I am finishing up a small basement workshop 16 ft x 15 ft x 7.5 ft (1800 sq. ft) and I have a decision I am looking for help with.
Originally I was planning to isolate the room from the house heating system (Forced Air Gas & Air Conditioning) and use the windows and fan for ventilation (and a separate heater if necessary (see below), the basement remains relatively cool all summer).
My main reason was to try to keep solvents, noise and dust from travelling through the main house ducts (my SO is, of course, very very intolerant of solvent fumes). One valued mentor said that keeping the shop on the house system, using filters on the intake and return vents and blocking the vents during finishing would be a better idea but I'm skeptical. I'm not doing any spray finishing except the occasional aerosal paint can - but now, even when I open a jar of varsol, I can hear the coughing upstairs. Any thoughts.
Second question, I'm considering supplemental heating because even with filtered vents the basement workshop is likely to need a little extra morning heating in the winter (Canada). Right now it's uninsulated, I'm in the process of wiring, insulating and drywalling so I could put in an extra
240 v circuit. My portable 120v micro furnace1500 watt ceramic heater does a nice job of warming a small radius, but doesn't heat the space properly and I'm thinking of something a little beefier to get the heat up before working (and still somewhat safe).Some of my friends with larger shops (i.e. attached double car garages) use a 240v 4000 - 4800 watt (13,640) boxed fan driven construction heater (like a Dimplex which is manufactured locally) which is going to be a bit overkill for this small shop (they're only $50) - they all veto'd radiant heaters due to reports of wood damage and warping and some are opting for warmed air heaters (especially for small spaces).
Any opinions on appropriate alternatives? Am I right in thinking I need something around 2000 watts or more for this size room? Something small and somewhat portable or wall mountable (I vetoed electric baseboard heaters since I need all the wall space near the floor).
Thanks in advance!
Wayne