Garage heating and insulating

[nospam]

Anyone have any experience in heating a garage to use as a workshop over the winter? I live in NC so it's relatively mild weather, but winter temeratures do get low (30s, sometimes below). It would be nice to be able to do projects or work on the car or whatever (for example painting something would go much better in a warmer room.)

The thought of a natural gas heater appeals to me (I have gas service) except that they're expensive of course. Electric heat would be the easiest and cheapest up front, but I'm worried about outrageous electric bills.

Also, what about insulating the garage? I'm going to be drywalling it, and I'm wondering if insulating it would be worthwhile. It's already insulated on the wall areas that are adjoining the house, of course.

[cm]

Nospam,

We also get down into the 30s here in AZ. My last garage shop was not insulated. I used three electric pelonis type heaters early in the morning and then shut them off one at a time as it warmed up. My new shop is insulated. One pelonis heater will heat my insulated shop.

[Claude Hopper]

Insulation will save you a bundle if you heat with electricity.

[ransley]

Maybe a wood stove

[jmeehan]

I would suggest insulating even if you don't insulate. Insulation will help it stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer, assuming it is attached. It will also save you a little in your heating bill as you will have more insulation.

On the other hand IF it is a detached garage, and IF you live in a cold snow area, you might prefer to keep you car in colder environment as salt and snow will not harm the car until it starts to melt.

[Pete C.]

Absolutely positively insulate as much as possible as well as doing the best weatherstripping you can on the big leaky garage door.

If you have gas service, then one of the Mr. Heater MAXX garage heaters is probably the best bet at around $500.

One thing you have to be aware of is moisture issues. The cheaper non-vented gas heaters will dump a lot of moisture into the area and rust your tools. If you only heat the garage when you're in there and make big temperature changes moisture will condense on your tools and rust them as well. The heater like I noted, connected to a proper thermostat will let you maintain a consistent minimum temp to control moisture and bring the temp up a bit from there when you want to work.

[Kevin]

I'm in a similar situation myself, except I'm in NE KS and winter temps avg

20/35 low/high.

Some thoughts..

1) insulate walls and ceilings. If need be, shrink your working space with a divider wall to lessen what you need to heat/cool. 2) weatherstrip and install insulated garage doors or glue on some styrofoam panels (ensure the door fits snug to the casing, in my old shop I wedged a 2x4 at the top to keep the top tight to the casing ( I did not have an auto opener) 3) Fine WW or HB did suggested a PTAC (google that). It's the heat/cooling units used in hotels. Wall mounted units. New can be had for $650ish. All electric. 4) turn down the temps to 40-45ish when you are not there (a thermostat would be good). I find 55 or so is pretty comfortable when I'm active in the shop -- just enough to keep the hands warm. 5) gas heaters can be had on the used market for

[Claude Hopper]

Wood stove is the best bet in a garage. High intense heat for a short period of time warms the up fast and not much money. Do they have wood in North Carolina?

[Claude Hopper]

How do you insulate if you don't insulate?

[Pete C.]

Huge moisture and condensation problems with a wood stove in intermittent service, also creosote buildup problems as well.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Most codes forbid attached garages to have solid fueled heaters. Wood stove can have hot embers a couple of days after the fire goes out. Car can leak gas. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ed Pawlowski]

Insulation is an absolute must and even with heat used on an intermittent basis, there will be payback. Consider a Hot Dawg by Modine.

[The Daring Dufas]

See if the local nuclear power plant will let you have a spent fuel rod assembly. The old fuel rods no longer put out enough heat to efficiently run the steam turbines but there should be more than enough heat energy to warm your garage for a few thousand years.

TDD

[Wayne Boatwright]

AOn Thu 20 Nov 2008 09:47:42p, The Daring Dufas told us...

And they glow in the dark?free light!

[Claude Hopper]

My state also has a law against wood stoves in a garage. Nobody pays any attention to that law and many were there LONG before the dumb bitch law was made.