Reznor or Modine

[erda]

So despite being in the dog days of summer, I’m thinking about the winter.

I want to heat my new 24*28 garage and am curious about these two brands. I don’t need to keep the temperature too warm on a regular basis, more just to keep things above freezing to protect tools and equipment. The building is insulated in the walls to R20 and R40 in the ceiling.

Any experiences would be appreciated.

 

[The Cobbler]

I like my Modine Hotdawg 30k heating my 410 sqft shop with similar insulation to what you have

 

[purediesel]

I will say that my UDAS100 Reznor, 88k output is amazing. It is very quiet and heats my 47x48x16 area very quick. Mine was built in 2002 and is still kicking. The stainless vent pipe was probably the worst part about the horizontal venting, but thats with any hanging heater.

 

[thammel]

I've got a reznor udas 60K. I like its separated combustion and it has been very reliable.

 

[gmcgeo]

Either one is a great choice, they both are reliable and last a long time.

 

[Shocker]

My shop is 24x32 and it is heater with a Mr. Heater Big Maxx 50k BTU propane unit.

I have R38 in the ceiling and R13 in the walls.

I added 2 ceiling fans to move the warm air down to the floor. It has been up and running for 8 year now with zero issues.

Gets my shop up to a pleasant 65 degrees in under an hour from freezing in the winter. The fans push the air down and it works somewhat, but I wish I had some under floor heating.

I put down Racedeck as my floor which does provide some insulation from the slab, but in the dead of winter, laying on that floor can get pretty chilly so I need to pay attention.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

If it was me....

Hell, when IT WAS me...

I bought Modine Effinity 93's for our warehouse at work to replace aging Reznors. These have been in for several years now with zero issues. I'm sure they've paid for themselves a couple of times now in energy savings.

They come in various BTU outputs. Flue is PVC like all high efficiency heating equipment. You do have a way to get the condensate to a sewer line. On all of ours but one, we were able to use gravity. On one we had to install a condensate pump to make it go uphill...but that's fairly easy to do.

 

[zmotorsports]

My opinion is Reznor hands down.

In my previous shop (34x34x14) I had purchased a used Reznor 75k btu gas fired heater and it worked well for about 20 years in that shop. I think it was about 8-10 years old when I purchased it and still served me well for another 20~ish. In the 20 years I had it I only had to replace the fan motor after about 10 years. About 4 or 5 years before we moved it was time to replace the HVAC in the home and I thought I'd replace the shop heater at the same time. The company I used for the home's HVAC replacement recommended the Modine Hot Dawg 75k btu heater. I HATED it. Although it heated the shop in the same manner as the old Reznor, it sounded like a freakin' jet taking off and bugged the ever living **** out of me.

When I was building my new 50x60x16 about five years ago I insisted on a Reznor 150 UDAT gas-fired heater and I LOVE it. It heats very well and efficiently but most of all for such a large heater it is actually very quiet. It doesn't matter whether I'm in the shop by myself, talking with my son or making a video for my YouTube channel, it is still very quiet and comfortable when the heater fires up.

I keep mine about 50 at night when I leave and when I walk in after work I bump the heat to around 62-64 and it gets to temperature within about 12-15 minutes and only comes on a couple times an hour but that is more due to the good insulation of the shop more so than the heater.

 

[D45]

I have been very pleased with both the 45k Hot Dawg and the 75k Hot Dawg heaters

Price them out and compare features

 

[erda]

I had a Reznor installed on Friday. Unfortunately it was “dead“ out of the box. Now I wait for their service department to come and fix it.
I hope it isn’t a sign…

 

[ksandbakken]

My shop is 24x32 and it is heater with a Mr. Heater Big Maxx 50k BTU propane unit.

I have R38 in the ceiling and R13 in the walls.

I added 2 ceiling fans to move the warm air down to the floor. It has been up and running for 8 year now with zero issues.

Gets my shop up to a pleasant 65 degrees in under an hour from freezing in the winter. The fans push the air down and it works somewhat, but I wish I had some under floor heating.

I put down Racedeck as my floor which does provide some insulation from the slab, but in the dead of winter, laying on that floor can get pretty chilly so I need to pay attention.

You don’t live where it gets 20-30 below, correct? That’s 50 to 60 below freezing.

 

[PoorUB]

You don’t live where it gets 20-30 below, correct? That’s 50 to 60 below freezing.

You do realize you responded to a two year old thread, don't ya?

What is your concern about? Heater size? I heat a 24x38 garage, less than perfect insulation with a 45,000 BTU 80% furnace, in North Dakota. Works just fine.

I will bet a 30,000 BTU will heat it just fine. I buddy has a 24x32 garage with hydronic floor heat and a 5K electric boiler, or 17K BTU. Heats just fine.

