rudnicke Premium Member join:2004-10-23 Rantoul, IL |
rudnicke
Premium Member
2014-Oct-29 3:51 pm
[Environmental] Garage HeatI have a single car garage (barely fits a single car) that I use for storage. I would like to put some type of heat source in there to keep things above freezing. Can someone recommend a good solution?
Thanks. |
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For starters be good to use the same fuel as your home.
Is it attached to the house, of so and if your furnace has enough extra capacity ought to be able to add ductwork to bring in some heat.
If you are going to heat the garage check insulation. The more you have the easier it will be to heat.
/tom |
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davidgGood Bye My Friend MVM join:2002-06-15 00000 |
to rudnicke
if you store paints/oils/fuels in there then no open flame source for heat. and honestly you don't want to leave a space heater going in unoccupied areas just due to running costs and chance of an undetected fire going long enough to blaze up.
how much heat do you need in there, just to keep it above freezing or are you trying to get it comfortable for someone to sit there and work? |
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nunyaLXI 483 MVM join:2000-12-23 O Fallon, MO |
to rudnicke
Is it insulated? It would be kind of silly to always have the heat running in an uninsulated structure. |
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rudnicke Premium Member join:2004-10-23 Rantoul, IL 1 edit |
to davidg
The garage is insulated. I just want to keep it above freezing as I keep several pieces of lawn equipment in there. I was looking at those wall mounted 400w panel heaters, but not sure if it would do the trick. |
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Boooost
Anon
2014-Oct-29 7:20 pm
In-laws in Montreal have electric baseboard heat in their garage. They also have a floor drain. This may be a consideration if you intend on experiencing a lot of snow melt. |
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TheMG Premium Member join:2007-09-04 Canada MikroTik RB450G Cisco DPC3008 Cisco SPA112
1 recommendation |
to davidg
said by davidg:if you store paints/oils/fuels in there then no open flame source for heat. Well, that depends. As long as the heating unit is installed the required distance above the floor, it's usually not a problem. Flammable vapors from such products, as well as other common garage combustibles such as gasoline, are heavier than air and pool near the floor. I would recommend checking the local code requirements for heating units installed in a garage. There is usually a requirement to install them a minimum distance above the floor. Also, the code requirements are a bare minimum. I'd say mount the heating unit as high above the floor as practicable. Most proper garage heater installations I've seen have a forced-air unit (gas or electric) installed near the ceiling. Others use a radiant type heater mounted on the ceiling. |
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TexDave's not here Premium Member join:2012-10-20 |
to rudnicke
The garage is already heated? |
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rudnicke Premium Member join:2004-10-23 Rantoul, IL
1 recommendation |
rudnicke
Premium Member
2014-Oct-29 8:52 pm
I'm a dolt. Fixed the error. |
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PSWired join:2006-03-26 Annapolis, MD |
Is the garage detached or attached to the house? What are your electric rates like? Do you have natural gas service? |
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nonymous (banned) join:2003-09-08 Glendale, AZ |
to rudnicke
Do you actually use it to park a car? I would think the warmth of a car in an insulated garage would keep it ok enough to keep lawn equipment. Havent lived where it is that cold for years but remember say storing lawn mowers in Flagstaff when young and chainsaw still started being stored in garage. Did park cars in garage. Flagstaff actually was cold and snowed then. Then for actually working in it for short periods of time just even a small propane heater designed for enclosed spaces. But as others said if say storing gas or other flammable stuff be very careful with open flame for heating. |
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TexDave's not here Premium Member join:2012-10-20 |
to rudnicke
Are you concerned that the lawn equipment will be damaged by freezing temperatures? |
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nonymous (banned) join:2003-09-08 Glendale, AZ |
nonymous (banned)
Member
2014-Oct-29 10:22 pm
Summer equipment properly stored for winter should have no issues. Depending on winter equipment just like a car winterize it. |
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rudnicke Premium Member join:2004-10-23 Rantoul, IL |
rudnicke
Premium Member
2014-Oct-29 11:04 pm
I live in a series of duplexes. The garage is a single unit in a series of single car garages (five in all in this row). Brick building with garage doors. This is separate from the duplexes.
