Rented Garage needs heat...HAS CHIMNEY!

[Haskie]

Hi all, long time reader first time posting.

Backstory:

I've rented this 900sqft detached garage for a few years (really cheap), as part of my apartment/etc. long story.

Anyway, the property sold and I got a new landlord who is really nice!!

the landlord has always paid for the electricity in the garage and this new guy is looking to get me to foot the bill for my usage. Makes sense and I wouldn't mind paying the ~$20-$40 of elec I use each month. So as a deal, he offered to add electric heaters to the garage, because heat has always been an issue in here. Unfortunately it's only a 60A service, and the electric is wonky at best. i usually use a mix of electric and propane to take the chill off, but I'm always tripping breakers.

The trick is there is a chimney in the back!
When he took ownership there was a old Carlin 100CRD furnace with a 55 gal oil drum hooked up, but I never used it because it had burned a hole in itself long before I moved in and was just a big ol' NMP.

Well to pass the insurance inspection I had to help him throw that thing out because "it wasn't to code"...

so now I'm thinking we're ready to "start fresh"


TL;DR:
Here's my question:

What's the best chimney based heater for a landlord/renter setup? I'd be paying the fuel, he'd buy the heater. 900sqft. It just has to be "to code" and super safe etc. Woodstove? Oil? Propane?

thanks!!

 

[dogmir]

I have always been curious about pellet stoves. A buddy has one and swears by it, as pretty cheap and throws out enough heat you are sweating in 20 min.

 

[Haskie]

I have always been curious about pellet stoves. A buddy has one and swears by it, as pretty cheap and throws out enough heat you are sweating in 20 min.

I've read about pellet stoves, that might be the best option!

It doesn't have to be just to code.
It has to be to his insurance companies standards.
And
Before he buys the stove the chimney needs inspected for code. There is an extremely good chance the chimney will fail.

hmm...right. thanks. That might put a damper on things...

 

[Randy in Maine]

Well him you will throw in some money & some grunt work to wire up 100-200 amps out there.

 

[Strouty]

There are many options for heat that use direct vent, so the chimney issue would be a non issue. I have no experience with them, but I know they exist and someone here will have had experience. Just throwing it out there.

 

[sublime68charger]

Pics of the chimney?

Your general location?
Is this garage insulated?
What is the outside temp? When you want to work in the garage?

Pellet stove is a good idea.

 

[sms1974]

The cheapest way would be a new propane furnace. If the chimney is a straight shot you can most likely run a new 4" B vent up through it for an 80% furnace or PVC for a 90%. The benefit to the 80 is no drain necessary.

 

[UpstateNY]

Well him you will throw in some money & some grunt work to wire up 100-200 amps out there.

Bad idea, OP is paying for the electric.

 

[The Cobbler]

Landlord is a nice guy, but you're footing the bill for the heat, which is OK, but whatever you choose, I would get a written document with respect to ownership, cost of repairs, who owes who what in event you decide or are forced to move etc. cover your *** .
Nice guy might sell in 6 months to a not nice guy.
just my 2 cents

 

[dfiler2]

A hanging propane heater is what I would look at, Menards has a 75000 btu Beacon Morris for $549, it comes with the LP conversion kit. The other option would be to watch CL and the Sell & Swaps for a used gas or oil furnace, I picked up a 92% propane furnace for $150 last summer, the people had added on and needed a larger unit.

 

[amalik]

A hanging propane heater is what I would look at, Menards has a 75000 btu Beacon Morris for $549, it comes with the LP conversion kit. The other option would be to watch CL and the Sell & Swaps for a used gas or oil furnace, I picked up a 92% propane furnace for $150 last summer, the people had added on and needed a larger unit.

Does a hanging propane heater need to exhaust out of the garage into the ceiling and out through ducts?

Sent from my LGMS428 using Tapatalk

 

[WhiffySpark]

Pellets stove?

 

[dfiler2]

That particular heater can be vented horizontally, so you can go through the wall. The other option would be to run the 4" vent pipe up through the existing chimney.

 

[Tejay]

Something to consider is insurance requirements for a heater in a garage/workshop. I believe some, if not all will require a flame producing fixture to be mounted 18" off the floor (fumes) if they allow it at all.

 

[Randy in Maine]

Gee the electric supply out there is "wonky" already. Go in half and see if you can get a good 100-200 amps of good power out there. Some 20 amp circuits and maybe even some 240 volt outlets for the heater or a welder or table saw.

Nothing wrong with electric heat if you don't use it too much. It is a rental after all.

 

[Ohmthis]

Something to consider is insurance requirements for a heater in a garage/workshop. I believe some, if not all will require a flame producing fixture to be mounted 18" off the floor (fumes) if they allow it at all.

The code is 18" to the flame producing system. All newer furnaces have the fire/flame section past this measurement for said code. OP, you haven't giving us enough info to give you a well thought out idea. Do you have gas (NG) on the property? How far away from the electrical service? How much does a kilowatt of power cost? How often do you plan to use it? What's the insulation of said garage look like? Lots more to ask and answer, just getting us started.

 

[matt_i]

Your location would be helpful (please put in your profile).

As others have said, electric heat is "safe" meaning no flame fronts but you'd have to ensure the service/feed/panel is up to the new large draw.

A 900sf garage is a good size to heat, electric is typically the most expensive energy there is, unless you live in a hydroelectric area, then that nixes my conventional wisdom. In any case, the amount of insulation and quality of air sealing is going to have a large effect on your happiness when you receive the monthly utility bill.

 

[930dreamer]

X2 on a liner for the chimney and wood/pellet stove.

 

[homemade1487]

Liner in chimney for a wood stove if you into making wood. I'm not a big fan of pellets because they come with all the mess of wood and it's not much cheaper fuel in terms of making wood vs buying pellets. Put the stove up on a platform off the floor makes it easier to fill with wood and gets you the floor to flame compliance.

Or, if your not into making wood. Then I would go with a hanging from the ceiling propane/natural gas unit. Fuel is usually cheaper then electric heat.

They do have calculators online to measure how big of a unit you will need. It figures size, desired temp inside, lowest temp outside, and insulation factor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Beau_Skee]

Catalytic (combustion) wood burner. Long, even heat output and who doesn't like a nice fire crackling in the shop/garage. Have one in the house and one in the shop, love both and feed the broken up pallets that aren't stained with any chemicals or oils. I choose pallets because local companies around me let me take their unwanted ones for free.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[remauto1187]

I run a pellet stove (Pelpro PP60) on one side of my house. Bought it at menards for around $800 iirc. I will be running a bigger version in my garage next winter once ive got power and insulation out there. The pellet stove is nice and mine has been great with no needed repairs for 3 years since new. I run it like a dog in my swiss cheese 1900 house. My shoes have better insulation.

 

[mike93lx]

Have you talked a budget with your landlord? He likely suggested electric since it is cheap to install and heaters can be very inex5. Jumping to discussion on $1k+ pellet stoves seems excessive. Don't be surprised if he says $300 budget, and then raises the rent in a few months.