What's your preferred working temperature?

[RivennHewn]

55 and overcast, and I don't feel too hot or too cold.

Perfect work'n weather.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My kerosene heater doesn't have a chance at reaching 70F in the garage when it's below freezing outside. But I've got a 2 car uninsulated detached garage, and only a 20kBTU heater. Yes, vented heater (mine is sealed combustion) is the only way to go. But I can supplement it with a radiant electric heater and stay comfortable enough in a sweatshirt and watchcap.

Since my garage is well insulated and I heat with wood, I have no problems getting it up to temp and maintaining. It does make working out there far easier and comfortable for me.

Have you considered getting some insulation in your garage ?

 

[tinbender 66]

50-55 works for me if I'm busy. Maybe kick it up a bit for painting etc. For just "hanging out" I go in my little office space where I keep it 70+ in the winter 'cuz that's where the TV, computer and coffee maker are.

 

[rlitman]

Have you considered getting some insulation in your garage ?

Not really. I spend around $30 on kerosene each year. The cold doesn't really bother me. Just handling cold tools.

The heat in the summer can get pretty bad, but if I hose down the roof and open a garage door and stick a fan in there to exchange the air before I go in, it's always bearable so long as I stay out of the loft.

 

[-Brent-]

...
The heat in the summer can get pretty bad, but if I hose down the roof and open a garage door and stick a fan in there to exchange the air...

I thought I was the only one to hose off the roof. That's good to hear.

 

[BP12]

Since I live in Indiana I have realized that there is no comfortable temperature. I just peel layers of clothing and replace as needed. And if all else fails stand right in front of the torpedo heater for a bit...

 

[24ModelTFord]

Garage is set at 62 degrees. Nice and comfy in shorts and t-shirt.

 

[nicksnothereman]

Ideally, I'd love for my garage to be 66* F when I'm working in there. Currently my shop is pretty archaic. The stand-alone propane heater could never get the garage to 66* when it's freezing outside. However, on Thursday I was working and had the heat running and found myself very comfortable at... wait for it... 42*! I had a sweatshirt and jeans. I had a knit hat on but tossed it onto the bench because I was actually comfortable.

Perhaps it was because I was wrenching and moving around? I don't know. But, I was surprised when I looked at the thermometer of the wall and it was as low as it was.

So, all that said, what's your ideal working temp. and what's the actual temp.?

47.24583490978 degrees farenheit. Otherwise my garage octopus doesn't make inky and I can't fill my mont blanc to handwrite letters to celebrities with mullets.

 

[Thumper68]

Mine with the infloor heat is set to 65f on the weekends when I am there, nice even heat and if I let the vehicle i'm working on sit over night the floor is dry and so is the bottom of the vehicle.

Note since the garage is also where I sleep on the weekends i'm out there I have found that anything below 65F is just to chilly to want to get out of bed in the morning.

 

[Vernmotor]

65-70 is good for me. I don't like wearing heavy clothes .

 

[djjsr]

Winter, the heat is set at 60 degrees 24/7.
Summer, the a/c is set at 75.

 

[henrysgarage]

Mine is set to 45*24/7 and working with coveralls on most of the time I don't turn it up, but if I do 55* while actually working is quite warm. If doing non physical stuff 60- 65* is preferred.

 

[Ed Litsch]

It depends what I'm doing. If I'm going to be laying on the cold floor and working on a cold car, I'd want it warmer. If I'm going to work on a hot engine, I'd turn it down a little.

 

[c/o say]

55 to 60 as long as its dry. Hate when the air is damp and cold.

 

[onemore]

Attached single "car" shop cn be as low as 45 in NY during winter, gets up to 50-55 with small electric oil filled radiator. Not bad with sweatshirt.

 

[lead_foot]

I keep mine at 58F 24/7 and turn it up to 64-65 when out there working. Nothing like working in the garage in a tshirt when it's 11F outside.

 

[-Brent-]

It hit 45* in the shop, last night. It was at about freezing outside, too. I was concerned it'd be unbearable not having insulated windows/garage door/etc., as well as nothing significant by way of a heater but after spending time out there getting stuff done, comfortably, I'm eager to get some bigger projects completed throughout the winter.

 

[MN4x4]

In weather like this I usually have it at 62 degrees when I am out there. I wear a long-sleeved t-shirt...sometimes over a regular one.

If I am doing finishing work on a wood project or trying to paint, I bump it up to whatever the finish requires - usually 72 to 75 degrees - for 24 hours or so.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Not really. I spend around $30 on kerosene each year. The cold doesn't really bother me. Just handling cold tools.

The heat in the summer can get pretty bad, but if I hose down the roof and open a garage door and stick a fan in there to exchange the air before I go in, it's always bearable so long as I stay out of the loft.

That insulation will help keep it cooler in the Summer too. My will generally stay 10-15 degrees cooler inside than out.

 

[RobSmith]

37Deg C 98Deg F other than that temp I'm either sick or dead !