There is no room in the garage to store a car. Only equipment (snow blower, lawn tractor, yard vac, edger, trimmer, two leaf blowers). However, we now also store other items in there (no longer have storage unit or shed). These include some collectable items, some gardening supplies (sprays), a couple of gasoline cans, bikes, toys, and a battery operated truck belonging to my five year old.
There is power to the garage, but no natural gas or any other type of fuel. |
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tobyTroy Mcclure join:2001-11-13 Seattle, WA |
to rudnicke
I use a 220V baseboard heater in my insulated well house, this is to stop the pipes from freezing, I set the temp to just above freezing. |
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PSWired join:2006-03-26 Annapolis, MD |
to rudnicke
Personally I think this will just be a waste of money and energy to heat the garage constantly. Lawn equipment will not care if it's kept below freezing. I do occasionally heat my shed where the snowblower is kept after it's been used, but only long enough to melt the residual snow and dry it off. A plug-in oil filled heater will probably do the trick for you. » www.walmart.com/ip/10779 ··· &veh=sem |
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to rudnicke
We have an unheated shed next to the house where we keep garden and car tools and various garden chemicals. Have not had a problem during the winter except I would not store anything with water. I forgot that couple of years ago and had to repair our pressure washer.
As far as how much hear you said garage has power 120 or 240v and what current rating? Need to do a heat loss calculation to see if 400 watts is enough. I have a 1000w space heater on the shed workbench that I use occasionally if I need to work in the winter.
Keep in mind electric heat is going to be expensive.
/tom |
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norton join:2005-08-03 Howard City, MI |
norton
Member
2014-Oct-30 10:40 pm
They make threaded pressurised oil to spray in POWER was he r s to squeeze out water. |
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wth Premium Member join:2002-02-20 Iowa City,IA |
to rudnicke
said by rudnicke: The garage is a single unit in a series of single car garages (five in all in this row). Brick building with garage doors. This is separate from the duplexes. Is your garage on the end of the row or one of the middle 3? I'm assuming this is one building/roof that's divided into 5 garages with 5 separate doors. |
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nunyaLXI 483 MVM join:2000-12-23 O Fallon, MO ·Charter
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to rudnicke
Who pays for the power to the garage? Is it "house" power (the landlord) or yours? If it's the LL, then it's 1) unethical, 2) probably not enough to work with, and 3) likely to cause trouble for other tenants.
A lot of condos, townhomes, apartments, and storage units have me put 10A breakers or fuses on the "house" circuits to keep tenants from tapping the circuit for extra lights, heat lamps, heaters, etc...
In the city, bums would get up enough money to rent a storage unit and then try to live in it. Some times there's be 3-4 guys living in a 10 x 10. They'd get a light socket cheater and try to plug stuff in. The owner would find the breaker tripped every morning and know to go check the units for signs of "residents". |
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DataDocMy avatar looks like me, if I was 2D. Premium Member join:2000-05-14 Hedgesville, WV |
to rudnicke
If your heat source starts a fire, you'll be responsible for the other 4 units losses.
