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Thread: Shop heating questions

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    DuBois,Pa
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    1,557

    Shop heating questions

    Guys,
    I am getting ready to inclose half of my garage so I will have a 12x28 shop. I want to put some heat out there in the winter. I would like to keep it 45 deg so I could keep my glues and stains out there and bump it up when I am going to work.

    I have propane at the house but worry about using it as it might be a fire hazard with all the dust. What do you guys use?

    Bob

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Mid Michigan
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    3,559
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Hallowell View Post
    Guys,
    I am getting ready to inclose half of my garage so I will have a 12x28 shop. I want to put some heat out there in the winter. I would like to keep it 45 deg so I could keep my glues and stains out there and bump it up when I am going to work.

    I have propane at the house but worry about using it as it might be a fire hazard with all the dust. What do you guys use?

    Bob
    Bob,
    I use a 220 volt infrared electric heater in my smaller 18x20 shop. It has no fan just the glow rods. The building is not insulated yet but I plan on adding as much insulation as the walls and ceiling will handle.
    Insulate and insulate some more. You can heat a very well insulated building with out a lot of expense if it is insulated well.
    Some of the guys have used the non vented propane wall heaters that they have said were not a problem with sawdust. I have a natural gas one but do not use it in my wood working area.
    In my 30x40x10 pole barn I use a Hot Dawg natural gas fired ceiling mount heater. I live in Mid Michigan and it can get quite cold here in the Winter time. I have the thermostat set at 50 degrees all Winter long and turn it up to 65 while working in the building. The pole barn is very well insulated. My heating bill for the barn is around $30 a month during the cold season.
    I suspect that the propane heater would be more of a risk when using flammable stains and glues than it would be with the right type of propane heater with sawdust, especially if you have a good dust collection system.
    David B

  3. Quote Originally Posted by Bob Hallowell View Post
    Guys,
    I am getting ready to inclose half of my garage so I will have a 12x28 shop. I want to put some heat out there in the winter. I would like to keep it 45 deg so I could keep my glues and stains out there and bump it up when I am going to work.

    I have propane at the house but worry about using it as it might be a fire hazard with all the dust. What do you guys use?

    Bob
    Do any of your guys use kerosene salamander heaters to quickly get the "edge" off of a garage shop, warming the walls, the tools, the work, then revert to a regular system? Just curious.
    "Fine is the artist who loves his tools as well as his work."

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    My 30x24 shop is insulated R-19 walls and R-40 ceiling. It's heated with an overhead 75,000 btu Lennox natural gas heater thanks to the LOML. Works well.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    In the foothills of the Sandia Mountains
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    Bob, I have a 45K gas Sterling overhead (Hot Dawg type). It does an excellent job of heating my ~500 sqft garage shop.

    Bob F, I got to where I hated the smell of kerosene.
    Last edited by Bruce Page; 08-08-2007 at 8:46 PM.
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Northern Illinois
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    739
    I used to use kerosene when my shop was in the garage. Got tired of the maintainance, cost, and space so went to a natural gas no vent unit. That heated the garage faster, more evenly, and took a lot less room. However, I learned real quick to turn off the heat when I did any finishing work. I also couldn't leave it run when I wasn't in the shop since it was not on a thermostat.

    So when I built my dedicated shop I switched to a Hot Dawg heater hanging from the ceiling. It is also natural gas. I keep the thermostat at 45 to 50 normally and kick it up to 65 when I want to work.

    I love it. Best decision I made in the shop.
    Wood'N'Scout

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Cincinnati Ohio
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    4,731
    Speaking of insulation. I have a friend with a pole barn that must measure 60x100 feet with very high ceilings because he restores cars and uses a car lift. I kid you not he heats that thing with nothing more than an old air/heat unit out of a motel room. You know the kind that sits below the window. He got a deal on insulation from a place that sold seconds (the big sheet kind) he just insulated that barn till it could hold no more. The shop is so warm on the coldest days you can just have a t-shirt on.
    And the heater will only kick on once an hour.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    537
    I have been heating my 24X 14 shop with a 18,000 btu
    natural gas heater since 1992. No problems . I clean it 2 times each winter and clean and test the auto shut off
    valve at least monthly. I keep it set at 60, which is ideal for working. The heater cost about $170
    Earl

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Charles Town, WV
    Posts
    38
    I've been using a window mounted heat pump in my 12x24 shop. It keeps it nice and warm in the winter and nice and cool in the summer. Not too bad on electricity, either.

