Some Garage Heating Ideas

[1ownerT]

Most of you guys seem to have relatively large garages. What about efficient heating for a small, townhouse garage? I bought a small electric heater, but it really doesn't do the trick. Even with keeping the garage door closed all of the time, it can get down to 30-35 degrees. I don't think it is insulated very well (living room above garage always seems cold also). Not comfortable with leaving something on all the time just so it is comfortable in the evening. I'd like a faster turn around than that. I have thought about a torpedo heater, but it is slightly cramped with my summer car in there I would have no place to safely point it. The garage is about 10' wide x 18' long x 8'-9' high. What kind of btu's should I look for to heat this space quickly (1/2 hour or so)? Thanks and great site!!

For a electric heater to be worthwhile and somewhat efficient it should be a 220v.
Something to consider, locate an existing duct and tap into it. My brother has a townhouse and we did this to his, added a register to a existing run. Now he has heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer.
His garage was not insulated very well either, there was none in the ceiling that extends beyond the living area. We cut an access hole thru the ceiling and insulated. It cut down on the cold and it is quieter than before.

 

[1ownerT]

I do have natural gas, but since my bill for January was almost $500 (for a townhouse!!), I don't want to tap off of that. I might be able to find space for a propane tank and radiant heater. By nice, do you mean 50-60, or higher? And what is the temp outside?

Ouch!, What are they charging per cu. ft.? That is a high bill. I am heating approx. 1500 sq ft of my house with gas, along with a gas water heater, stove and dryer and my last bill for the gas was $ 134.

 

[tofer76]

By nice, do you mean 50-60, or higher? And what is the temp outside?

on low it was 65 or so and 0 outside so it works well we would heat it up and the turn it to the pilot light it would be great as long as you dont open the garage door

 

[rockford33]

Ouch!, What are they charging per cu. ft.? That is a high bill. I am heating approx. 1500 sq ft of my house with gas, along with a gas water heater, stove and dryer and my last bill for the gas was $ 134.

I think it runs close to $1 a cf around here (maybe $0.88 or something like that). We are heating a 4-story, 2200 sf townhouse. First floor is always cold (in the 50's). I had the gsa & electric company out and it turns out they were misreading my meter since some of the numbers were halfway rubbed off. Should get about $160 back, so $300 for one month with the wife being home everyday all day isn't too outrageous.

I did end up getting a Mr. Heater Portable buddy. I wanted the Big Buddy, but Lowes didn't have them, and I saw a recall for them on Mr. Heater's website. Plus, they were around $127. I picked up my Portable buddy for $45 at Lowes (cheapest I found it for online was $71 or so). Used it once so far and it worked pretty good. Had a little ceramic space heater going also for a while to help speed up the warming process. Now I need some tunes in there!! Kinda dreary working for an hour in the garage with only the sound of me scraping my knuckles and cursing, lol.

 

[armoredsaintt]

Another idea that works well for garages that are finished already is a Reznor gas heater. Work very well and look good.

=000000000005&mod_catalog[category]=000000000001&mod_catalog[mode]=detail]Reznor Heater

did you know that Nine Inch Nail's Trent Reznor's father owns that company.

 

[spud]

Beacon Morris makes a nice low profile forced air furnace. I bought one but havent put it up yet............


SAFETY NOTE.......... If you have to go in you attic to run vent pipe, ALWAYS buy a very HIGH QUALITY face mask, dont breath in any insulation dust, a good mask will be $20 minimum. I leaned the hard way wearing only a cheapo mask.

 

[Grumpy350]

Ok this is for the guys who work in there garage..... I have been using for the last 25 years a Miller oil heater out of a mobile home carring 95000 BTU. My garage working space is about 30' by 50'. This heater handles even the cold winters up north. Also you can paint blast weld and make all sorts of dust ...never have to worry about a fire

 

[BetterDays]

Currently, I use a Mr Heater - top of the tank - heater (3 burners). Burn three to get the temp up, and then use 1 or 2 on the low setting (depending outside temp).

Normally keeps the temp around 65* in the winter (10* outside). I keep a spare tank so that I don't have to quit when the tank goes dry at 1AM.

20x20 garage, uninsulated.

How did the electric heat work and how did it affect your electric bill? I may look at that as an idea since I don't want to ruin any tools in the garage from the cold air.

 

[BetterDays]

Also, this past winter I laid down carpet padding on the ground. Made it nicer to walk on and helped retain the heat.

Also, it smolders and smells bad, so you know if a hot spark ignited...

