radiant tube shop heater

[Rich Clark]

I'm planning to build a 16x24 shop this summer and I like the idea of radiant heat. I looked into hot water heat in the floor but that was to costly to install for a small shop. So now I am looking at these ceiling mounted radiant tube heaters. Anybody out there using these? I was planning on 9ft. ceilings. Is that high enough for this type of heating? Pros and cons?

[brent lenthall]

Rich,

You will need to get a tube heater that is designed for residential use due to your low ceilings. I have a 100k BTU 30ft. tube heater that is installed at 12' and it gets mighty toasty directly below the tube. Also, the heaters will spec distance to combustable material. At 9' you would be quite limited. The radiant tube heaters are well suited for woodshops. I pull fresh air to combust and exhaust to the outside.

brent

[Larry Browning]

I'm planning to build a 16x24 shop this summer and I like the idea of radiant heat. I looked into hot water heat in the floor but that was to costly to install for a small shop. So now I am looking at these ceiling mounted radiant tube heaters. Anybody out there using these? I was planning on 9ft. ceilings. Is that high enough for this type of heating? Pros and cons?

How much are you planning on spending? I installed my own with the help of Radiant Floor Company. I have a 30X42 shop and I think my total cost was around $2500, even with all the extra $25 here and $50 there, which I think is pretty completive with other options. Plus, once it is installed and running, you should be able to just set it and forget it. That's one of the things I like the most about the system, no filters to change, no blower to stir up dust, it just works, no hastle.

[Bill Grumbine]

Rich, I put a Reverberray radiant heater in my shop in Dec of 1999. It works great, and keeps me warm even in weather down to zero (it don't get much colder than that around here) and with the wind whipping. Like Brent says, you will need to talk to someone about minimum distances etc. My shop is an old garage with an open peak, and the heater is in the peak. The minimum distance for combustible items is right at the top of my head when I am standing underneath. Fortunately for me, there are no more combustible items on top of my head.

Good luck with it, and if you have more questions, I will be glad to try and answer them.

Bill

[Peter Mc Mahon]

www.garageheater.com approved for mounting as low as 7' from the floor. I have the ez duzzit straight model. My shop is 22x24 vaulted ceiling 15' high. The heater is mounted under the 10' high collar ties. Even on the coldest days around here [-20* C] my shop is t shirt weather in about 15 minutes [ the heater has a thermostat and I leave it at about 3* C all the time] It cost me $850 Can. and I installed it myself [extremely easy] I just had someone make the gas connections for me. Peter

[Rich Clark]

Thanks for the info. I may have to go with 10ft. walls in order to have clearance for this type of heating. Thanks again. Have a great weekend.

[Chris Fite]

I found that the overall installed cost of radiant hydronic heat in the floor was about $400 more than forced-air natural gas. I can't tell you how much I like the uniform heating it provides for my 24x28 shop. No fans, no filters, no flames. Mine was right at $1000 all told.

[John Bush]

Hi Rick,
I installed an in-slab hydronic radiant system in my 1500sqft shop and recommend you do more shopping to see if this could fit you budget. The tubing was the spendy part. 1000ft cost ~$650, I used a gas hot water heater(80gal), a manifold for 4 zones, a pump, relay switch and a thermostat and I spent less than $1500 for the system. I leave the temp at ~60 deg and the slab stays at even temp for hours with the shop doors open. Almost forgot, I spent ~$500 for 2" rigid insulation under the slab, But you would likely do that anyway. Definitely worth researching more. Good luck, JCB.

[Rich Clark]

Chris and John,
Your costs were considerably lower than what I was being quoted. The estimate I got was about $4000. These tube heaters might be a better way to go for me. My shop time would be limited and these tube heaters appear to bring up the temp very quickly. Did you install the systems yourself?

[Steve Clardy]

I've been around tibe heaters. Never had one myself.
Seem to work really nice.
Be sure and do not put any wood projects under them though.
Has a tendency to warp wood sometimes.
I used to build a lot of picture frames for a art company.
They started storing them on shelves right next to, not directly under the radiant tube.
Had some warpage problems, glue joints let loose, etc.

[Chris Fite]

I installed mine myself. There was not much to it. The Radiant Floor folks give some great installation information and telephone support. After the footers were poured, I installed the rigid insulation, laid the reinforcment wire, laid and tied down the tubing attached to the manifold, and pressured the system. After the pressure test, the contractor came and poured the slab. I piggybacked my system off the gas water heater for the house. I highly recommend using the reinforcing wire that comes in sheets rather than in stiff, uncompliant rolls. DAMHIKT

I leave the system set at 65 degrees, because the shop heats up so fast once the lights are on and the equipment in use. Even with 12 foot ceilings, the shop has a heat load of only 10,000 btu.

I wish now that my 70 year old house had this heating system.

[Robert Roy]

I have a 16x26 shop and I installed an in-floor hydronic system. I purchased everything from The Radiant Floor Company, and installed everything myself. They are great to work with. I have around $1000 invested in my system, and I am very glad I went with it. I will never have another building without it.

-Rob

[Rich Clark]

Robert,

Did you piggyback off your home water heater?

Steve,
Thanks for the info. That's a factor I hadn't considered.

I'll have to check out radiant floor"s website.

[Robert Roy]

Rich,
I did not piggy back mine of of the house supply. My shop is detached and sits in the back corner of my yard, so I decided to build a closed system in the shop with a small hot water heater for the heat source. I run mine with a 50% anti freeze solution in case I decide to turn the heat off during the winter.

-Rob

[Rich Clark]

Rob,
Your whole shop setup is very similar to what I am planning. Been debating whether to go 26ft. long. The radiant floor thing looks a lot more feasible doing the install myself.
Are you happy with the way your shop turned out? Would you do anything different if you built another?
Thanks again for the heating info.

Rich