Garage Heating

[pigeonfarmboy]

What setups do you cold-weather-state guys have to keep you toasty?

I just moved into a new house and my shop is just too damn cold to work comfortably. It's a 4 car garage but my work area is on one end about 8x20. The little space heaters just don't cut it.

I still need to find out if I'm permitted by the city to run a gas line or not. The previous tenants were denied running water because they don't want the garage to be a livable space.

So, I may be limited to electric heat. Just not sure what I should look at brand or BTU wise? Hate to section off the end of the building with a wall but I wonder if this might be the best solution.

Thanks for the help.

[rugerboy]

I have a 500,000 btu kerosene heater heats up my 2 car toy box to 75* in about 20 minutes when its 30* outside

[JeepinOR]

If you use a 5 gallon tank for your BBQ, you might look into a heater attachment.

[specv510]

How come it's all CA guys responding? Anyway, I was thinking about one of those parabolic heaters they always have going at Costco. If you're just sitting at your workbench it might work.

[clockworks]

I think that sectioning the garage will be the best option. If you don't want a permanent wall, how about putting up a wooden shed, or even parking a small caravan (trailer) in the back of your garage.

I don't know how much you pay for electricity, but the cost of heating a 4 car garage here in the UK would be crippling.

[rockhugger]

Originally Posted by rugerboy

I have a 500,000 btu kerosene heater heats up my 2 car toy box to 75* in about 20 minutes when its 30* outside

not 30* very often in sacramento, although tonights forecast low of 25* is has me inside for sure. There was ice on everything at 10: pm

Originally Posted by specv510

How come it's all CA guys responding? Anyway, I was thinking about one of those parabolic heaters they always have going at Costco. If you're just sitting at your workbench it might work.

I picked up a 40,000 BTU propane heater from Craigslist for a good deal last winter. I would prefer electric cause it's quiter and does not smell, but it would be more expensive.


I would build a tempory structure with thin plywood just to keep the heat in your work area.

[AZRC]

ProPane Big Buddy Space Heater... 90,000 BTU with a 5 # propane tank. Works great!

[jason]

I 'd put one of these in there.

http://www.americanenergysystems.com/

Burns corn, just like you can get at any local feed store.

My dad has one of these that he heats his entire house with. Fill the hopper once a week and let it do it's thing,

[caymin last]

The forced air kerosene heaters are amazing, best thing for heating a space quickly and keeping it warm.

[BADASSPONY]

I had a wood stove in my old garage, now I use a kerosene forced air set up.

[weck]

Originally Posted by caymin last

The forced air kerosene heaters are amazing, best thing for heating a space quickly and keeping it warm.

Originally Posted by BADASSPONY

I had a wood stove in my old garage, now I use a kerosene forced air set up.

If you go the kerosene route make sure you ventilate the area...may not have an issue in a huge garage but if you do make a smaller room you will want it ventilated...and you will smell a little bit when you are done but they do work very well.

[pigeonfarmboy]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Yeah Jason I was actually considering a corn/pellet stove. Corn is kinda easy to get around here haha.

I had kinda overlooked propane because of the hassle of picking up refill tanks but I'll only be needing heat 4 months out of the year so it wouldn't be so bad.

[dirtyal]

I built an 8x8 in the corner of my garage and insulated it. With a little $30 electric heater I'm sitting in there in a t-shirt when its below zero outside.

[NeXt559]

Originally Posted by specv510

How come it's all CA guys responding? Anyway, I was thinking about one of those parabolic heaters they always have going at Costco. If you're just sitting at your workbench it might work.

X2 those parbolic heaters from costco are awsome.

just give me one of those heaters and a constant flow of warm coffee and i can work in my garage all weekend wearing cargo shorts

[Crawler Ted]

Colder than a witches tit here in Calgary .

I have a garage that has a rock course on one side and a work area on the other .
We have weekly comps as well as a winter series .
I've been using a woodstove in their for about 12 years .
Go from -30 celcius to +30 celcius in no time.
A few strategically placed fans to spread the heat around .
I have a good source for firewood as my buddy works at a lumber yard ,I just pull in once in a while and they load a pallet of wood in the back of my truck .

[Sparky J]

I'm putting in a wood stove but Homedepot has a 220volt 30amp wall mount that I have installed in garages before and they kick ass. They run about $300 plus getting it wired

[Narly1]

I just bought a couple of these for my 2-car garage.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...9205970454482#

I have yet to wire'em up so I can't comment on how good a job they do, cost to use, etc.

Narly1

[dkf]

Right now I have a wall mount blue flame propane heater in my shop. Uses a load of LP though. I found I go through Kerosene too fast, faster than LP. I think I might put a coal/wood stove in, use coal for the house anyway. Plenty of coal here in PA and you have a hard time beating coal.

[B-Dawg]

I only have a one car garage that is my workshop but I do use the propane tank with the heater attachment and it will run you out of there

[AdverseCity]

Originally Posted by pigeonfarmboy

I still need to find out if I'm permitted by the city to run a gas line or not. The previous tenants were denied running water because they don't want the garage to be a livable space.

We live in an area where the zoning laws prevent us from having a rental suite in the basement. We do have a gas line going to the garage and a furnace which was fine with the city. I think you'd be OK with a gas line, just can't have stuff that makes it a living area. As an example, in our basement we can have a fridge but no sink or stove. A fridge makes it more comfortable to be down there, a stove and sink are necessary for living there. If you just want heat, you should be fine but all my knowledge of this is for Canadian zoning laws, I'm sure it's different in your area but can't hurt to check.