Question re: heating an uninsulated building

[MalachiO]

I have a post and beam building I want to use for a workshop. It's uninsulated with a concrete floor - 16x32' and the ridge is 16' high. (Close to 7,000 cubic feet) Want to heat it with propane and looked at the Mr Heater 50k btu unit heater, and similar Modine HotDawg heaters. Also looking at the Empire 55k wall unit.
Will most likely use the workshop 3-4 days/week, around 25-30hrs/week. Any advice re heating would be helpful, either about what I'm looking at already or other alternatives. I'd like to heat the building as quickly as possible when I want to work in it.
Looking forward to hearing your suggestions and experience.

 

[TractorJeff]

Put a Ceiling in it to hold the Heat down.
OR
Plug the Soffit Vents and any Vent at the very Top of the Peak, then install some Big Ceiling Fans to push the Heat down to you.
No Insulation and or Insulated Ceiling, most Responses will be that none of the Heaters You listed are BIG enough!

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, you might as well try sweeping floors with a tooth brush.

As I understand your area and climate patterns, to attempt to heat an uninsulated building with the equipment you have mentioned would be like going moose hunting with a .22 rifle.

 

[Bert_]

I heat my 28x40 9' ceiling with a 70,000 btu knipco. My building has no insulation in the walls and about an inch of old vermiculite in the attic. I can be nice and warm even if it's 0* outside. For occasional use it's fine.

Closing off the ceiling would help. Even if you don't insulate it. If you plan to heat it that often you might want to do a little math and see how quick some insulation would pay for itself.

Try and seal any drafts. That will make as much difference as insulation.

 

[cadunkle]

You want a ceiling and insulation. It could be feasible if you don't care about fuel cost. Technically I guess you could make it work but you should probably start at closer to twice the BTU you're considering. I used to heat an uninsulated 27'x20', low hip roof, no celing, with a 60k torpedo heater. It took a while to heat up, like an hour or two to be comfortable. It would eventually get too warm and I'd turn the heater off, but 5-10 mins later I'd be cold and turn it back on. Easier to just crack the door now and again. No insulation and it was somewhat drafty.

I'm now heating an insulated 24'x30', 10' ceiling, insulated R22 ceiling and R13 walls, insulated door, with a 45k Sterling NG unit. It does great and can keep it at 70* without cycling on much. It takes a while to warm up though after I open the door in cold weather. If I were to do it again I'd have got a bigger heater to have a faster recovery time.

In any event, it takes a lot to heat an uninsulated building that's probably somewhat drafty and you'll never really be comfortable. Insulation and seal it up is the way to go.

 

[Kaizen]

As said it might raise the temp ten degrees at best. I have same weather and I’m running a trash can heater of about 150k btu in my garage about twice yours and very little affect. Spend your first hours sealing it. Ceiling first. Even putting up drywall will help immensely.


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[BKB]

Im in pa 40x64x16 with house wrap and a tin ceiling and all cracks foamed so pretty tight. 275,000 btu bullet heater i was warm if i was 5 foot from the heater, it never heated the space. Had blown in done but nothing in the walls and total difference. Could heat the space with about 65,000 btu. Now with everything insulated just heat off the boiler will keep the space warm.

 

[machsnell]

My old garage was wide open ceiling with no insulation.

It was 20x25.

I put tyvek with the "outside" portion facing in.

I heated it well enough to be comfortable with a little propane heater.

I wrapped all walls and ceiling with staples. I didn't even tape the seams.

It will hold enough heat in.

I was surprised it worked so well.

BTW, my heater was only a little propanne tank type radiat heater. Not even forced air.

I will set on a couple hours before I went out to work in there.

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