Garage heater

[bensonwe]

Hi, i recently completed my garage except for heat. Its 20' x 28'. Im looking for some opinions on what to install. I like the idea of a ceiling mount propane but looking at all options. Thanks for the input.

[Winger Ed.]

Propane is good, natural gas is about the best & cheapest if its available.
Some places have open flame regulations if you're doing stuff with flameable liquids or paint.

I'd check with the local HVAC folks before I bought a new unit.
They do pull outs to replace entire units where the burner rack and blower are still good or easily fixed.
Stand it in the corner, strip out the AC coil, and run a duct or two along the ceiling.
They'd either be cheap, or free for the asking. If it needed a new fan motor, they're not too expensive.

Something that's a favorite around here is waste oil furnaces.
They're kind of expensive, but people are happy to bring or give you old oil to fuel it for free.

[jimlj]

I have a ceiling mount natural gas heater in my garage, about 24X30 in size. I don't remember if mine could be changed to propane but there are several models that can be changed from natural gas to propane fairly easily.

I used to heat my 50X70 shop at work with a waste oil heater. *IF* you can get good oil that people haven't dumped antifreeze or who knows what in before bringing it to you, and *IF* you clean and maintain it on a regular basis they work good. Be prepared for a mess if you go used oil heater route. In case you haven't noticed, used oil is a mess. I burned about 15 gallons of oil a day to heat my shop.

[rockrat]

I have one of the propane wall heaters with 3 different levels of heat. Usually only use the lowest setting

[tinsnips]

We sell 99% gas unit heaters for garages. Electric heat would break the bank around here. Some of the big garages we put 95% house furnaces either installed vertical or horizonal. Unit heaters are about 80% efficient. Keep in mind 95% furnace produce water as a by product.

[Nobade]

For something different, I'm planning on building a rocket mass heater in my new shop. Cheap to build, but a lot of labor. Weighs about 6,000 pounds so you need to be on a good slab. It runs on wood which I have in abundance in WV, and it should make for a nice warm space to inhabit. Another fun DIY project.

[rancher1913]

the best shop heater is an infloor hydronic heat system, but if your already done building the shop I guess that ship has sailed.

[Mal Paso]

the best shop heater is an infloor hydronic heat system, but if your already done building the shop I guess that ship has sailed.

You can do slab on slab and there are spacer boards the thickness of the tube with slots already cut but ya, in the slab is better. In floor Hydronic is my favorite.

[chambers]

Ceiling compact propane or natural gas unit heater. Works great in my garage

[Adk Mike]

Get a Modine Hotdawg HD45.
Propane or natural. Average propane usage in your climate 150 gallons a year.
I have one in a similar sized shop.
I have sold them in the past for my day job. Excellent way to go.
Reznor sells a unit like the Hotdawg that is just as good.
Vented units are best . The cost more but are nice in a shop.

[remy3424]

I would think in that size, a ceiling mount 220 electric would work nice. It is all I use in a 30x42 (over double the size), well insulated garage. Set low it keeps it above freezing in any weather. Not sure how much time you intend to be out there in the winter. When I want to work in the winter, I just turn it up an hour before and it will be 50ish. Not t-shirt temps but fine for working/reloading in a sweatshirt. No cutting a hole in the roof or propanes tanks to deal with. I couldn't real notice much difference in my electric bill when I put mine in...it is using juice, but not a ton. Now that pheasant season is over, it will be getting turned-up, I will be reloading for our June prairie dog shoot. Oh, and they are cheap at the farm supply stores.

[ulav8r]

For something different, I'm planning on building a rocket mass heater in my new shop. Cheap to build, but a lot of labor. Weighs about 6,000 pounds so you need to be on a good slab. It runs on wood which I have in abundance in WV, and it should make for a nice warm space to inhabit. Another fun DIY project.

Dad told about trying to sleep in a farmhouse in Korea during the war. There was a small fireplace outside at one end of the house. The flue ran under the floor to a chimney at the other end. It was bitter cold out so they built a large fire and slept on the floor. They had just gotten to sleep when the floor got too hot and they had to move outside and set up their tents.