 

[ksandbakken]

I’m trying to get a handle on if reznor or hot dawg are preferable. And if reznor is, how much is the premium.

My quotes for installation are 3100 hot dawg with one contractor, 3900 reznor with a different contractor. Both 60k btu. Gas and electrical are already run including low volt for thermostat.

My garage is 26x40 fully insulated (r50 ceiling, 20 walls. Not sure on the garage doors. It gets to 20-30 below zero (yes, 50-60 below freezing).

Should I be concerned about either quote?

 

[ksandbakken]

You do realize you responded to a two year old thread, don't ya?

What is your concern about? Heater size? I heat a 24x38 garage, less than perfect insulation with a 45,000 BTU 80% furnace, in North Dakota. Works just fine.

I will bet a 30,000 BTU will heat it just fine. I buddy has a 24x32 garage with hydronic floor heat and a 5K electric boiler, or 17K BTU. Heats just fine.

By the way, no, I didn't realize I was replying to a two year old post. I was getting frustrated trying to find how I can get an honest opinion of hot Dawg vs Reznor.

 

[PoorUB]

By the way, no, I didn't realize I was replying to a two year old post. I was getting frustrated trying to find how I can get an honest opinion of hot Dawg vs Reznor.

I would say you will find out it is like a Ford or Chevy debate.

What ever it is worth, I have sold and installed both. I like Modine better. I have never replaced heat exchanger in a Modine, but I have replaced many Reznors with bad heat exchangers.

I was a salesman for a HVAC wholesaler for years and we some Modine. I converted a lot of Customers from Reznor for the same reasons I mentioned. Now, this is an extreme case, but I had one customer that installed Reznors in a fertilizer plant, a very corrosive environment. He said the Reznor would run about 2 years and the heat exchanger would rot out, and the rest of the unit was rusted away. I convinced him to try a Modine and after a few years he replaced that one. But he was laughing about it because the customer told him to come check out the heater and the cabinet was pretty much rusted away, pieces of it just hanging there, but the unit ran fine for 5-6 years before it died. The heat exchanger was still good, but the cabinet was shot.

 

[Shocker]

You don’t live where it gets 20-30 below, correct? That’s 50 to 60 below freezing.

Hey! No it doesn't get that cold here in Western Washington. We see below freezing from time to time and the Mr. Heater just rocks away with no issues since I installed it. I did put in some ceiling fans to push the heat around and they do the job.

Regarding which on, Rezor and Hot Dawg (Modine) are both fine units and either would be just fine. I have the Mr. Heater version and it has been just fine as well.

Wait for a sale and pick one up. Your shop is a little bigger than mine but I think a 45k BTU unit would work well. Not to big to short cycle and not to small to be on all the time. Ceiling mounted, direct vented, pretty easy install.

I did mine using Unistrut at an angle in the corner of the shop, blows right at one of the ceiling fans.

I would listen to @PoorUB as well as he has experience in the units we are talking about. I have seen larger commercial Reznor units working just fine after 30 years in service. I have a small Reznor in my garage in Idaho, it is electric. Been working just fine for 7years we have owned the house.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[SouthernIllinois]

FWIW - In central Illinois I was quoted $5k by HVAC company #1 for a Lenox propane ceiling heater installed (except electrical) and $4.4K for an ADP propane ceiling heater by HVAC company #2 installed (except electrical).

Next Wednesday I am meeting with a company to discuss tube infrared heat.

56' X 36 X 12 ceilings. Finished and insulated interior.

 

[PoorUB]

Next Wednesday I am meeting with a company to discuss tube infrared heat.

Be aware that most infrared heaters require a lot of clearance under them. There are some residential units with a lower clearance required, but many of the standard units need 5-6 feet under them. Park a motor home under one and blister the paint and melt the AC unit cover.

 

[pbon]

I’m trying to get a handle on if reznor or hot dawg are preferable. And if reznor is, how much is the premium.

My quotes for installation are 3100 hot dawg with one contractor, 3900 reznor with a different contractor. Both 60k btu. Gas and electrical are already run including low volt for thermostat.

My garage is 26x40 fully insulated (r50 ceiling, 20 walls. Not sure on the garage doors. It gets to 20-30 below zero (yes, 50-60 below freezing).

Should I be concerned about either quote?

If cost is a concern, could you DIY? A Mr Heater 80k is $500 and a stainless horizontal vent kit about $500 (a vertical vent is cheaper). I installed the 50k version myself about 6 years ago.

The Modine and Reznor are twice as much or more, and even more for the intake/exhaust version but the parts for the vent should not cost any more. I would add $1000 for labor, but labor varies depending on where you live. Your quotes seem a little high to me.