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"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." -- Rom. 8:28
I have one small electric heater in the garage, but in these winter months it drops into the 40s, even with furnace and water heater running, and ScopeRoller orders keep coming in, requiring my time there. Any suggestions on brand or model?
If I need garage heat, I fire up a propane salamander. It has a variable output. Much better than a kerosene heater. One of these would bring up the temp, and then you could use your space heater to keep it warm for a while. The cost of running an electric heater can be prohibitive, when it is big enough to heat up a garage.
You need a high output to bring everything in the garage up to temp. The smaller the heater, the longer you have to plan ahead to get things comfortable. If your vehicles are in the garage, they are huge heatsinks the heater has to deal with. Better to move as much bulk out first before raising the temps.
You definitely don't want kerosene in an attached garage, as the house will retain the smell for a while. Unless your wife was a jet pilot, she won't like it. There is also a higher fire hazard with liquid fuels, especially with refueling. When I ran kerosene, it would always run out in the middle of a job, and most people want to refill while it is hot, and don't want to take it outside to fill, plus it gets heavy and sloshes when moving. Unless running (-)temps, propane is better.
In the spring or summer, you can do a more permanent, professional job on heating and insulation, when it will cost less.
An electric space heater is 100% efficient as far as converting the power you buy into the heat that you need. Brand and type makes no difference. A problem for you (probably) is that most portable heaters are about 1400 watts max, and that's all a single 120 volt circuit will handle. Unless you have 2 circuits to feed 2 heaters, you're kind of stuck. Or, if your panel is close and has space, you could install a 240 volt heater.
Do NOT install a non-vented propane heater, it will cause everything in the garage to rust. And the radiant heaters are horrible, most of the space is cold, except right under the heater, where it sets your hair on fire.
I like the oil-filled radiator type heaters. They're not fast, but they're so very efficient you just leave them on. The one in our sunroom has a timer so in the fall and spring I only run it at night. The heat output is low enough that you can safely touch it, but the room stays warm.
If you stand in a small area when working in the garage then one of these would work, http://www.qcsupply.com/250222-stanfield-heat-mat-24-36.html Operating cost for this is usually less than 5 cents per hour. If you are moving around while working then a used forced air furnace could be the solution. This would be of the type that does not have a pilot light but electric ignition. Many HVAC installers will let a used one go for a very reasonable price. Cost per hour for a 30,000 btu furnace is variable for this, but a rough estimate is 25 cents per hour while running. Electric space heaters are usually 1500 watts and operating costs run somewhere around .20 cents per hour.
If your garage is insulated I'd get something like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.homedepot.com/p/Fahrenheat-7-500-Watt-Unit-Heater-FUH724/202043070
If it's not, I'd insulate it, then get something like that.
If I need garage heat, I fire up a propane salamander. It has a variable output. Much better than a kerosene heater. One of these would bring up the temp, and then you could use your space heater to keep it warm for a while. The cost of running an electric heater can be prohibitive, when it is big enough to heat up a garage.
ReplyDeleteYou need a high output to bring everything in the garage up to temp. The smaller the heater, the longer you have to plan ahead to get things comfortable. If your vehicles are in the garage, they are huge heatsinks the heater has to deal with. Better to move as much bulk out first before raising the temps.
You definitely don't want kerosene in an attached garage, as the house will retain the smell for a while. Unless your wife was a jet pilot, she won't like it. There is also a higher fire hazard with liquid fuels, especially with refueling. When I ran kerosene, it would always run out in the middle of a job, and most people want to refill while it is hot, and don't want to take it outside to fill, plus it gets heavy and sloshes when moving. Unless running (-)temps, propane is better.
In the spring or summer, you can do a more permanent, professional job on heating and insulation, when it will cost less.
An electric space heater is 100% efficient as far as converting the power you buy into the heat that you need. Brand and type makes no difference. A problem for you (probably) is that most portable heaters are about 1400 watts max, and that's all a single 120 volt circuit will handle. Unless you have 2 circuits to feed 2 heaters, you're kind of stuck. Or, if your panel is close and has space, you could install a 240 volt heater.
ReplyDeleteDo NOT install a non-vented propane heater, it will cause everything in the garage to rust. And the radiant heaters are horrible, most of the space is cold, except right under the heater, where it sets your hair on fire.
I like the oil-filled radiator type heaters. They're not fast, but they're so very efficient you just leave them on. The one in our sunroom has a timer so in the fall and spring I only run it at night. The heat output is low enough that you can safely touch it, but the room stays warm.
ReplyDeleteIf you stand in a small area when working in the garage then one of these would work, http://www.qcsupply.com/250222-stanfield-heat-mat-24-36.html
ReplyDeleteOperating cost for this is usually less than 5 cents per hour.
If you are moving around while working then a used forced air furnace could be the solution.
This would be of the type that does not have a pilot light but electric ignition.
Many HVAC installers will let a used one go for a very reasonable price.
Cost per hour for a 30,000 btu furnace is variable for this, but a rough estimate is 25 cents per hour while running.
Electric space heaters are usually 1500 watts and operating costs run somewhere around .20 cents per hour.