[GregLaROCHE]

Have you considered an infa-red heater for the area where you work most?

[cwtebay]

Have you considered an infa-red heater for the area where you work most?^^^^x2. You'll likely (hopefully!!) Find that your garage floor space is taken up by the vehicle (s) it was intended for and you will be working outside of that footprint. The electric overhead heaters are incredible for felt heat production and more efficient than running something in the floor all the live long day. I work in semi enclosed areas at negative double digits quite frequently and the overhead models are the best by leaps and bounds!
Unfortunately, I don't have time to wait for the wood stove, when I have the time and I would like to get something done in my garage or shop - I would like to warm it up as soon as possible.

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[725]

I have a wood stove in my shop. Put an oscillating fan above & behind the stove and use that to direct heat into the far reaches of the place as needed. I also rigged a 1/4 copper line into the burn box (just drilled a hole and stuck the pipe in) to drip used motor oil over the burning wood. Petcock valve to regulate flow rate. An old barrel, of a reasonable size, wall mounted away from the stove to contain the oil. It's just pure amazing how much heat come from dripping a little oil over the firewood as they burn.

[Winger Ed.]

I also rigged a 1/4 copper line into the burn box (just drilled a hole and stuck the pipe in) to drip used motor oil over the burning wood. .

A buddy had a similar set up.
He cut the top off a old water heater, filled it with junk car parts- cylinder heads, brake drums, springs, whatever.
Then welded the top back on and chimneyed it outside.

He'd drip used oil into it at the bottom and let it burn off.
It quit smoking when it got hot and you could run it hot enough to glow.

[Alstep]

The shop I worked for had a propane fired ceiling mounted infra-red heater the 100' length of the building. Nice heat and pretty efficient.

If coal is available in your area, it's a great source of heat. I have a self feeding coal stove that burns rice coal. It does need 110V power tho, to run the blower & feed motor. Other stoves that burn chestnut coal don't require any power, which is nice if there's a power outage. Stoke em twice a day and you're good to go.

I used to burn a lot of wood. Dragging out downed trees, cutting, splitting, stacking wood was getting way to much for me. I was a slave to the wood pile. Only handle coal once, and the ashes take care of the ice on the driveway. Way safer too, burns clean, no chimney fires, no getting up on the roof to clean the chimney. And coal prices are much more stable than oil and propane. Really worked out well for me.

[GregLaROCHE]

I wish I could buy coal where I am. I’ve used it in the past. Amazing how much heat you can get out of a little bit of coal.

[Nobade]

From what I read, coal for residential heat was outlawed at the federal level just a few years ago. Since I'll be living on the edge of coal country it looked like a good option until I discovered that.

[William Yanda]

From what I read, coal for residential heat was outlawed at the federal level just a few years ago. Since I'll be living on the edge of coal country it looked like a good option until I discovered that.

That's odd. There is an Amishman nearby who sells coal stoves and in the other direction a business my son used to work at that sells both stoves and coal. fyi I am located an hour south of Rochester, NY.

[georgerkahn]

Hi, i recently completed my garage except for heat. Its 20' x 28'. Im looking for some opinions on what to install. I like the idea of a ceiling mount propane but looking at all options. Thanks for the input.

My wood/workshop is 1/2 of a two car garage. For years I used a Kerosene pot heater -- they're about 20" square and 4' tall, and mine was "fed" vis a copper line from a 55-gallon drum just outside the rear wall. That said, it works/worked awesome 'cept for 1/ It takes about 1/2 hr running before its heat radiates sufficiently to work; 2/ It is kind of a pia to keep buying Kero and topping off the 55 gallon drum; 3/ Like my neighbor who has a wood stove in his shop, at the time I'm done working -- all my tools, etc., are just at the right temp...

