How do you heat your shop?

[John Lankers]

Could there possibly be a better way to heat a woodshop?

[Bruce Page]

Well yeah, natural gas. It's up out of the way and no maintenance. Insurance companies favor it too.

[Darcy Warner]

180,000k btu hanging furnace. Like to add a blast furnace next year to supplement my furnace during the day. Probably won't get around to it though.

[John K Jordan]

Could there possibly be a better way to heat a woodshop?

Since you asked, a better way might depend on where one lives. Around here a heat pump does the trick - warm in winter and cool in summer. But heat pumps don't work so well, I understand, in colder climates.

The thermostat keeps the temperature in my shop where I set it, always comfortable when I decide to pop into the shop, 2am or noon. When I heated my garage shop with kerosene spontaneity was difficult.

JKJ

[jack duren]

Motel heating/cooling unit. But depending on the size of your shop....

[Wayne Cannon]

Heat pump here too, for both winter and summer, and for no question about fine dust creating a fire hazard.

[Jim Becker]

While there is certainly an appeal to burning wood for heat in a woodworking shop, including no "wasted" scrap, there are other factors these days that sometimes make it less attractive, including, as already mentioned, insurance issues. I use electric, but if I was able to extend the natural gas supply we have out to the shop building, that's what I'd be using. (extending isn't practical at this point)

[Mike Heidrick]

Hanging gas heater in 3-car garage, hanging gas in detached shop (1000sq 9.5' ceiling), and radiant floor in new shed (2560sq and 16' to bottom of trusses).

[Malcolm McLeod]

While there is certainly an appeal to burning wood for heat in a woodworking shop, including no "wasted" scrap, there are other factors these days that sometimes make it less attractive, including, as already mentioned, insurance issues. I use electric, but if I was able to extend the natural gas supply we have out to the shop building, that's what I'd be using. (extending isn't practical at this point)

USA has proven reserves of natural gas that are staggering (incld Utica & Marcellus shale). If you have access, it will probably be the most economical in the long term (barring a quantum shift in cost of renewable sources). ...Obviously, we will each have to determine what defines our version of 'long term'.

[jack duren]

Could there possibly be a better way to heat a woodshop?

Better answered if you would tell us the size and if insulated.. Exterior shop,garage,etc...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

75,000 btu Lennox hanging gas furnace.

[Tim Bueler]

Since you asked, a better way might depend on where one lives. Around here a heat pump does the trick - warm in winter and cool in summer. But heat pumps don't work so well, I understand, in colder climates.
JKJ

The first question my insurance company asked was "What is your heat source?" with a HUGE frowny face (and increase in premium) if the answer is "wood".

The newest heat pumps will work exceptionally well down into the teens and reasonably well into the single digits. One of the new Inverter driven pumps is advertising full capacity @ 5* and 73% capacity @ minus 13*. I'm sure some of that is hype but I had a first generation model in NW WA and it worked surprisingly/remarkably well down into the teens which, at the time, was below the advertised operational temp. Now in central ID I'm putting one in to heat/cool both my house and the shop even with a whole forest of firewood available. Insulation and air sealing are at least as important as the HVAC system though regardless of climate.

[William Fretwell]

In concrete floor heating. Gas water heater circulates hot water. Economical, efficient, great reserve mass. Only down side is no cooling in summer. You can turn the heat down 5 degrees when you leave and recover quickly when you return.

[Ray Newman]

Modine propane fired Hot Dawg heater.

My shop is very well insulated and has double pane windows. Without more than adequate insulation, even the best heating system will have difficulty keeping a shop/garage warm enough to work in.

[peter gagliardi]

Having been in a shop with a gas fired Modine style ceiling mount forced hot air system, I can say with confidence that it is probably about the last choice I would pick if I had choices.
The best in my opinion, is wall hung gas boiler hooked to radiant tube In concrete WITH insulation under it.
It is silent.
It moves no air.
It is virtually maintenance free.
It is extremely even heat, and has great recovery speed.
It is extremely efficient- water usually circulates at only 85-90 degrees.

No air blowing around with cold and warm areas, no dust blowing around.
No danger of fire at beginning of heat season due to dust settling on the heat exchanger tubes in the unit in the off season!