Heating a Garage

I

imported_Tileman

New member
I have a 2 1/2 car detached garage, 24x24'.



Garage isn't insulated and has an attic space above a slat floor which begins where the door finishes opening.



I'm looking for opinions on heating this space only for the times I might be detailing once the cold weather sets in.



Forget electric, no way to start running 220 lines now for that & no gas service to this home either.



Anyone use those bullet propane heaters or Kerosene units.



Don't want to purchase something and find out it doesn't do the job or is even worth the expense of running it.



Thanks.
 
Kerosene is probably the easiest to implement. The bullet style heaters are nice for getting a space up to temp, especially if you have doors opening and closing frequently but for a space your size one or two of the regular kerosene heaters should do the job. Just be sure to run the 1-K kerosene as it is cleaner burning with nearly no smell.



This is the type of heater i'm talking about.

images




Also, a fan of some sort would be nice to circulate the heat better.
 
My detached garage is about 30x40 with a 11 ft ceiling. Before putting in a overhead gas furnace, I used the kerosene heaters and was happy with the results .Used two large units and was able to work in shirtsleeves even during harsh Indiana winters. The only drawbacks were waiting for the heat to come up to working temps and as soon as they were shut down the heat would quickly escape for lack of insulation.I don't regret going to gas and installing the insulation. It was well worth the effort even with having to dig the trench for the gas supply from the house meter to the garage.
 
I had a "torpedo" type kerosene heater in one of the shops I rented when I was a kid. Worked OK but I'm not sure how safe it was (fumes, carbon monoxide, open flame, etc.). Just because I lived to tell that doesn't mean it was a good idea :nixweiss



I've used various propane heaters during power outages, and the same caveats apply. Even, IMO, with the ones that're supposedly safe for indoor use.
 
Propane. Get a large 100 gallon propane tank that sits outside and get a propane forced-air furnace for inside.
 
I agree with Alex in the sense that I think the biggest "bang for the buck" would be to insulate. I have a 16x40x14 garage with a slab in Toronto, insulated fully with R24 (roof too), and even on the coldest days I can heat the garage myself with body heat. I was in there yesterday (it was -4C, so about 29F), and I had to open the door it got so warm with just me inside. I do have a 220 electric heater, but almost never use it. I think without insulation even with a kerosene heater you'll have a hard time keeping it warm without the heater running full time.



So ya, if you intend on staying in the house I'd say even doing spray insulation (which is more expensive, but better insulation) would pay for itself vs. fuel after a few years.
 
My detail shop has R28 walls and an R40 ceiling and I heat it with an electric space heater during the winter. I do agree that insulation is probably the best way to go, the more insulation the better.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.



If I get busy enough, doubt it this time of year, I'll probably just staple up some poly to box myself in and go with a Kerosene heater.
 
I just had my garage redone as part of a home renovation project... the old garage was just wide open, with exposed studs and rafters, with just the one wall leading into the house sheetrocked and plastered. We converted on of the garage bays to a mudroom/laundry room and added a new garage bay



The new garage is completely insulated, blueboarded and plastered and had insulated doors. I had it prepiped for gas heat should I decide to install a heater unit.. I also have provisions for hot and cold water in the garage also.



My detailing is strictly seasonal.. I am for all intents and purposes shut down until Spring 2011, but if i install the heater I may consider doing it year round using ONR in the winter months.



I wouldn't risk using an unvented fossil fuel heater due to the generation of carbon monoxide. In the industrial setting, the max exposure limit is 50 PPM for an 8 hour timeframe. Residential limits are 9PPM.
 
Tileman said:
Thanks for all the suggestions.



If I get busy enough, doubt it this time of year, I'll probably just staple up some poly to box myself in and go with a Kerosene heater.
Click to expand...



Just putting up some Poly will help a lot.
 
WAS said:
Propane. Get a large 100 gallon propane tank that sits outside and get a propane forced-air furnace for inside.
Click to expand...



I hate the smell of propane burn, Im switching to NG.



Insulation is the only way, my garage is 40 deg warmer than outside without heat due to insulation! right now its 45 inside, and single digits outside.



Cheers,

GREG
 
You could also hang some metal halide lights. We have a ton of halides in my shop and it actually really helps to produce some heat.
 
Insulation is a great idea, and it really helps once the garage gets up to temp, but for me, the big deal is sealing it, my garage door leaks air like a MOFO when its windy. Wood doors are just crap, hate my builder for using one.
 
Just to update, I stapled up some poly on the ceiling and across and over where the door opens and draped it down on 3 sides leaving just enough room to walk around a vehicle, bought a cheap Stanley electric heater, took about 40 minutes to get it up to 50 to 55 degrees, my Halogens helped too.



It was 34 outside at the time and at night, no sun.



Wouldn't get any warmer, but nice enough to get the job done.



For the occasional job I get this time of year, it'll have to do.
 
Tileman- Glad you found a workable solution. Will you be able to work around the heater or will you have to turn it off?
 
I'm in the same boat of needing a quick heating solution. Eventually we would like a small NG heater which works incredibly well in our basement, but I would use an electric heater if I could get half of my stall to be 15 degrees warmer.
 
Tileman- Sorry my question was unclear, but you answered it anyhow :D The link was helpful too, that looks good for the application.
 
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