I have several extinguishers in the garage, but never had to use them.

Kevin

 

[krooser]

Here's what I used...

I really like my gas radiant heat...

 

[sberry]

I have a radiant that I use on occasion but mainly heat with wood.

 

[The MOX]

My solution was a little different than the other replys here. My garage is a 30' x 32' pole barn with sprayed urethane insulation. I have heated it for 3 Hoosier winters with a 30,000 BTU AmaizaBlaze corn stove. Pour a bushel of clean shelled corn in the hopper and get about 24 hours of nice heat.

The system is sealed combustion so the intake and exhaust air all come from the outside. I do woodworking in the barn so I didn't want the possibility of a sawdust fire or explosion.

Not a solution for everyone, but another way to tackle the problem.

 

[muddy]

I'm going with a radiant floor for sure now that I live in Michigan.....will be starting a shop soon. With the shop I had in Missouri, it was well insulated and sound proofed.....no windows at all. For heat when it got real cold I'd pull out my monster torpedo heater.....in twenty minutes it was cooking in there and I'd just fire it up occassionally as needed. Funny thing, though, I had been getting headaches quite a bit and didn't really think about why. Then one night I kept noticing that my cigarette wouldn't stay lit! Lack of oxygen.......so make sure you get ventilation of some sort with the kerosene heaters....especially the big ones.

 

[krooser]

here's mine.....30' gas fired radiant..

 

[427HISS]

Hot Rod- I love the Pro-Street ! I had a Pro-Street Camaro, sold it to build my 427 Shelby Cobra. I'm a painter and yours look great ! It's hard to tell from the pic, is that a turbo or just a air induction for the carb ?
Kev

 

[MN_Pete]

Another new guy here. 32x40 pole barn with 10' sides. Concrete floor with no insulation underneath.
I'm getting ready to insulate and add heat. Trying to decide between overhead radiant and hot air. I like the idea of an overhead radiant heater - but can it be used with an uninsulated concrete floor? Seems like it would be trying to heat the concrete, but all the heat would go out the bottom of the floor.

Opinions / experiences?
Thanks,
Pete

 

[krooser]

Another new guy here. 32x40 pole barn with 10' sides. Concrete floor with no insulation underneath.
I'm getting ready to insulate and add heat. Trying to decide between overhead radiant and hot air. I like the idea of an overhead radiant heater - but can it be used with an uninsulated concrete floor? Seems like it would be trying to heat the concrete, but all the heat would go out the bottom of the floor.

Opinions / experiences?
Thanks,
Pete

Heat Rises...the floor becomes a heat sink and stores the heat from the radiant heater and reheats the air...I have gas radiant in my shop...30X50..10' sidewalls...can you say "toasty?"...

 

[G M]

Anyone have any info or knowledge about using solar panels in conjunction with radiant floor heating. Free heat would be nice to have.

 

[number3]

Heat Rises...the floor becomes a heat sink and stores the heat from the radiant heater and reheats the air...I have gas radiant in my shop...30X50..10' sidewalls...can you say "toasty?"...

How well does this type of heater with different floor surfaces.

For example: Will it work with Race Deck tiles, Epoxy paint, and/or rubber mat type flooring? Will it damage any of them?

Also how do the cars in the garage hold up to the radiant heat beating down on them?

I love this as an idea to heat my new garage but would like to hear everyone opinions on the above questions.

Thank you,

Harry

 

[DHC-2]

I installed a gas radiant unit last year. My floor is concrete, but I don't think it would matter if you had Race Deck, epoxy, etc. Closest car is 6 feet from the heater, surface gets warm, but not hot. Not even close to how the surface feels on a hot summer day. Best part, everything in the garage feels warm and dry, and the unit is very quiet. Floor gets heated so its always dry. Super cheap to operate, so much so that I set the thermostat at 50 permanently and turn it up if I'm going to work in the garage.
I really wanted radiant heat in the concrete, but am very pleased with this alternative at a tenth of the cost.
Many warehouses and small factory-like buildings use them, might be a way to check one out for yourself to see if it fits your needs.

 

[dcheuk]

I installed a gas radiant unit last year. My floor is concrete, but I don't think it would matter if you had Race Deck, epoxy, etc. Closest car is 6 feet from the heater, surface gets warm, but not hot. Not even close to how the surface feels on a hot summer day.

I am having a garage built right now and will be going with radiant heat with a boilder. I am trying to decide how to finish the concrete. Considering staining the concrete or epoxy. So there will be no problem with epoxy on a radiant heat floor?