Hence -- I picked up a 230V electric heater from Northern Tool. Within 30 seconds after turning it on, the fan blows heated air, and I swear it heats the shop in 1/2 the time of the kerosene unit. Secondly, I've noted no real significant increase in electricity use bill -- certainly less cost than kero or propane would have run. And third -- I "sleep so much better" not dealing in any way with open flames -- in a garage with sawdust, lacquer vapors, and God knows whatever flammables present. I turn off and unplug the heater; wipe off table and band saw tables, drill press, etc. -- and by then it it cool.
Last -- in my locale, where regular below-zero Fahrenheit temps are the winter norm... it works.
geo

[MrWolf]

I would think in that size, a ceiling mount 220 electric would work nice. It is all I use in a 30x42 (over double the size), well insulated garage. Set low it keeps it above freezing in any weather. Not sure how much time you intend to be out there in the winter. When I want to work in the winter, I just turn it up an hour before and it will be 50ish. Not t-shirt temps but fine for working/reloading in a sweatshirt. No cutting a hole in the roof or propanes tanks to deal with. I couldn't real notice much difference in my electric bill when I put mine in...it is using juice, but not a ton. Now that pheasant season is over, it will be getting turned-up, I will be reloading for our June prairie dog shoot. Oh, and they are cheap at the farm supply stores.

That is what I did for my 30x32 insulated garage. I turn it on about 45 minutes before hand and basically keep it at almost its lowest setting. Works great and no worries about an open flame which I heard is an issue with homeowners insurance. I would check with them first before making a decision.

[Handloader109]

My wood/workshop is 1/2 of a two car garage. For years I used a Kerosene pot heater -- they're about 20" square and 4' tall, and mine was "fed" vis a copper line from a 55-gallon drum just outside the rear wall. That said, it works/worked awesome 'cept for 1/ It takes about 1/2 hr running before its heat radiates sufficiently to work; 2/ It is kind of a pia to keep buying Kero and topping off the 55 gallon drum; 3/ Like my neighbor who has a wood stove in his shop, at the time I'm done working -- all my tools, etc., are just at the right temp...

Hence -- I picked up a 230V electric heater from Northern Tool. Within 30 seconds after turning it on, the fan blows heated air, and I swear it heats the shop in 1/2 the time of the kerosene unit. Secondly, I've noted no real significant increase in electricity use bill -- certainly less cost than kero or propane would have run. And third -- I "sleep so much better" not dealing in any way with open flames -- in a garage with sawdust, lacquer vapors, and God knows whatever flammables present. I turn off and unplug the heater; wipe off table and band saw tables, drill press, etc. -- and by then it it cool.
Last -- in my locale, where regular below-zero Fahrenheit temps are the winter norm... it works.
geo

Then you either don't use it much or you aren't looking at your electric bill. Electric heat is expensive. But it has it's advantages, no flue, no fire risk if wired correctly. But it ain't cheap. I added a mini split to my basement and it does a good job, but it isn't free either.....

[Handloader109]

Oh, and coal burning stoves for home use are still being made and are perfectly legal in the US. If you can find coal, it might be a good option.

[Plate plinker]

That's odd. There is an Amishman nearby who sells coal stoves and in the other direction a business my son used to work at that sells both stoves and coal. fyi I am located an hour south of Rochester, NY.

Yeah are settlement still has a bunch of coal burners, but Amish generally dont care what the gov says unless fined or jailed!

[Paper Puncher]

A few more things to consider. Are you going to heat 24/7 or just when you go out there? How much time do you want to wait for temperature to rise to x degrees? How much time do you want to spend tending the heating device? Getting wood, coal, waste oil, kerosene, cleaning and maintaining heating unit. What else are you going to use the garage for,reloading, cars, woodwork? Is acquisition cost a major issue, have to make do with what you can afford?

The roof mounted IR heaters are fast and quite but crawl under a car (out of direct line with IR) and darn it's cold.
Floor radiant heat is awesome. About the only one that guarantees warm tootsies. Temperature rise is very slow. Not so good for turning off for a week or two then back on. But it sure is comfortable and quite.
Residential furnace (propane or oil), can possibly find a used one. Some can be mounted on ceiling. Could possibly build a furnace room outside garage. Takes up floor space if inside. Fabricate duct work(one time cost). Keep rodents out of it.
Torpedo heater kerosene/propane. Fast heat noisy, have to watch fumes (carbon monoxide), big open flame. Puts moisture into the garage from burning fuel.
Mini split adds air conditioning :) I have no experience with operating cost.

