singl car garage insulation or not ?? heating it worth it

[5pointslow]

have a 12x20 garage attatched

going to work on drag car in it until i build bigger garage . My question is being not insulated is it going to be hard to hold heat in there ?

options isulate walls and use plywood vs sheetrock or plaster

the ceiling goes up high towards front overhead door and then angles back

i was thinking suspended ceiling as well . Living in Mass we have some cold winters and im planning on a commercial elect heater har wired from northern tool.

Some of the Insulation lovers out there havnt took apart to many garages ... im nevrous i have took a few apart to find condensation built up in were the insulation is causing mold .....not letting it breath . This worries me the most
I have a single window in there as well . i would hate to have my race car stuff ruined .

i have heard old timers say let it breath ....they also have houses that are baloon construction lol

 

[Forest Road]

I'm building a 16x23 garage now. Insulation and drywall went up last week. I priced a gas line vs electric heat. Lets just day it's not even close so in goes the electric!

If its done right, vented roof and eves you shouldn't have any problems with moisture. Also keep the heat at 45-50 deg will be good for your car and tools.

 

[38Chevy454]

Insulation also provides thermal stability, a moderating effect. It will not get as cold or as hot. I would insulate, as it is cheaper than paying for heat all the time.

 

[67carl]

My climate isnt the same as yours but my garage is nearly the same dimensions. I put up 2x8 rafters in the ceiling, OSB on top (to create attic space), R30 unfaced insulation in between and drywalled the ceiling. I do not have heat or air, other than a gable fan I installed above the garage door for extra ventilation as needed. I can tell you anecdotally it made a big difference in decreasing temperature swing. It stays cooler during the day (when it's 80-90f outside the garage is mid 60's), however if I pull my car in after being out and about the heat from the engine warms it up pretty quick, which is why I put in the gable fan with a timer. I think you'll appreciate the small extra investment...

 

[sands35]

You want some insulation in there. Something is better than nothing.

Assuming you have the attic space separate and un-heated, you will need to attend to soffit (or gable) and eave venting

I would suggest pricing out your relative cost per BTU for electric vs. whatever alternatives you have. Even if you just keep the garage at 40*F, Electric is almost always more expensive.

The cost of running a nat gas line (if you have it) might payback in a few months of winter heating. Hanging forced air or radiant tube vented nat gas heaters are not that expensive either.

 

[Jokeman]

I also live in Mass. My garage is 13'6" x 22'. The garage is not insulated and has a cheap uninsulated door. I added an insulation kit on the door and it made a huge difference. The inside is fully drywalled. I am planning on insulating the ceiling since I have an electric heater in there. The heater is a 5000w farenheat. It will keep my garage at 60 when its 10 outside. Hopefully insulating the ceiling will help hold the heat in longer during the winter.

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[aar0s]

Yes, you can button a house up too tight, but a quality fiberglass insulation with craft face vapor barrier or if you can swing it spray foam, will go a long way to keeping it warm this winter. Make sure you have vents in the roof or gable ends along with vented soffit to vent the moisture that will collect in the attic above the insulation also.

 

[5pointslow]

I also live in Mass. My garage is 13'6" x 22'. The garage is not insulated and has a cheap uninsulated door. I added an insulation kit on the door and it made a huge difference. The inside is fully drywalled. I am planning on insulating the ceiling since I have an electric heater in there. The heater is a 5000w farenheat. It will keep my garage at 60 when its 10 outside. Hopefully insulating the ceiling will help hold the heat in longer during the winter.

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im gonna try it non insulted this winter .......not like im going to be out there all they time

the dayton unit says heat 500 sqft i recall .....the garage i think is 220-240 . as long as.

Ac in window during the summer

 

[Matt The Hammer]

If it's attached - why not insulate it? Insulation is cheap. You don't have to cover it with wood or sheet rock. Mine is attached and insulated. It stays warm in the winter from the heat from the house. When I work in there, I just leave the door to the house open and either the heat or AC flows in.

If the garage is the same as the outside, that's more work for my HVAC in the house.

 

[5pointslow]

garage is attatched but no door to house ....

ceiling goes up to ridge would have to do suspended ceiling i think

 

[5pointslow]

no ridge vent either just vent on ends

 

[srmofo]

At least insulate the ceiling and apply wall covering.OSB drywall etc. A ceiling fan or 2 will eliminate the need for a dropped ceiling. I bought a heater that can be run on propane or nat gas. When I finally get around to installing it I plane on using propane so I can buy it in the summer when its cheap.

 

[crewchief888]

mines not insulated, IF i have to be working in the garage during the winter, i have a portable LP heater i can fire up.

i'm always dressed for cold weather in the winter, as i work outside most of the time.


i do most of the work on my trail truck during the winter, usually an hour or so after i get home from work. the initial build happened over the winter, including gutting the truck, cage fab, wiring & plumbing, and engine/trans swap.

 

[kbs2244]

This is temporary?

Is the heater radiant or hot air?
Electric heat doesn’t make any moisture.
Radiant heat can be aimed at the work spot.

I wouldn’t worry about it, use it as is and save your money.