Okay, so I was out in my garage, contemplating on more grinding on my 914, and also busting out the battery tray, grind under there to see how bad it is, etc.

But before I was out there for even a 1/2 hour, my fingers were numb.

My garage is large (3 1/2 cars, with a second floor that is storage and may one day be a shop). It is seperate from the house, and it needs heat. Lots of work I can do this winter, but I need to be able to work w/o turning into a popcycle. Its built largely of cinderblock on the bottom, wood frame on the sencond floor.


So what is the best way to heat it? I was considering a wood stove or something. What have other people done in this situation?

Zach

There's always these.

look into kerosene heat. the heaters that go up against an outside wall. I have heard good things about them.

kerosene heat

this is what I am talking about. I don't know the cost, but you may want to look into it.

and make sure you get some insulation on the walls and ceiling. otherwise, you'll spend all your money heating the enviroment ...

anything with an open flame (gas, wood) does not seem like a particular good idea for a garage.
think gasoline and other flammables (is that a word?)

Andy

Couple of questions.

Is it insulated?
Do you have a way to close off the second floor (door)

Do you heat your house with gas, oil, or propane?

You can pick up a gas fire hot air furnace for pretty cheap, either a new one, or a used one...

Simple install, really just set it in the corner so you can run a stainless inulated pipe out the wall.

I run a kerosene salamader construction heater, cause I have one...They are really loud, and smell.

I also have a wood stove...nice but you have to deal with starting it and waiting for it to heat up the shop...

The furnace can be had pretty cheap used. (talk to your local plumber, local oil delivery company, or local propane delivery company...they are out replacing customer units now and have to dispose (free) of these furnaces...

Normally they work fine, just not as efficient as the newer units, but fine for a garage...


And before I get flamed...(I live in the northeast and I am a cheap yankee) a buddy of mine has a used oil fire forced hot air furnace...an oil tank on a trailer. We used this for several years at new home construction...we always rigged the pipe out the window somehow...or door...

It can be done real cheap and real hot.

Rich

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Dec 3 2005, 07:07 PM)

and make sure you get some insulation on the walls and ceiling. otherwise, you'll spend all your money heating the enviroment ...

^^^^ this helps alot.

Then something like below is what I use. There is some odor from the burnt kerosene but my garage can be heated from 40F to 70F in about 10 minutes. It's the only way to work in the garage in PA in the winter. Also have a 110V thermostat that goes between the AC wall plug and the heater and allows temperature control instead of having to plug and unplug the heater to maintain temps.

I'm just getting ready to go out tonight to the garage to install a new front bumper cap on my 914 - in short sleeves!!

Spoke

I use this propane Heater.... NO Open Flame....

Modine Hot Dawg Heater

QUOTE (Spoke @ Dec 3 2005, 07:21 PM)

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Dec 3 2005, 07:07 PM) and make sure you get some insulation on the walls and ceiling. otherwise, you'll spend all your money heating the enviroment ... ^^^^ this helps alot. Then something like below is what I use. There is some odor from the burnt kerosene but my garage can be heated from 40F to 70F in about 10 minutes. It's the only way to work in the garage in PA in the winter. Also have a 110V thermostat that goes between the AC wall plug and the heater and allows temperature control instead of having to plug and unplug the heater to maintain temps.Spoke

Yeah. putting up insulation will be a needed task. Erin and I just bought the house int he spring, its been on the list, but we have not gotten to it yet.

I had not even thought about one of those blowers. Do you need to vent them somehow? That might be a really good option...

What I don't want is somehting electric. I have limited power out there, and would rather be able to use it for other things...

Zach

I'd make a solar still. It's pretty cheap to do if you get sunlight pretty regularly during the day and have a south facing outside wall. You can use a couple of old glass sliding doors for the glass. The only draw back is it gets really hot during the day. But, that has the advantage of heating all the contents of the shop so it stays warmer during the evenings and you can use some type of heater to make up the difference. But, insulation first is the best. I've seen these things produce so much heat during the day it was hard to stand under the vent. But, you might not get much sunlight out there.

Another option is to just put heat right where you're working instead of trying to heat the whole garage. Propane infrared heaters are great for that. Something along the lines of this:


We rigged up a MUCH larger version of that on top of a huge propane tank (30 gallon? About 5 feet tall) all attached to a hand truck. Easy to move around and runs a loooong time on one tank.

QUOTE (Vacca Rabite @ Dec 3 2005, 05:30 PM)

I had not even thought about one of those blowers. Do you need to vent them somehow? That might be a really good option... Zach

Nope, jes light it off & you kin werk yer assoff in comfert with a beer t'boot

......b

A good free standing wood stove.

