Garage Heater

[rvvrrat]

I have a 26x26 garage that I am insulating (6" wall, 4" ceiling insulation) and will use as a workshop. I don't need heat all the time and it doesn't have to maintain 80 degrees. I will not use kerosene just becasue of the smell. I am getting out of the wood game also.

Any suggestions on a good electric/propane heater? I know I'm asking a lot, but it sure would be nice if it was somewhat quite too.

[MJCatfish]

Fleet Farm has some that hang from the ceiling, runs on propane or natural gas. I am very happy with mine- new last year. Kept the garage warm and was fairly quiet. I don't recall the name of it, but it's grayish and about the size of a medium to large cooler.

I'll try to remember to check the name when I'm at home sometime and reply.

[CHODE]

Spend a few more bucks and put another 6" of insulation in the ceiling! 4" is a little light! With 6" more in the ceiling it will pay for itself in the long run!

[Guest]

If you have the space for it, put LOTS of insul in the clng.
I like electric base board, if I can keep the floor space clear in front of it. Easy (like, dumb-a** easy) to install, and electric makes for good 'on-demand' heating, or to set at 40 degress and leave it. You don't need to hard-wire it, you can just put it on a plug, to a good circuit.
The better your insulation, the less heat you'll need.
Please don't burn down your garage - I'd feel really bad if ya did.

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RobertC

[kwkfsh]

Check out a Monitor heater. They are SWEET!! Super efficient, vented, builtin fan, thermostatically controlled, gravity feed fuel oil fed. Installation is a snap, 1 2" hole does both intake air and exhaust, and then plug in the power cord. they have 2 sizes 22 and 44K BTU.

[danny berg]

I wouldn't get out of the wood game just yet, have you looked into the pellet stoves? The ones at Fleet are darn good and you can mix the wood pellets 50/50 with corn. Very little ash. I have one in the house and it cuts way back on the gas bill. I burned 1 ton of pellets last year and Fleet has them for sale, $150 per ton. I still use the furnace in the house but I never put it above 68. Check them out.

[minneman]

I build homes for a living and if I were you id spend money on more insulation in the attic.
fleet farm has a no vent heater that you screw to the wall, 30000 btu, thermostatic control and oxogen sensor shut off for around 200.00 it would have fair recovery if left cold for a while.
baseboard heat would take all day to reach a comfortable temp if 0 or below,
another option would be a knipco style propane heater, they sell a thermostat that plugs in to the power cord for these and they would have a very good recovery time, drawback.. they are noisy and they arent very safe with air quality.

[Steve Foss]

Four inches sounds reallhy light on ceiling insulation, too. Could it be the roof is 2X4s vaulted instead of trusses, so the insulation is whatever fits between the 2X4s?

[hydro]

A good propane heater for your space will be in the 30,000 to 60,000 BTU range. Both will keep the space warm but the larger heater will warm it up much faster when you want to use it.

I am putting a heater in my garage (about the same size/insulation) and it will wind up costing about $1000.00 once I have the heater, plumbing, vents, electrical, and propane tank installed. To have it installed is significantly higher.

[Dave]

I use the basic torpedo LP heater for occasional use. On 85,000BTU, the temp rises one degree a minute in a oversize three stall garage. Then I cut the heat down to the 35,000 BTU seeting.

[rvvrrat]

Thanks for all the input guys.

The ceiling only has 4" of insulation because a floor was installed on the trusses for storage. I know this is not much insulation, but it is all I could get between the 2x4s.

I have a question for those of you using propane...do you use the portable tanks or did you go with a stationary tank outside the garage? Again, for me this will be occasional use...maybe 5-6 days a month.

[hydro]

Rvvrrat,

The size of the tank required depends on the input BTU rating of your heater. It must contain enough volume to allow the liquid propane to vaporize at the lowest temperature you intend to operate at. I just checked with the propane suppliers in central MN, and for my 75K BTU heater they all recommended a 250 gallon tank. I would guess that with about 30K BTU input you could get by with a 125 gallon or possibly a couple of 50's.

Give the local supplier a call and get the details. Also go over installation codes with them so that you know how to prepare the installation.