Temp Heat in Garage

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Drbrown

Some low(er) heat/power consumption ideas:


Best idea .... put an old semi-worn-out but functioning flatie or diesel outside next to the garage with a small fuel tank. Use some steam hosing (sold by the foot) to connect it to its/a radiator inside the garage, and place a portable 24' box fan to blow air thru the radiator. Fill the flatie with antifreeze. Listen to its music as you work. Tell the wife to wear ear muffs. Idling the engine not good but its like putting a race horse out to pasture.

Neat idea for us MacGyver types! Might add that an idling Diesel uses very little fuel and will never get warm enough to produce much heat.
To gain more heat, bolt on an automatic transmission, lock the output shaft, and put it in drive. Run the cooler lines inside to a trans cooler. Run the engine about a 1,000 RPM. The shearing action of the fluid in the torque converter makes a lot of heat. Since we're cutting holes in the wall, add two more and pipe the exhaust inside, through a large muffler, and out again. Use the hottest thermostat you can find. You can even add an engine oil cooler and get back even more from the gas you're burning. How close to 100% efficient would this be??! No heat lost up a chimney! Apply for off road use of fuel and get the hiway tax ($.20/gal. or more) credit.

[deuce_roadster]

Personally, I wouldn't use anything that has an open flame. Gas/lacquer thinner, etc vapors can and do get into places you can't put your hand. If I had a propane or NG furnace I would box it in outside the building and duct only the heat in.
I have an in wall electric furnace (fits between studs) in the heated part of my pole building. The heating element is about 7' above the floor and the hot air comes out floor level.
I know that isn't temporary but please be careful of anything with a flame.

[cas3]

years ago the neighbor kid had a plugged gas line in his dodge charger. he decided to blow back into the tank with the cap off with air nozzel. did i mention the wood stove at the back of the garage? no more charger...or garage...or house

[Johnnydidd]

Ralph, be careful around fumes, i have Pulmonary Fibrosis, which is degenerative disease of the lungs, i have breathed in everything welding fumes to DDT, be careful what you breathe so you don't get bad lungs like me, i am on oxygen 24/7

[Kahuna]

I have a Pellet Stove that I got last year. It works really well, uses outside air for combustion & exhaust. In use it costs about 5 bucks a day to operate (all day)
Shop is 24 X 32, fully insulated, except for the (2) 10' doors. Takes about an hour
to make it a comfortable 65 degrees.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

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I have a 26x30 garage with 16' ceilings. Although my weather here in Virginia may not be as cold as you, I use a heat pump system - it's a take out unit now around 15 years old. You get both heat and AC and I use a propane heater to initially warm the shop before turning on the heat pump. I then turn down the heater, keeping the temp around 55 which is ok for me but the heat pump at that point can maintain it. It's a fairly inexpensive install but your cost for electricity may be a lot more than mine. I also set the heat pump to no less than 45 all the time in my garage so it is not icy cold when I first get in there. I have R19 insul in the walls and ceiling and two insulated 9' garage doors. I had the concrete floors set on 2" foam board insul with a proper vapor barrier.

There are some pretty nice jet heaters out there - just find what's your cheapest fuel to heat with, get the place warm with that than maintain it with the other.

Nothing about this hobby is cheap I can tell you that but it's our passion ... (chuckling) ....

[ricklove]

Originally Posted by Ron Pilger

I have a picture of Bo Derek from the 1970's. She is running on the beach straight towards me.

If that's all you use to keep you warm up there; I'm going to need a/c instead of heat down here.

[ricklove]

Originally Posted by Pat/Ohio

Rick, I use this same Reznoir propane heater. Hangs out of the way in the corner. You can see part of it hanging in this picture. My garage is 28' x 24', insulated. I keep the temp around 50 degrees when I'm not in there and around 65 degrees when I'm working in the garage. Cost me around $1,400 with installation and around $250 a year for propane. Not bad. I have had it for 10 years or so with no problems. Pat

Many thanks for the info Pat.

[ricklove]

Folks; MANY thanks for all the responses, info, suggestions, and details. I just ordered an 80,000 BTU Dyna Glo and 30lb propane tank. Will try it out next week! Again; thanks to all and wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[RalphG]

One advantage to working in the 10 degree temp in my shed yesterday was that I hardly felt any pain when I hit my hand with a hammer yesterday. Typing a little slow today though. :-(