To get vapors to blow up, ya really gotta screw the pooch or work at it....but it can happen. Minimal saftey consciousness
keeps me from leveling half the neighborhood.

I use a pellet stove and it takes a long time to heat the joint.
A pot belly stove would be quicker.

Anything that burns needs to have an exhaust to the outside.
Hydrogen is about the only exception.
The rest produce Carbon Monoxcide. Them big kerosene jobbies will give you a headache in about 15 minutes in a decently ventelated space.....that means it's time to leave.

These heaters aren't vented and they do have some odor to them as they operate. It's sorta like having a mini jet engine. A fan sucks in air on one side, mixes it with kero, and a constant spark ignites the kero and blows it out on the other side. Excellent for quick heat-ups which is what I do. Also they're very economical running between $150 and $400 for modest sized units.

Mine's on the small side at 50K BTU but does heat my 2 car garage. Some larger units do up to 600K BTU. The pic above is a 125K BTU unit for $250. Massive and quick heat for little $$.

If you're going to do an all day heat, then maybe one of the vented wall units would be better for you. I'm in the garage maybe 1-5 hours only. My bud has a vented wall unit in his work shop and he uses one of these mini-jets to quickly heat the shop in the mornings, then the wall unit to maintain temps after that.

Spoke

QUOTE (J P Stein @ Dec 3 2005, 08:22 PM)

Them big kerosene jobbies will give you a headache in about 15 minutes in a decently ventelated space.....that means it's time to leave.

Yep. The biggest drawback to the kero units. Then again, the hot flames make it easy to light yer ciggy or other burnable material...

Spoke

if yer getting cold in your garage it means yer not working hard enuf

QUOTE (Slowpoke @ Dec 3 2005, 08:09 PM)

I'd make a solar still. It's pretty cheap to do if you get sunlight pretty regularly during the day and have a south facing outside wall. You can use a couple of old glass sliding doors for the glass. The only draw back is it gets really hot during the day. But, that has the advantage of heating all the contents of the shop so it stays warmer during the evenings and you can use some type of heater to make up the difference. But, insulation first is the best. I've seen these things produce so much heat during the day it was hard to stand under the vent. But, you might not get much sunlight out there.

a solar still is for purifying water...

Please explain..I have a great south facing barn..I have been researching passive solar solutions...never heard of a solar still...

A link would help...

Rich

Funny, I have reacently had to contemplate this myself. I find that 500w work lamps do a good job for small spaces.

QUOTE (Dr Evil @ Dec 3 2005, 11:15 PM)

Funny, I have reacently had to contemplate this myself. I find that 500w work lamps do a good job for small spaces.

Ya! I seem to remember that the 1000 watt halides I used'ta use put off a nice warming effect...

I think I remember... maybe

....b

QUOTE (Dr Evil @ Dec 3 2005, 10:15 PM)

Funny, I have reacently had to contemplate this myself. I find that 500w work lamps do a good job for small spaces.

[QUOTE]



propane constuction heaters

The "kettle" style propane heaters seem to have the best "bang" for the buck but aren't suitable for "Indoor" applications. They burn up too much oxygen before it can be replaced through leaks etc.
They really go through the 20 lb. tanks pretty fast.
I found a small propane number at the local True Value (Lowe's also) that is suitable for enclosed areas because it has a low oxygen shut off but it still has the open flame.
Consider before insulating that the Kraft paper on fiberglass is very flammable.
I don't worry too much about heating the out doors but with too much heat in the garage is that I may get ice dams up on the roof. It's not a problem now of course because the garage is cold and doesn't melt the snow on the roof.

Just as important as the insulation is the vapour barrier

My shop is done to almost R2000 spec...I heat it (about 1800sq/ft w/ 12' ceiling) with 2 bush cords of wood/yr.
That costs me $450/yr and I never let it get cold.

kerosene heaters stink. there is always the nice stench when you fill them and spill a bit of the fuel. wait until you go in the house, your wife will love it. pita. i've filled my share of them. best bang for the buck are the radiant, portable, electric heaters costco sells.

k

I undid one of the 6" heating ducts so I blows nice hot air into the garage. The renters upstairs havent complained yet how cold the livingroom is now......

The best way to heat a garage in my opinion is with a unit made by modine called the Hot Dawg. They burn propane or nat gas vent outdoors and are hung from the ceiling. Any heater used in a garage has to have the flame source 18" above floor level especially if you are working with flammables[gas,paint,cleaners]. If not your wife may not be able to collect the insurance money. Also you don't want to connect any part of a forced air haeting system that servives the living quaters to the garage[carbon monoxide!!!]