Anything sitting on the floor uses up floor space and may require clearance from flammable objects. If a vehicle is in garage (or can be) may require flame to be 18 inches (check code) above floor, or wall around it.

I have seen an outside wood boiler used for house heat that had a branch run to the workshop. Hydronic base boards. Wonder if you could do that with hydronic heating system?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

in Wisconsin?
I'd use a wood stove.

But it really depends on if the garage is attached? are you gonna keep it heated 24/7? how much time do you spend in the garage?
Good Luck.

[MaryB]

Interesting read, I am thinking of adding a ceiling heater to mine instead of just firing up the propane portable heater when I am out there. While the portable heater works and will bring temps up to 50-60f in an hour it adds way touch humidity to the air making tools rust easier.

Electric is out, way to expensive to run.
Natural gas is only 10 feet from the garage wall so will be easy to run into the garage so it is a no brainer to go with a natural gas heater of some sort. Finding a used furnace in MN in January is almost impossible. If it can be made to run it gets snapped up to replace a bad house furnace. Menards carries the Mr. Heater Big Maxx garage heaters for $499, not the most efficient things at 82% but can vent out the wall with double wall pipe. A similar sized furnace will run $1200 or so plus duct costs... although I have seen people slap a square box on top and add a vent to the front and call it good.

I will probably go the route of the natural gas garage heater, set the thermostat at 50f and only bump it up if I am going to be out there for an afternoon. My garage has 8" of insulation in the walls, R50 attic... R20 overhead door. Only 3 smaller windows so not a lot of heat loss there. It heats easy!

[Shawlerbrook]

Woodstove would be my choice, but I have 120 acres of woods. Many use Miller oil fired trailer furnaces . The infrared heater sounds interesting for a work area .

[Oyeboten]

I like a good Wood Stove...I used to heat my 1400 sq ft Workshop ( one big Room ), 12 ft Ceilings, with my 1920s Isenglass Windows, Utility Grade Cast Iron Wood Stove, with a 1930s Walker Automatic Atmospheric Flue Dampener, and when 26 degrees out ( Las Vegas ) I could work in a Tee Shirt.

Up near the Ceilings, it'd be 145 degrees, so, if changing out a Florescent Light Bulb, it could get a little woozy...Lol...

I'd cut up Hardwood Pallets, or just bring a Trailer to the Hardwood Pallet re-claim place, and they'd fill my Trailer up for free with broken Boards and cross members they had pulled.

Worked out elegant and fun and nice, every which way.

[georgerkahn]

Then you either don't use it much or you aren't looking at your electric bill. Electric heat is expensive. But it has it's advantages, no flue, no fire risk if wired correctly. But it ain't cheap. I added a mini split to my basement and it does a good job, but it isn't free either.....

NO argument, Handloader109! In my locale electricity runs just about 14 U S cents per kilowatt hour. Doing the math -- as an added expense (the regular delivery, meter reading, and other "charges" I reckon go with house, so I am only figuring the 1,500watt 230V electric heater) -- comes out roughly at 22.5 cents per hour. A four hour work session for me in the shop, including the hour to warm everything up, comes to a whopping $1.10 US or so... While friends of mine spend $3.69 for a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop (college bookstore) -- I make my own coffee -- at about 8 cents per cup... IF the OP (or anyone, for that matter) was going to heat their shop 24/7 -- then the electric space heater as I have surely might be the very worst choice one can make re heat source! But, factor in, generally from early May through late September/mid-October where added heat is generally not required, and the maybe twice a week I'm out there in moderate winter days -- I do not think I made too bad a choice.
geo

[JWFilips]

My son is a musician and being a drummer his band practices in his garage!
He got one of those propane units that mount to a grill tank at Home Depot!
Heats up the garage quick on high and low keeps it comfortable in the Northeast cold winter!
Pretty safe also ...if you even bump it, it will shut down

[BD]

Double oil drum wood stove with a waste oil drip. I've been using this for 25 years now, and while I'm sure my insurance agent would have a fit if they got a close look at it, it will be 10 below tomorrow morning and my 30 x 40 shop will be toasty. You have to be present to run the waste oil as the warmer the stove gets the faster the oil drips, so you have to keep an eye on it.

