The Plan is to finish off the green shed, and make it the workshop. "Everything in, goes out, the insulation goes in, then everything in the blue shed goes in the green shed, and everything out goes in." Part of this is the "what do I need for heat?" Even insulated, it will get cold. I am thinking electric forced air wall heaters. If to just warm things up "quickly" those days I decide to work in there. Pros & Cons?
Any thoughts on "micathermic" heaters? {"...micathermic heater is a type of space heater in which the heating element is covered in thin sheets of mica. Micathermic heaters produce 80% convection heat and 20% radiant heat..."}
A similar question was asked not long ago. I suggested a small heat pump, because the same equipment will heat and cool the space. Something like this (not necessarily this particular one):
Pyotr, I have an insulated shop a bit larger than what you describe located in the far NW suburbs of Chicago (e.g. COLD in the winter). I installed an electric ceiling heater w/built in fan and thermostat. Believe it's 3.5kw (I can check if need be to be sure) and on a 30amp
120 volt circuit. I've used it for perhaps a dozen years without incident and it will raise the shop temperature from the mid-40's (where I leave the thermostat set to prevent freezing of glue and finishes) to a VERY comfortable 70 degrees in less than 15 minutes. Rather than installing a heat pump, I took a 10,000BTU window AC and mounted it through the wall at SWMBO's suggestion, "Why not air condition the shop while you're at it so you can enjoy the shop in the heat of the summer?" (Love that woman!).
We're total electric here and the impact on the electric bill has been negligible.
As for the split system that Just Wondering suggests, I also have one of those situated in a family room addition, but mainly for cooling as we couldn't easily run duct work out there from the central AC. It has the capability of heating as well, but unless the unit you purchase also has supplemental resistance heating coils, it's going to work continuously to keep the shop warm and won't raise the temperature quickly. Cooling will work in that application but even then it's slow going and takes quite awhile to bring the temperature down if you were to shut it down.
FWIW, if you are aware of their limitations and/or they don't present any problems in your particular application, those split systems are the cat's ass! Our family room is ~ 480 sq foot and it keeps it cool on the hottest of days and it is literally whisper quiet. With it going full blast, you have to stand in the path of the air flow to know it's working.
I suggested the heat pump because it's safe and effective to both heat and cool. I have one in a room and it works quite well.
My wood shop is mostly a hobby that I don't pursue too much in the winter. Being cheap, when I want to heat my shop I use a propane heater something like this one:
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But in the back of my mind I worry a little about CO and wood dust fires.
A heat pump would work but depends on where the person who asked the question lives, and when he works in the shop.
If he lives where winter temperature only get into the 20's a heat pump would work, especially if he works in the shop in the day and early evening. If he works in the shop late, or if he works some where the temperature never get above 20, then he probably will not be happy with the results of a heat pump
I heat my half-of-a-two-car-garage shop, at least twice the area you mention, with a 4kw ceiling heater. It does a fine job and was simple to implement and relatively cheap. In my case I used a "Dimplex DGWH4031G Garage and Shop Large 4000 Watt Forced Air, Industrial, Space Heater in, Gray/Black Finish" (to quote the Amazon page). Under $150 if you include the bit of wiring I had to do to move the required 240V plug eight feet.
23:16:18 -0600 typed in rec.woodworking the following:
We got a ductless unit installed in the living room. It "works", but while my wife considers it a ripoff, I'm more charitable and say "it was over sold." We're still heating the 'office' with a space heater.
If it gets into the 20's around here, we declare a winter emergency, and start burning the furniture. While it does freeze around here, it usually thaws out during the day. Usually; I have seen frost in the shade build up for two or three days, before the rain washes it away. "And then there was the Great Snow of ought eight, when we had a foot of snow and freezing temperatures for two whole weeks!" Seattle would collapse into further anarchy were that to happen today.
Just Wondering on Thu, 17 Jan 2019 00:48:04 -0700 typed in rec.woodworking the following:
I have one of the Mr Heater heater/cooker units. Hooked to a five gallon tank, it does real well. I used it to make coffee, and would leave it running till the office was warmed up.
When I mentioned making coffee on the propane thing, my wife was less than trilled. Because I had almost destroyed a moka pot leaving it unattended on the electric stove that morning. (In my defense, I was home alone, and unsupervised.) I told her, "Oh, not to worry, I'm in the same room and can hear it boil." She was ... dubious. But yes, dust fires and the like are a concern. I need to move a power strip so that it is not face up on the bench, where sawdust can fall in it. I have an anecdote from a friend who was called into repair circuits after "someone" took the cover off the wall sockets, near the disc sander where people had been shaping steel and aluminum parts.
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