Garage Heater Question

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pwaug

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My garage is 450 sq ft. The ceiling is insulated. Three of the four walls are insulated and not exposed to the outside elements (one wall backs up to the house and the other two back up to other garages). The fourth wall is the garage door which is the only wall that backs up to the outside. I've never seen the temperature in the garage below 40 degrees after a week of very, very cold weather. I just want to get the temp up to 60 degrees from time to time to be able to apply LSPs or do a little polishing during the winter.

Does anyone have experiences with the Infrared Heaters such as this one from Home Depot (this one has a lifetime warranty on the heating elements):

ATI 1500-Watt Vortex Infrared Portable Heater with Remote Control (5600 BTU)-HEATER VORTEX - The Home Depot

They claim it will heat 1,000 sq ft so I'm hoping it can handle 450 sq ft.

 
My guess is yes but will take a while and may need to move some air with a fan to speed up the process. Could be expensive if you have to run a 1500 watt heater for 2-5 hours straight to get the temp up. I have 2-3/4 exposed walls and it will help in mine but takes hours to get the temp up. I use a diesel heater to get it up to temp with garage door open a foot for ventilation, then a small 1500 watt electric heater keeps it there while I work with door closed.
 
I have an un-insulated 24x24 garage. I put a tank top heater on a propane tank low or med, and open a window slightly for ventilation with an CO sensor making sure they don't find me laying on the floor. Takes me quite a while to get much warmer but open rafters and walls don't help.
Amazon.com - Mr. Heater MH15T Single Tank Top Outdoor Propane Heater - Portable Outdoor Heating 15,000BTU max

Like trashman said...it may take a little bit to warm it but nothing like mine.
 
I had one like that, I'm trying to remember the brand name. DR heater? anyway, worked really well. I had a house I was living in with a huge bedroom that was also my living room. Basically the only room I was ever in besides the kitchen. I bought the heater for that room instead of heating the whole house. Worked out just fine.
 
I actually have the 7,500 watt version and put it in at the beginning of last year. It worked quite well in my 24x24 block garage that was not insulated. This year I did put 1.5" foam board up on the walls, so I am thinking this will really help. You can see it hanging in the back corner in this picture.

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If any of you can run electrical wiring for future plugs, then insulate, then hang 3/4" fireblock drywall, you will have a much warmer garage with nothing more than the water heater in there going off and on, and better still if your furnace is in the garage also..

Then, save up for really good insulated garage door/s with all the trim that goes outside along the edges to block out more air intrusion, and it really changes it all up for the better..

I know, its a pain, but blocking out the cold and heat, drafts, critters, etc., will really the best thing you can do...

When I was living in the Pacific Northwest, in a big 2.5 car garage that I totally sealed up, the temp was always 62 in the coldest weather outside which included teens temps and snow...
I never really needed extra heat in winter there..

Yes, I know most of you live in way colder temps, and I get it... :)
Good luck !
Dan F
 
Dan--I do see your point. As I mentioned my garage ceiling is insulated and three of the walls are insulated and back up against the house and two other garages so the only wall exposed to the outside elements is the door. Even with sub-freezing temp for a week or more I've never seen the temp in my garage fall below 40 degrees. Most of the winter it's around 50 degrees in there. So my hope is it won't be too expensive to heat just enough to get it up to 60-65 degrees.
 
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