Heating my garage.. suggestions

I`d go with the kerosene heaters I have tried all of the different types and the kerosene ones work great! Heat up quick and you can turn them down and stay warm all day! Used one for years in Colorado with lots of cold and snow and plenty of sub zero days worked in the garage in a T-shirt, we used to use them in the winter to lay brick on new homes, pull a trap off the roof to the ground put the heater in one end wait 2hrs and go to work in you`re T-shirt!
 
I,m in minnesota and running a modine 30,000 btu bare bones model ,no electronic ignition ,just pilot light ,3 car garaged attached 8 foot ceilings,keep it at 42 degrees at all times unless doing work in garage ,it will heat up to 70 in 20 minutes or so ,does not run the heat bill up, easy to insatall with threaded rod ,ran small vent out roof ,and pretty well insulated.I think I paid about $400. for the heater and then found a thermostat that would go down to 40 degrees been working great for 6 years now.
 
One possible consideration re: electric would be infrared panels. Rather than wasting kWhs heating the entire space they just heat you and the area you're working in. Pretty effective.
 
Holy crap this thread really took off running! haha. I am glad though.

I want to keep the garage above freezing at all times. My other motive is to keep it warm enough so I can install a utility sink out there. Installing the sink would be easier than installing this heater. I can fix holes in drywall without too much trouble!

Factors to keep in mind;

There is NO "easy" way to get a natural gas line to my garage. The feed into the house is on the opposite end and the closest to the garage that I can see with a gas line is in my utility room which is not even close to the garage (two finished rooms between here and there). I would say the gas line would either have to be run outside the house.. or up through my attic and across the house.. dropping back into the garage from the attic. This is my ideal. I would LOVE to have nat. gas out there. I am thinking maybe budget wise it would be smart to get a small kerosene salamander for this year.. then do the gas line etc.. this summer.

Thanks guys, Ill go back and reread this thread and all it suggestions.

Evan
 
In my area anything other than black iron or approved flexible connectors to natural gas appliances is againist codes and all gas pipe plumbing must be done by a licensed plumber and inspected by the city. Or they'll have your meter pulled and you'll have to bring it all up to current code before they'll turn your gas back on. Justa warning check out the reg's in your area before doing anything, around here they also prohibit unvented heaters.
 
My garage is built on to the side of the house. It is not as big as yours, but I fitted a large central heating radiator on one wall and ran the water pipes through the wall into the house and connected with the other radiators in the house. Gas fired central heating is used. It works pretty well.
 
Garage heater

Since you have NG available, that's the route I'd go...only with a vented appliance. A unvented NG heater is 100% effecient, but will cause moisture problems if you run it a lot.

I know this from personal experience,
Chas
 
I use two of those portable oil heaters. One on each end of the garage, set low (600 watt setting.). Works pretty good.

Dave
 
How about a self feeding pellet stove? Just fill up the hopper and it will run for days!http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...ng-stoves-1-07/overview/0701_pellet-stove.htm

I had mentioned that in post 2 but I will retract my suggestion after hearing what he wants it for. While I love my pellet stove that we have in the house dearly they are by no means trouble free.

Also the batch of pellets we got this year must have come from a bunch of recycled plywood as we get a glob of unburned residue that has to be removed every 6 hours or so in the chamber.:thumbsdn:
 
I didn't see anyone mention Electric Heat Panels as an option. I have these in several rooms in my house - incredibly efficient at about 3 cents per hour out here. If one doesn't do it for your garage space, get another one. I think you can find these at Hardware stores for < $100, and just plug into a wall outlet.

[URL="http://www.eheat.us/"]http://www.eheat.us/[/URL]

heatcirculation2.jpg


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a few more years, ALL us northerners will be permanently heading south en masse due to extreme high fossil fuel costs or... no fossil fuels. you can bet on this. just a matter of time.

investment tip-buy up all the southern real estate you can-NOW!:yes:

when ALL the northerners head south it will be worth TRILLIONS!
 
Well guys, I am heading up to the attic to prep for blowing in insulation tomorrow. Don't be jealous of all the fun I am having. Thankfully its ridiculously warm right now.

Evan
 
I didn't see anyone mention Electric Heat Panels as an option. I have these in several rooms in my house - incredibly efficient at about 3 cents per hour out here. If one doesn't do it for your garage space, get another one. I think you can find these at Hardware stores for < $100, and just plug into a wall outlet.

[URL="http://www.eheat.us/"]http://www.eheat.us/[/URL]

heatcirculation2.jpg
...

At $95 each, and heats 100 square feet, I'd only need 3 for the garage! Not a bad idea!
 
Well guys, I am heading up to the attic to prep for blowing in insulation tomorrow. Don't be jealous of all the fun I am having. Thankfully its ridiculously warm right now.

Evan

Good luck Evan! Hey, while you're up there might want to run some iron pipe....as doing so after the fact will mean a redo of the insulation that you step on and compress. Wishing I'd of done same prior to my insulation-blow for my range vent....now it will have to be redone once I do the vent project.
 
Thanks Mike, I have a very flat pitched roof.. I have already hit my head 5 times. This blows! haha.

I am going to have to have a pro come in here and do the gas line I suspect for code reasons. Likely won't be able to afford it this winter.

I also need to vent my range hood :(

However, I am contemplating a mild kitchen remodel so I am going to play that by ear I suppose.

Evan
 
Northerners moving down south en masse? Nah.... A time will come when "they" think of a solution to our energy problems. When and what is debatable.

In the past, I've used 1500 watt oil-filled electric space heaters in my garage for winter nights when we dipped into the 30s or lower. Catch is, two of those running at full tilt can trip my garage's outdated 20A electric branch. Lights out can be scary :D when that happens.
 
At $95 each, and heats 100 square feet, I'd only need 3 for the garage! Not a bad idea!
Better look at those a little closer. They put out 400w.. That is about 4 lightbulbs per panel. You might not stay very warm unless you're leaning on it.:D
 
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