Garage Heater - NF

[grimsbylander]

Hey Guys,

 

I just had a new insulated garage door installed and would like to add a heater in the garage for the winter. It's an attached, single car garage and I'd like to keep the garage above the freezing temp but certainly not room temperature. I'll be storing gelcoat refinishing products in there and don't want it to freeze. Suggestions?

[DanD]

If possible duct in from the house.

If not an RV/trailer propane furnace that is self contained and runs on 12 DC battery or a converter.

Edited September 22, 2016 by DanD

[Tom McCutcheon]

If possible duct in from the house.

If not an RV/trailer propane furnace that is self contained and runs on 12 DC battery or a converter.

 

That's not a bad thought Dan, but when I had a new furnace installed and duct work added to an upstairs bedroom above the garage, the duct came through the wall from the house and along the garage ceiling into the upstairs room. I asked if I could install a heat/air cond. vent into the garage at the same time. His answer was NO. According to code it can't be done because of possible carbon monoxide transfer to the living quarters.

Codes in other areas may be different though, but it made sense to me.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Tom McCutcheon

[leaf4]

I would not suggest a duct in as Tom previously stated for those same reasons.

 

To add, the small amount you would add wouldn't be satisfactory to heat a garage space and would take away from the heating in your house.

 

If it were me I would do a small ceiling hung unit with a minimum set to maintain at 5 - 10 degrees based on what you feel is necessary for proper storage, something like this would fit your criteria I think, you need to pipe in a natural gas line, and vent out the flue.

 

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/50-000-btu-natural-gas-shop-heater/A-p8432528e

Edited September 23, 2016 by Lucas F

[DRIFTER_016]

You could probably get away with something like this for a singe car garage.

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Dyna-Glo-30-000-BTU-Blue-Flame-Vent-Free-Dual-Fuel-Garage-Heater-GBF30DTDG-1/206556619

[vance]

In the winter I put a 150 watt incandescent bulb in the lite fixture and Leave it on. It has to get below -20 out side for the garage to get down to zero and I know that because I have a wireless thermometer in the garage.

 

vance

[woodenboater]

You could probably get away with something like this for a singe car garage.

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Dyna-Glo-30-000-BTU-Blue-Flame-Vent-Free-Dual-Fuel-Garage-Heater-GBF30DTDG-1/206556619

 

 

alot of homes is Australia had/have these heaters in them. remember them fondly to take chill of Aus winters (which were like our spring temps). never had a problem with O2 issues in the house. ymmv and stay safe

[Fisherman]

 

 

alot of homes is Australia had/have these heaters in them. remember them fondly to take chill of Aus winters (which were like our spring temps). never had a problem with O2 issues in the house. ymmv and stay safe

I would highly suspect that this type of non vented heater will dramatically increase your humidity level, water vapour is a by product of burning propane or NG. I use a 40,000 btu wall vented wall mount NG heater with a small built in squirrel cage fan. Garage is 440 sq/ft detached.

[John Bacon]

I think a small baseboard heater should be enough to stop the garage from dropping below freezing.

I also have a single car attached garage. Neither the outside wall, nor the door are insulated. My garage never seems to reach freezing temperatures. I keeps my minnows there in the winter and they have never frozen. I do have a brick house; so that may help.

I think that a heater at the floor level is more effective since cold air settles. A regular plug in space heater with a thermostat plug should do the trick. Run two on different circuits if you want to be extra safe.

http://www.morelectricheating.com/products/THERMOSTATS%20AND%20ACCESSORIES/PLUG%20IN%20INLINE%20THERMOSTATS/EASY%20HEAT%20PRE-SET%20THERMOSTAT.aspx

[grimsbylander]

Thanks for the suggestions. If I remember correctly, I left a water bottle on my work bench and it froze solid but not until into January/February. That said, the polishes and cleaners I have would last at least that long before freezing. I was going to finish insulating the "long" wall and wrap it with poly so maybe a small electric space heat would be too bad? I won't have any fuels or vehicles in there...well maybe a lawn tractor but it wouldn't be started until spring.

 

I like that plug in thermostat ^^^^. Didn't know they existed. Thanks!

[aniceguy]

if your garage is inslulated on all 4 sides then on the coldest day of winter you wont protect it from freezing a 110 1500 watt heater may do the job but it may be a bit sketchy

I had to eventually intall a 220 to keep my garage above 10 in the winter and now have a 75000 btu gas heater in the new house. if any part of your garage is uninsulated from the outside a 110 wont work

[Dara]

It all depends on your budget.

I have a 50,000 btu natural gas heater in my detached and keep it at 70 all winter.

Costs very little to run (the place in insulated like a house)but the initial investment is a bit pricey.

A 220 electric can be had for around $100 to $500.

There are different types. My last place had a 30,000 btu that would hold any temp I wanted but wouldn't warm the place from dead cold but runs cheap, where a construction type heater will heat it up but be expensive to run.

