What kind of heater do you have in the garage?
10-03-2003, 06:04 PM
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What kind of heater do you have in the garage? Well before the weather here in chicago totally goes to hell, I'm re-doing the garage. New Epoxy on the floor, painting the walls etc.. getting ready to work on my car in a NICE garage for a change over the winter. I'm torn between natural gas forced air and the infrared garage heaters you see everywhere. Anyone have any feedback on the infared heaters? They're cheaper, smaller, and dont need electrical connections- but do they work?
My garage is 22 x 22, brick, and will be insulated shortly.
My garage is 22 x 22, brick, and will be insulated shortly.
10-03-2003, 06:21 PM
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Re: What kind of heater do you have in the garage? I use a forced air kerosene heater thats 110,000 btu. It will heat an uninsulated 2 car garage to a comfortable temperature in under 10 minutes. Every garage I've been in that uses infraheat seems very cold to me.
Eric
Eric
10-03-2003, 08:05 PM
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Re: What kind of heater do you have in the garage? The catalytic gas heaters are very focused. They are good if you are going to be working in one area. The kerosene heaters (you can run cheap diesel too)are da kine. You talk about FORCED air heating! Plus the kids will have fun roasting marshmellows on it. Like above, 10 minutes will turn a 30 deg garage into a 70 deg garage everywhere. HOWEVER... They emit some water vapor, so don't aim it directly at engine blocks or tools.
10-03-2003, 09:04 PM
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Re: What kind of heater do you have in the garage? When I build my garage it will have radiant tube heat. It's pretty much infrared but it's not just one small heater. They heat evenly and are easy to change BTU ratings if needed. Forced air systems aren't real good for garages. Too much recovery time and there are always cold spots. In floor hot water heat is another great option but kinda pricey with all things condidered...unless your house has hot water and you just use the garage as an added zone.
10-04-2003, 08:34 AM
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Re: What kind of heater do you have in the garage? I actually have a 100,000 btu Kerosene forced air heater, but even with the "clean burn Kerosene" it friggin choked me to death if I was in there for 5+ hours. I bought a Propane Convection heater, wich is MUCH better on the fumes, but I have to turn it on every time I go out there. So all my tools are still ice cold, the car is ice cold, and if I've got to lay on the floor for any length of time I'm ice cold. I'm looking for something on a thermostat that I can leave at like 50 when I'm not in there, and crank up when I'm working.
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10-04-2003, 11:10 AM
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Re: What kind of heater do you have in the garage? I would then suggest this, if your garage is attached to the house. Duct your existing house furnace runner that is closest to the garage into the garage with a closeable register. Possibly even a thermostatic register. Why buy two furnaces?
Insulate the walls with sheet styrofoam (and the door if necessary). Do the roof with roll fiberglass. If not done already, insulate the floor with thick industrial linoleum tiles.
Leave the door to the garage open on days you want to work, and open the register when you working.
If the kerosene heater is choking you, you might not be letting it get fresh air in. Put the heaters intake end near a source of fresh air. If you have side vents in the garages, you might even make a intake duct for it.
Kerosene heaters are barn heaters. They CANNOT be used in closed rooms or you will get dead. It must be able to draw fresh air in, and there must be an exit as well. In a shop or a barn, you put it next to a door that it pat open, and you crack the big door a couple of inches.
Any form of radiant heat is going to be sucky when it's really cold. You can improve it by keeping a fan blowing in the room, but they are too directional. I guess you could run a few of them.
But insulation is the most critical aspect. Anything you can do keep the cold out air out to begin with, is going improve things enormously.
Insulate the walls with sheet styrofoam (and the door if necessary). Do the roof with roll fiberglass. If not done already, insulate the floor with thick industrial linoleum tiles.
Leave the door to the garage open on days you want to work, and open the register when you working.
If the kerosene heater is choking you, you might not be letting it get fresh air in. Put the heaters intake end near a source of fresh air. If you have side vents in the garages, you might even make a intake duct for it.
Kerosene heaters are barn heaters. They CANNOT be used in closed rooms or you will get dead. It must be able to draw fresh air in, and there must be an exit as well. In a shop or a barn, you put it next to a door that it pat open, and you crack the big door a couple of inches.
Any form of radiant heat is going to be sucky when it's really cold. You can improve it by keeping a fan blowing in the room, but they are too directional. I guess you could run a few of them.
But insulation is the most critical aspect. Anything you can do keep the cold out air out to begin with, is going improve things enormously.
10-04-2003, 12:06 PM
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Re: What kind of heater do you have in the garage?
We really do not have much need for that in Houston.Now as for A/C,that may be another matter.
10-04-2003, 04:38 PM
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Re: What kind of heater do you have in the garage? Those forced air kerosene heaters heated my dad's garage (20' x 40') in about 10 minutes. And when I was young they were the coolest things around.
