Winter Heat, What's working for you? Options

[bandjoey]

It's finally getting below 50degrees here at night, and I'm looking for more garage heat. Standard 2 car garage with leaky overhead door....

Last year I had an oil radiator with blower and ceramic tower both with 1500 watts. They worked ok after a 30-45 minute warmup period.

Looking at a 15,000 watt ceramic heater top that attaches to a propane large propane bottle (bbq grill size). Anyone use this and does it work?

Other portable heaters that work?

[iamchappy]

Best solution and sometimes the cheapest is to find a used furnace off Craigslist.

I just bought a 42,000 BTU propane vented furnace from a 5th wheel off Craigslist last week for 50 bucks to use in my camper.
Testing it out in the garage the thing cranked it out. I may look for another for the garage now.

[Krieger]

I have a propane powered Dyna Glo 40,000 btu heater. It works great for my 25x25 high ceiling garage. I use the propane tank from the BBQ in the garage during the winter. I think it was a Home Depot special. It is loud though, it sounds like a blow torch. I only run it for 10 minutes or so every couple of hours when its in the 50s or below. Glad I bought it. It has other uses seeing that it shoots out a large flame.

[rick 918-S]

I've tried every kind of heater to find an affordable solution for my garage. I have tubing in the floor for a heated slab. Unfortunately the water heater I purchased (because I was told that would work awesome (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) ) failed.

Then I moved to a propane unvented wall heater. That heated the garage nicely but stunk when you sprayed anything in the air. And the cost of propane sux. I put up with the propane company jacking me with the rates for three years.

I purchased an electric boiler to heat the floor. As soon as I got my first bill I got a letter telling me because my garage has it's own meter and I am being charged a commercial rate I was now being placed on a commercial demand rate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif). The problem with heating the floor when your not working the the garage is it continues to cost money. If I had one residential meter the electric company would have had to supply all the power I wanted to use at a residential rate. After the first 500.00 bill Sandy was not amused (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)

So, I ran a gas line from the house to a unit heater. The cost is 1/10 of the cost of propane and I can shut it off when I'm not in the garage.

Anyone want an electric hydronic boiler I have one in the classifieds.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=153087

[VaccaRabite]

I use a 70K btu contractor heater. Burns K1 and will leave you stoned if you don't leave that garage door open a bit when you run it. But it does put out a lot of heat.

[bigkensteele]

Are your walls and attic insulated? In TX, that might be your best bang for the buck. I did my walls before they put up the sheetrock. About 5 years ago, I had a bunch blown into the attic. I also have CHEAP insulated garage doors - you could buy the styrofoam slabs at HD if yours are not already done.

Granted, we don't have very severe winters here, but my garage rarely drops below 50 with the only heat sources being the engine block of my wife's car, and the door to our mud room when it is open.

A space heater makes it a little more comfy when I am out there, but I have thought about a wall mounted electric unit. Much as I'd like to, I haven't spent enough time out there in the winter to justify it yet.

[JStroud]

I bought a 75,000 btu commercial shop heater on craiglist last year for $200 mounted it from the ceiling, I only use it when I need to but it only takes 10 minutes to go from 40 -70. It's sure nicer working in a warm garage.

Jeff

[jmill]

I'm saving up for the HD75. Burns NG and has an external vent. No CO worries.

[speed metal army]

Wouldnt the propane units create moisture?

[Prospectfarms]

I have access to wood, so that is what I use to heat all my buildings. 8 real cords a year, cut hauled split and stacked by your's truly. The equipment shed where I work on vehicles is concrete block and uninsulated. I use an airtight heavy metal stove to heat it. Never gets above 50 in the winter, but you can feel the radiant heat and there's always a place to keep things warm.

With dry wood and some insulation you can heat a lot of space efficiently with wood, even if you have to buy it. Newer stoves are also more efficient but very expensive. A food grade metal drum with a $70 stove kit puts out 100,000 or more BTUs and hour if its really going. I keep the combustibles on the other side of the building and keep my flues clean. Surrounded by concrete, a clean stove is no more dangerous than any other means of combustion.

The problem with wood stoves in the garage it takes 20 minutes before you feel heat after you light them. When I'm going to work for an hour or less, I just wear a hat and coat.

[NJ914Guy]

I have a mini split AC/Heat pump in my garage. Heats and cools 600sq/ft with 10ft ceilings with no problem.

[tadink]

I've tried every kind of heater to find an affordable solution for my garage. I have tubing in the floor for a heated slab. Unfortunately the water heater I purchased (because I was told that would work awesome (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) ) failed.

Then I moved to a propane unvented wall heater. That heated the garage nicely but stunk when you sprayed anything in the air. And the cost of propane sux. I put up with the propane company jacking me with the rates for three years.

I purchased an electric boiler to heat the floor. As soon as I got my first bill I got a letter telling me because my garage has it's own meter and I am being charged a commercial rate I was now being placed on a commercial demand rate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif). The problem with heating the floor when your not working the the garage is it continues to cost money. If I had one residential meter the electric company would have had to supply all the power I wanted to use at a residential rate. After the first 500.00 bill Sandy was not amused (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)

So, I ran a gas line from the house to a unit heater. The cost is 1/10 of the cost of propane and I can shut it off when I'm not in the garage.

Anyone want an electric hydronic boiler I have one in the classifieds.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=153087

have you considered adding some solar collectors to your garage loop? even in the cold, if there is sunshine you'll have plenty of FREE heat.....contact me directly and I can point you in the right direction - td

[rohar]

You're all doing it wrong. I plan on snuggling up to Mrs. Rohar all winter. If I get too warm I'll go out to the shop and work on the car to cool off.

There's a joke about wood heated here, but I think I've gone far enough for one night.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[rmital]

pick this up at Home depot a few years ago...works great. they suggest you crack a window open so your leaky door will probably work for you.

[injunmort]

i use carharts. no heat=no rust. bourbon works well too.

[injunmort]

sorry for double post

[zymurgist]

I have a propane powered Dyna Glo 40,000 btu heater. It works great for my 25x25 high ceiling garage. I use the propane tank from the BBQ in the garage during the winter. I think it was a Home Depot special. It is loud though, it sounds like a blow torch. I only run it for 10 minutes or so every couple of hours when its in the 50s or below. Glad I bought it. It has other uses seeing that it shoots out a large flame.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

I use one of these as well. I just don't feel comfortable cracking open fuel supply lines while using it, but for everything else it's fine.

[JMKnight]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) I use a regular 95% efficient gas furnace. Not cheap, but it works well. I have a coal stove, but it isn't in service yet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[nowlings]

Infratech garage heater. Uses infrared element technology similar to what the body shops use to dry primer, etc. out on the shop floor. It's adapted to mount from the ceiling or wall and works fairly well on household current. Available through your local automotive paint distributor or even amazon IIRC.

[Rand]

Fifty? LOL... You better get some of these, in pink:
http://www.urban-clothes.net/thermal-underwear/
At least the humidity is low here in Reno. Zero degrees here is more pleasant than fifty was in Seattle.
Seriously though, gas heat is the only way to go.