[John Bacon]

if your garage is inslulated on all 4 sides then on the coldest day of winter you wont protect it from freezing a 110 1500 watt heater may do the job but it may be a bit sketchy

I had to eventually intall a 220 to keep my garage above 10 in the winter and now have a 75000 btu gas heater in the new house. if any part of your garage is uninsulated from the outside a 110 wont work

 

That has not been my experience. I have never had anything freeze in my unheated garage. However, I do have living space above and behind my garage. My garage is attached to the house on one side, the back, and the ceiling; it is only exposed on one side plus the door. And the exposed wall is brick.

 

In my case, I would only need a heat source for extended extreme cold weather; so the 110 volt heater would be more than enough.

 

A garage that is only attached to the house along one wall with no living space above it would be a different situation.

 

 

[grimsbylander]

Maybe this would do the trick? I could install a 220V line and Nema 6 receptacle.

 

 

I should add the link..LOL

 

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/5-600w-240v-construction-heater/A-p8618837e

Edited September 23, 2016 by grimsbylander

[leaf4]

Do you plan on running it consistently to maintain the heat? 20+ amps won't be cheap to run in the dead of winter

[Dara]

Thats a construction heater

 

The element gets red hot in them for a quick blast of heat.

The elements burn out quick and take lots of power.

 

You want a unit heater. About twice the price.

The element only gets warm and cycles a lot but they don't use much power.

 

I heated my 24x24 shop to 70F with one for 3 years and it worked great. but I never turned it down more that a few degrees at night.

 

You set the temp you want and it will hold it there.

 

They aren't built to take you from -20 up to 10 degrees but they will hold you at 5 constantly for a good price, as long as you are decently insulated

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/NewAir-17-060-BTU-5000-Watt-Electric-Garage-Heater-G73/205588544

 

There, the white one at $261.00

Edited September 23, 2016 by Dara

[Fisherman]

Maybe this would do the trick? I could install a 220V line and Nema 6 receptacle.

 

 

I should add the link..LOL

 

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/5-600w-240v-construction-heater/A-p8618837e

 

Hydro one will love you.

[dave524]

How much refinishing products do you have?????? build a small box to house them and put a light bulb in it. Why heat the entire garage.

 

or something like this

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1138614184/goldenrod-gunsaver-dehumidifier-rod-110v

Edited September 24, 2016 by dave524

[Beans]

We have a 48 ft garage that is divided into three rooms...only the back room is insulated and we have a (2 ft. long) baseboard propane heater connected to a thermostat to heat it...that room is used for my wife as a sewing room for her quilting...I had the cable company run a line out there ($50) so she can watch her programs out there...

 

The middle room works as a buffer and that is where we store our canned goods etc...by opening a window between the back room and the middle we have never had anything freeze...

 

It costs about $99 a month during the winter to heat...

[fishing n autograph]

I use a dewalt electric shop heater to warm the garage during the winter. It's safe to leave running all night.

[grimsbylander]

How much refinishing products do you have?????? build a small box to house them and put a light bulb in it. Why heat the entire garage.

 

or something like this

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1138614184/goldenrod-gunsaver-dehumidifier-rod-110v

 

Not too much and in the fall I hope to deplete the inventory some, but I really hate having a freezing cold garage. It's also my workshop and in the winter it's nasty going out there to do anything. I figured with the new garage door, I would put some heat in there to make it comfortable plus protect the sealants, polishes, etc. I think I'll start with a 110V heater and see what happens. If it struggles come January, I'll look at a better alternative. I'm really only hoping for +anything for temperature.

[Ron]

I went to the local dump and got a free hot box. (Old freezer). wired it up to accept a space heater. Works great. You can always boost up the heat when your working in the shop with a sundial propane heater, just do yourself a favour and run a CO2 detector as well.

[ichan]

CHECK WITH YOUR HOUSE INSURANCE COMPANY, GAS IS A DEFINITE NO NO WITH SOME, EVEN ELECTRIC THEY RATHER NOT KNOW, ITS ONE OF THOSE DON'T ASK/ DON'T TELL THING, LIKE A SECONDARY COOKING FACILITY IN YOUR HOME IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LEGAL APARTMENT PERMIT

[loadie933]

I have a single car garage set up as a wood shop and insulated. I use a heater similar to the one in the link. It won't heat the garage so you can wear shorts and t-shirts, but it will keep things above freezing.

 

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.1500w-portable-oil-filled-radiator-heater.1000799577.html?autoSuggest=pip

[grimsbylander]

I have a single car garage set up as a wood shop and insulated. I use a heater similar to the one in the link. It won't heat the garage so you can wear shorts and t-shirts, but it will keep things above freezing.

 

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.1500w-portable-oil-filled-radiator-heater.1000799577.html?autoSuggest=pip

That's what I needed to hear. I'm not looking for a warm garage, just not bitter cold and freezing.

 

Thanks for the great input everyone.