 

[MoparTruck85]

65-70 would be awesome but since my metal garage has no insulation or heat/air i just have to deal with whatever temp mother nature feels like lol

 

[AV tinker er]

Depends what I'm doing, out in the hanger 65ish is great while turning a wrench, but if I'm in the lab solder/desoldering I don't like my hands being cold with tedious tasks.

 

[MN4x4]

Not -21 Freaking degrees, that's for sure! Block heater on the diesel died. Between a battery charger, temporary magnetic block heater, blankets, and a few cuss words I finally got it started and into the shop where I could work on it in balmy 52 degree temps.

 

[hallboyone]

75-85, less than 70 is getting chilly.

 

[SandraElam]

50-60 feel me good

 

[koditten]

Heated floors. I keep the stat at 48*. Perfect for me. I'm usually fabbing something, so I'm wearing protective clothes anyways.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Depends on the weather and what I'm doing. Just during the last couple of weeks I've worked at -15 F to 100 F. I was comfortable from 15 F to 70 F never gave it much thought. The extra 30 degrees either way was noticeable.

 

[AndrewV]

Im a reformed fl boy, so 70° is perffered. Any lower and im getting annoyed. 80° is getting annoying on the other spectrum.

 

[east_tn_emc]

I PREFER not to have to work when the temperature is above 68...but there again, I PREFER not to work in any temperatures below 72....so any temperature that satisfies BOTH of those, I enjoy working in....anything else I will work if I have to.

 

[sammerdog]

I do my best inside work at 98.6 degrees, preferably VERY damp/moist humidity levels.... if ya get my drift.










Oh. We're talking about the garage? 60 to 65.

 

[bobcatdan]

My GF thinks I'm very weird when it comes to heat. I keep the house between 60-65 and I'm comfortable. Working in a shop is different, I like it warm and I think it goes back to when I was a kid. My grandpa built his shop with cold winters in mind, well insulated and a hell of wood stove. That shop could easily be 80. I remember a few times opening the doors in sub zero weather because we over fired the stove a bit and it was close to 100 in the shop. At work I keep it at about 68 because that is about how warm the modine can get it.

 

[great white tj]

Im a reformed fl boy, so 70° is perffered. Any lower and im getting annoyed. 80° is getting annoying on the other spectrum.

60 to 75 works for me, there are days when I just can not cool the shop down in the summer. So I just put it off.

 

[77thor]

50-60 degF

 

[rieferman]

Winter:
I agree with the 50-60 F replies. If I'm working on something, this temp keeps me from sweating like crazy. If I'm just chilling for a few beers after the work is done, I'll bump the temp up into the high 60's.

Summer:
As cool as I can possibly keep it. First half of summer is usually about 65-70 degrees. Gets warmer from there for the remainder of the summer.

 

[GH85Carrera]

It totally depends on what I am doing.
Just tinkering with electrical or something like that 68 to 70.
If I am doing something that requires physical exertion 55 or 60.
Sitting around drinking beer 72 to 76.

 

[eyeballengineer]

90 and 90% humidity. It keeps the snowbirds away

 

[930dreamer]

I'm curious about GJ shops/garages that have in floor heat. Does the slab stay warm to the touch and do you use a second heater?

I'm hard pressed to keep my 30x40 above 50 degrees during the coldest winter days.

 

[theoldwizard1]

50-60F depending on

• how hard I am working
• am I in full sun
• is there a breeze

The flip side : I was doing some heavy duty landscaping ay my son's house a couple of years ago in summer; rototilling and regrading the backyard. I failed to keep up my water intake. I must have lost 10-15 lbs that afternoon and got the worst cramp I have ever had in both adductor muscles that night,

 

[sprntpshr]

I'm curious about GJ shops/garages that have in floor heat. Does the slab stay warm to the touch and do you use a second heater?

I'm hard pressed to keep my 30x40 above 50 degrees during the coldest winter days.

The slab is about 58F so when you touch it there really isn't much of a difference but the dog seems to like it. Don't have a back up heater, but I could run one just don't need it.
The 40x60 shop was a new build in 2010 and the in-floor radiant system has been running since Dec 1. This winter has been the coldest weather we have had in some time. Lots of insulation in the floor, walls & ceiling. There is a thread on it in HVAC.

I like about 50 to 54F for a shop temperature wearing a light work jacket. We keep the house about 65F unless the woodstove is on then it could be 68F. Last week when it was -19F here, 52F in the shop was pretty spectacular!

 

[Tejaas]

68 degrees and I'm freezing...but it is fine if I'm fishing or hunting and wearing cooler weather clothes... But when I'm working, the hotter the better... 100+ awesome.

That was a pro for me downrange... 120 degrees regularly on the flightline at our location... Fluke temp probe gave me 147 degrees on a right hand EFAB in direct sunlight one day... That should explain why we always left 30mm ammunition under the aircraft in the shade.

After loading 300 rounds and operating the teeny levers on a ammunition sideloader while not wearing gloves, your fingertips are raw!

The 120 degrees was fine, but making contact with super hot T6 sucked!


~Tejaas~

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