What to do...what to use???

[studeguy]

A question for the masses....and I have no knowledge of what it will take:

I have a new garage, 36'x60'. 36'x40' is of post construction, sided and with no insulation. The remaining 36'x20' portion of the garage is concrete block foundation, framed with 2"x6"'s, with 6" of fiberglass insulation on all walls, 12' celings with 8" blown-in cellulose insulation above. 2 3'x5' slider windows, on pass door, and a 10'x14' overhead door. PEX tubing in the floor, with 5 double loops over insulation, and 4-5 inches of concrete on the floor. I want to heat the floors to about 65 degrees in the winter (Pennsylvania), and am being told "small oil-fed boiler" , "hot water heater", "wood-fired outside furnace", "gas-fed boiler" for heat sources.

Propane is as stable, price-wise, as any of the fuels I'm looking at, and I don't have to buy the fuel tank.

How can I estimate my heat load and properly size my heat system for the 36'x20' area I want to heat??

Thanks....

 

[walrus]

Here is a pretty simple calculator one can use. Can't attest to its accuracy but it should be close.

http://www.builditsolar.com/References/Calculators/HeatLoss/HeatLoss.htm

Not sure if you are doing all this work yourself but if you're going to pay someone to install a boiler/heater of some kind they should be able to advise you or if you plan to buy from some local dealer they also should be able to advise you