[remy3424]

We are taking about a smaller garage, a 2-car. What I don't see is how much time the OP intends to spend in this garage, does he just want the cars to melt off in the winter, anything else??? Most everything posted is way over-kill...unless it is uninsulated. Like Jon posted. Well OP, you have been back, what are your intensions with the structure???

[gwpercle]

What you use will depend on what utilities you have available .
In my area natural gas heat is the least expensive . Propane comes next then electrical .
If you only have a 100 amp panel out there ... that might not be large enough .
Are the walls insulated ... that's important . What is ceiling hgth and is ceiling insulated .
All this factors into a properly sized unit ... So what are the details ?
I designed and drew blueprints for 47 years ...did building , plumbing , electrical and HVAC plans ...in Louisiana but might be able to help . Several ways to heat a building now .

My reloading building has no heat ... with a couple hand presses I move my reloading into the house which has a gas fired central heating and cooling unit ... we only have about 3-4 months of cold weather at most , so it's not a problem .
Gary

[MT Gianni]

I second a Hot Dawg heater. Vented is best, each 100,000 btu's will put about 1 gallon of water in the atmosphere. If it isn't vented you are dumping it in the air space to rust tools.

[15meter]

Double oil drum wood stove with a waste oil drip. I've been using this for 25 years now, and while I'm sure my insurance agent would have a fit if they got a close look at it, it will be 10 below tomorrow morning and my 30 x 40 shop will be toasty. You have to be present to run the waste oil as the warmer the stove gets the faster the oil drips, so you have to keep an eye on it.

And you may find you have NO insurance on your building and contents. When I built by 24x32 workshop 35 years ago, my agent said to heat it with anything but a wood burner. If I used a wood burner it would have had to have a masonry chimney for the building to be covered. No full chimney, no coverage. I put in a used apartment sized natural gas furnace 35 years ago I bought for $60. I've replaced the blower motor twice since then.

60 degrees when I'm not in the building, 70 when I'm in the shop.

30 years ago it was 45 when I wasn't in the building, 62 when I was working.

I like warm tools now, way easier on the hands.

[GaryN]

From what I read, coal for residential heat was outlawed at the federal level just a few years ago. Since I'll be living on the edge of coal country it looked like a good option until I discovered that.

I must be against the law. I just bought a ton last week. I've been buying it for 35 years. Much easier to deal with than wood.

[cwtebay]

I've not heard of coal being illegal?????
I just bought a ton plus for the shop and calving shed. I didn't hear anything about it being against the law.

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[Nobade]

I've not heard of coal being illegal?????
I just bought a ton plus for the shop and calving shed. I didn't hear anything about it being against the law.

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This is interesting. I know I recently saw on some government web site about how it had been outlawed. But now I can not find any reference to that. I have no idea what is going on there, but disregard what I said, and I am glad because maybe I can get coal for heating my shop as well. Strange.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I wish I could buy coal where I am. I’ve used it in the past. Amazing how much heat you can get out of a little bit of coal.

They used to make stoves that were intended for coal. Probably unobtanium now.....

[elmacgyver0]

Don't fret too much about it, if the libs are allowed to stay in power much longer, they will get around to banning coal.

[cwtebay]

This is interesting. I know I recently saw on some government web site about how it had been outlawed. But now I can not find any reference to that. I have no idea what is going on there, but disregard what I said, and I am glad because maybe I can get coal for heating my shop as well. Strange.Dang man, it wouldn't surprise me even a little in this topsy turvy political environment that it would be! My response wasn't intended to be a poke - more of an I'll be darned!

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[Nobade]

Dang man, it wouldn't surprise me even a little in this topsy turvy political environment that it would be! My response wasn't intended to be a poke - more of an I'll be darned!

