave on the second floor. I currently Use a hanging Big Maxx 75 K Propane heater that does do both floors. I tend to keep that one at a cooler constant temp. The second floor I have a Unvented fire place that looks like a wood stove and it does have a fan on it. This will do the whole second floor with out an issue. I would prefer to have a vented one as they do give off some fumes at times. I have radiant also which isn't currently hooked up and I am not sure on my Hot water source yet. I have a 120 Gal tank for the shop.
.
My Home has a separate 120 Gal that does Hot water instant and BBQ. I get auo delivery.

 

[pmiranda]

S. Carolina shouldn't be so cold that a mini-split heat pump with supplemental heat couldn't keep up... assuming decent insulation. Does the water heater need to support a shower? If not a 240V point-of-use electric could keep up with a sink or other lower flow uses.

 

[sberry]

I put 1000 gallons on. I lease 3 1000, 1 500 and own a 500. If I am thrifty can fill them.only 1x. I had 500 on a couple engine drives and finally changed it out along with my shop.

 

[finn]

He doesn't have natural gas available.

Dennis

I know that. It was a general qualifier that leads to the answer I gave: His specific case is obviously the same as mine, and propane is the go to in lieu of Nartual gas in both of our cases.

Those that have access to NG should use it at all possible, though, even though the start up cost to get service may seem high.

You’re reading too much into the response.

 

[MushCreek]

This started with me looking at a propane fireplace for the great room. Yes, I'm going to put in a minisplit, but I want a fireplace for the ambiance. That's what brought the whole propane discussion to mind.

As for the shower- yes, there is a shower. When guests stay over night in the great room, they'll have a full bath to use instead of hiking 150' to the house. We've even had vague notions of an air BNB, although that's still a pipe dream at this point.

 

[Kevin54]

For a garage, I wouldn't put in a propane fireplace. They are more for looks. Get a good overhead propane furnace that has a blower on it. I have a 2016 sq.ft. garage that I can close half of it off. I run (2) 120 gallon propane tanks that are piggybacked together. I'll fill them in the Fall, and again before Spring. But I'm in the garage almost everyday and I keep it around 70 when I'm out there and drop it back to 45-50 at night.

The reason I have (2) 120's piggybacked is that in my area, (2) 120's are allowed to set against the outside wall, but a 250 gallon tank has to be 10' away from the structure. So I have them tucked in a corner outside where they can't be seen from the roadway.

 

[MushCreek]

The fireplace is going in the great room, a finished space in the same building as the shop, but completely separated. I would use a propane heater for the shop.

 

[Copymutt]

36 x28. I rent a 500 gal. tank. Being over 60 it costs me $1.00 per yr.. Run in floor heat, shower and hang down 35k btu shop heater. No complaints at all. Wouldn’t even want to know what the cost would be if electric.