Hi all, just hoping someone can give me some advice on choosing a propane powered space heater for my garage. It's about 350 sq ft with
9' ceiling, so 10 - 15K BTUs should be sufficient. If you've had experience with any particular make and/or model, good or bad, please share. What are the pros and cons of vented and ventfree models, etc?Any advice you can give is much appreciated!
How do you know that 10 to 15K is sufficient? My garage/shop is about 400 sq. ft. and my 30,000 Btu heater is not enough on the really cold days, say below 20, it is not a comfy shop.
I use a Reddy Heater, unvented. While it works well, it has a fan that must run constantly. After an hour or so, the fan becomes annoying. I'd look for a silent type if I was buying again.
Vent free has not been a problem as far as breathing, but propane does contain moisture and you may get some condensation.
Got one of those same propane heaters in my garage. 30,000 BTU bazooka flamethrower heater. Noisy, but it does the job. I get a month or so out of a 100lb propane bottle.
My garage is 780sq/ft and I've never needed more than this 30,000 BTU heater to make it comfortable. 2x6 walls insulated to R-19 makes a difference!
Joe Michel
Edw> > Hi all, just hoping someone can give me some advice on choosing a
It's not the size so much as it is the insulation. A bigger volume does take longer to reach the desired temperature, of course, but it's the insulation that determines if it ever WILL reach the desired temperature.
Many years ago I saw an ice storage shed that kept the ice below freezing, with a 1/4 ton air conditioner, in 100+ degree days. The sucker was lined with about two feet of cork! Must have been R200!
Thanks for all the pointers. I think the BTUs I quoted are based on R-13 in 2x4 studs, which is what I have. What I'm really looking for is specific brands that anyone's had good or bad experiences with. Local propane dealers will offer to install whatever they're selling, but I want some unbiased opinions on what's the best - or at least a better - brand. I realize you need more background: I'm in the northeast, and would be needing this to run 24/7 during the winter, so it'll be on a thermostat, too. I figure when I'm not using the space,
40 - 50F would keep my paint and glue from freezing and not take too long to warm up. Thanks again!
My friend found on Ebay a Sears furnace that fits between the studs, against the outside wall. He uses it for a fully detached 2 car garage in nw suburban Baltimore. He's very happy with it.
Might be hard to find, however, used, and I'm not sure if it is still sold new. OTOH, maybe by Sears or whoever made itfor them.
We drove all the way to scranton to pick it up. It's about 6 feet tall, 4 inches thick and 15 inches wide, iirc.
If you need more details, I'll ask him. He told me how much propane he uses but I can't recall. OTOH, it's a hobby garage for him, working on his collection of Buicks, and occasionally the car he drives if it needs work.
He's probably insulated by now, including the ceiling. He built the garage from a lumber yard kit.
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