Just don't put anything in it that could be damaged by freezing. Lawn equipment won't be, unless it's water cooled and you didn't put in anti-freeze. |
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joewho Premium Member join:2004-08-20 Dundee, IL |
to rudnicke
This is something I am wondering too. I'm a painter, I don't want to move all the liquids into the basement for winter. 1 1/2 car garage. I don't know if it's insulated, but recently incorporated trim on the jamb with built in seal. Cinder block house with a window to the basement, so I know heat does escape to the garage. My problem is that wife doesn't want to spend the extra to heat it. Above freezing will keep my stuff good enough, but I'd like to see 50 degrees, as I like to spend time in the garage. I've been thinking about a kerosene heater. I'd have to buy kerosene seper ately from our electric and gas bill. Of course, I'm aware of fumes from my chemicals as well as the kerosene. Don't know what to do yet. |
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DataDocMy avatar looks like me, if I was 2D. Premium Member join:2000-05-14 Hedgesville, WV |
DataDoc
Premium Member
2014-Oct-31 9:41 am
I use my garage as a work shop and have a radiant heater aiming down from the ceiling. It doesn't heat the air directly, just the objects (and me) that are in front of it. It swivels and turns so I can aim it towards where I'm working. |
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joewho Premium Member join:2004-08-20 Dundee, IL |
joewho
Premium Member
2014-Oct-31 4:59 pm
Rented a shop with radiant heat from the ceiling. Nice to warm the objects, I personally did not feel warm and the bill was way more than I could afford. It was a commercial shop, so if there is something like that for my garage, inexpensively, I don't know about it. |
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DataDocMy avatar looks like me, if I was 2D. Premium Member join:2000-05-14 Hedgesville, WV ·StarLink ·HughesNet
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DataDoc
Premium Member
2014-Oct-31 5:12 pm
Here's the one I have, hangs from an 8' ceiling, closer is better, up to a point. » www.amazon.com/Ceiling-M ··· d+heater |
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to rudnicke
said by rudnicke:I have a single car garage (barely fits a single car) that I use for storage. Some information you could provide that would help to make a recommendation: 1) Do you own or rent the Duplex? 2) If you own the Duplex is your garage deeded to you or is it permanently assigned for your use? 3) What kind of gas is supplied to your duplex, natural or propane? If you own the garage and have access to a natural gas supply you might see if the gas company would run a gas line to your garage from your meter and the cost to do so. If the garage is assigned, see if the HOA would approve running a gas line to the garage. In either case installing a direct vent gas heater with or without a fan kit, in the garage would probably meet your needs. |
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to rudnicke
I assume you didn't post this question to hear a bunch of unrelated material on: who pays for the electricity; how a plug-in heater is a fire hazard (equal to pouring gasoline on an open flame); who might move into your garage; and how to live clean and right. That being said; I will answer your question: Get yourself one of these (see photo). Very easy to find. These types of heaters are very safe. Just turn it about as low as it can possibly go. This will ensure you are not wasting energy and will heat the garage enough for any typical purpose. Keep anything flammable off of the top of the heater and at least a foot or more away. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. |
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to rudnicke
I insulated my 20x30 workshop when I put it up a few years back. Last winter was the coldest/worst winter in years and it didn't get below freezing inside. I forgot a water bottle in the ATV saddle bag and it sat there from mid december until mid january before I found it. I was surprised it wasn't froze but then I look at the thermometer and it was 36F. Then I set it on top of the work bench for the rest of the winter and it never froze. Not even a skin of ice.
Dark roof shingles, insulated the crap out of it and closed off any potential air leaks. Having a bottle of water not freeze was a surprise. Coldest temp I saw in the work shop was 33F. |
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2 recommendations |
to whizkid3
So a funny (in retrospect) story. I have a heater in my detached garage to keep it just above freezing. I used to use a 240v 30amp heater so that I could boost the temperature to a comfortable level quickly if I wanted to work out there in the winter, but would normally leave it on minimum. One day in the spring I go to grab a broom to sweep of the deck and the doorknob is hot to the touch. I carefully open the door and get a blast of hot air pouring out. The whole garage was heated to 55C and I'm pretty sure I must have caught it quickly. For some reason the heater had gotten stuck in the on position. Luckily I was careful to keep things away from the heater, otherwise the place would be a smoking pile of charred lumber. Heater appeared to be fine when I tested it later too... although I did change it out as a precaution anyway. Now I also have a temperature monitor that will alert me if the temperature goes too high or too low in the garage. Oh and I'm still careful to keep things away from any heater. |
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to rudnicke
While I have no experience with them, I hear that infrared heaters are pretty awesome, since they heat things and not just the air. |
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