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I finally figured out what happened. This has been perplexing me so I kept looking, evidently I was originally looking at a British web site. They did indeed outlaw coal and wet wood (?) for residential heating in 2021. But that hasn't happened in the US yet. I am much relieved and glad you prodded me to look into it further! I see you can even buy coal from Tractor Supply in bags if you want to pay $10 for 40 lbs.

[bensonwe]

Thanks to all that commented. Many good ideas. I decided to go with a hot dawg vented style propane. The garage is insulated and will keep the weather off the car and will be used for small projects mostly on weekends. I figure ill only heat 5-6 hrs on sat & sun. My house is an old farm house with a large basement so this is where I reload. Right next to the boiler. Nice and warm. Thanks again for all the good ideas.

[BucketBack]

Most appliance's can be converted from Nat Gas to LPG and back by using a conversion kit. For my stove, Hot water and dryer that's the the inline orifice thing.

[PhilC]

Thanks to all that commented. Many good ideas. I decided to go with a hot dawg vented style propane. The garage is insulated and will keep the weather off the car and will be used for small projects mostly on weekends. I figure ill only heat 5-6 hrs on sat & sun. My house is an old farm house with a large basement so this is where I reload. Right next to the boiler. Nice and warm. Thanks again for all the good ideas.
Smart choice IMHO.

[Bmi48219]

Oh, and coal burning stoves for home use are still being made and are perfectly legal in the US. If you can find coal, it might be a good option.

There are several types of coal, many do not perform well for residential heating.

[Wooserco]

Just moved into a new place. My shop is 24x30 with a Natural Gas ceiling mounted heater. It only cost me $1 a day to keep it a 55 degrees (for gas). BUT, because the previous owner ran a business out of the shop and had a separate meter, it was $8 a day for electricity. Two meters at the same physical address: one has to be commercial. Four times the cost per KW.

Now, I only turn on the heat when I intend to be working out there. I tend to scheduled multiple projects to minimize costs.

First time the electric bill was $140 for the shop and only $62 for the 1,900 sq. ft. house with electric water heater, stove and a well, I shut the heat down in the shop.

[gwpercle]

Just moved into a new place. My shop is 24x30 with a Natural Gas ceiling mounted heater. It only cost me $1 a day to keep it a 55 degrees (for gas). BUT, because the previous owner ran a business out of the shop and had a separate meter, it was $8 a day for electricity. Two meters at the same physical address: one has to be commercial. Four times the cost per KW.

Now, I only turn on the heat when I intend to be working out there. I tend to scheduled multiple projects to minimize costs.

First time the electric bill was $140 for the shop and only $62 for the 1,900 sq. ft. house with electric water heater, stove and a well, I shut the heat down in the shop.

Why not run the shop through the house meter and do away with the second commercial meter
or is that not possible .
Gary

[MT Gianni]

I agree with Gary, the cost to rewire it would be minimal compared to the bill. In Montana the minimum use for commercial rate was higher, the cost per KW about the same.

[BD]

the best shop heater is an infloor hydronic heat system, but if your already done building the shop I guess that ship has sailed.
This is probably true, (if you have a separate room for the boiler with outside air intake and the fuel to make it go). The biggest advantage to radiant "in floor" hydronic heat in your shop is that you can completely separate the source of the heat, (ignition source), from the flamable vapors that most shops produce.
I do hate it when the shop blows up.

[.45Cole]

If you can plumb gas to the shop I would look at a heater on FB or CL. Those units out of mobile homes are dirt cheap (like $100) and with a little ducting can really make the place nice and controlled by a thermostat.

[Plate plinker]

Don't fret too much about it, if the libs are allowed to stay in power much longer, they will get around to banning coal.

And we will have a BLACK market for coal. West Virginia will be the shine capitol and underground coal capitol too.

[Lloyd Smale]

thats not a big building if its insulated. A wall mounted non vented gas heater is cheap and very effiecient. Probably the cheapest way to heat anything unless you have time and availability to get free wood.

[MaryB]

Non vented heaters = rusty tools!