    Barry in WV

  10. #10
    Hi Bob - I'm attaching a photo of a Dayton 230V unit heater that I installed in my little garage shop a couple of years ago. I live in Colorado and am a hobbyist, hence my visits to the shop are occasional and using electricity for this seemed to make a fair bit of sense.

    At first I had an uninsulated shop - studs showing - and a Kerosun heater. During cold snaps, you kinda had to start heating the place the day before. I went to a kerosene jet heater which toasted things up nicely, and smelled terrible. We finally insulated the shop, replaced the garage door with an insulated variety with decent seals, then added the electric heater.

    It works extremely well for my purposes. The only thing I intend to do differently is get a real thermostat on the beast - so I can maintain shop temp above freezing and leave glues and finishes out there.

    don
    Attached Images Attached Images

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Fort Wayne IN
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    1,210

    I have electric

    I have a Datyon 220 V electric heater. Model 3VU36. It is 14,000 + BTU and heats my insulated 2 car garage very nicely. Have to turn it off sometimes. I have used it during very cold days and it does just fine.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Pickering Ontario Canada
    Posts
    211
    My shop is 16 x 32' . I have 24' long natural gas fired (but also available in propane) radiant tube heater. 100% of the combustion air comes from the outside and then exhausts out the opposite end of the building. My Thermostat stays on all year @ 20 degree celcius (70F?) Cost to run is super cheap, but the building is new and well insulated. No more waiting for the shop and all its contents to heat up as it is always warm!
    Cost of the unit was $1049.00 CDN....
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Southern New Hampshire
    Posts
    5
    I'm always surprised that pellet stoves aren't mentioned in these threads. My shop is approx 20'x35' and the stove does a nice job here in NH. My shop is in an old barn which I plan on insulating a bit better this fall, but even with minimal insulation I can get the barn quite toasty. Is there a reason why pellet stoves are not a preferred solution? The flame is contained, and the stove itself stays warm to the touch. Thoughts?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Mpls, Minn
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    2,882
    Things to consider..imho
    Cost of propane versus electricity, how much does a BTU of heat cost with either.

    Passive solar a option? May not make it as primary heat, but may help.

    How much time are you going to have the shop at working temps.

    Insulation, the more the merrier..and costs go down.

    Space, The hot dog styler takes up little space compared to a full blown House style furnace and duct work, but may not heat evenly as well a a ducted furnace, plus a house style furnace can be used with a filter, not sure of the smaller units.

    Venting, forced draft units can be vented easier that natural draft ones usually.

    If your worried about flumes and dust, just shut the unit off till your done and whatever exhaust system you have clears the air.

    I have a house style 80+% furnace in shop/garage, but I work in the trades and got most of what I used fairly cheap, I also use a furnace blower as a exhaust system and it all works pretty well, might be more feasible to go the Hot Dog route for the size of shop you have, unless you or your neighbor works in HVAC...

    Just a thought..

    Al
    Remember our vets, they need our help, just like they helped us.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Mpls, Minn
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    """"""
    Is there a reason why pellet stoves are not a preferred solution? The flame is contained, and the stove itself stays warm to the touch. Thoughts
    """""
    Cost versus Nat gas or other fuels maybe?
    Possibly the storage of pellets and local building codes?
    Many codes restrick muliple fuels in one chimmy liner and some insurance companies increase rates when solid fuel is burned.

    I see a few corn heaters from time to time up here, but they're out of the metro area and most have a line on cheap corn.

    Al
    Remember our vets, they need our help, just like they helped us.

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