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O.T. Query for heating attached garage.

redlee

Titanium
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Location
Beaver County Alb. Canada
Attached garage , well insulated.
768 sq. ft. with 9' ceiling.
I want to install some sort of heat for the real cold times of the year.
Prefer Nat Gas , using a small electric heater at the moment to keep the dogs warm.
Just need something to keep it aroung freezing , even when its -10 its above 0 in there.
Radiant Tube, Forced Air ???
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks
 
Attached garage , well insulated.
768 sq. ft. with 9' ceiling.
I want to install some sort of heat for the real cold times of the year.
Prefer Nat Gas , using a small electric heater at the moment to keep the dogs warm.
Just need something to keep it aroung freezing , even when its -10 its above 0 in there.
Radiant Tube, Forced Air ???
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks

.
some local building codes do not allow a heater or ignition source in a garage with a auto holding gasoline as the fumes near floor level might be a problem.
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try getting a wood stove permit for a garage and usually they will explain it. i was told a heater at ceiling level might be ok getting a permit
 
We installed a Beacon/Morris BRT045N (45k btu) low profile propane heater in a slightly smaller attached garage and it has been working great for a few years. It does have a sealed combustion chamber. I keep the garage at least 55F and it heats to 70F plenty fast.
Jason
 
I have a 75,000 (or is it 80,000?) btu natural gas heater in a similar garage. It's installed near the ceilng, vented outside and is connected to a thermostat. It takes about 20 min. to heat the attached garage to 65F in the middle of cold winter.

If all you need is to keep it above freezing, you can easily get by with a much less powerful unit.

Here is one similar to mine: Amazon.com: Mr. Heater F260560 Big Maxx MHU80NG Natural Gas Unit Heater: Home & Kitchen
 
Forget combustion heating. It has the ignition risk, plus it requires an exhaust or if unvented will add a huge amount of moisture and rust anything in the space.

Far safer, easier and providing cooling as well is a mini-split heat pump. Many decent inexpensive units, easy to install with only a small hole to the exterior and quite efficient.

I've been heating and cooling a ~700sf building in N.E. TX for about four years with Mitsubishi units and love them. Just be sure to clean the filters regularly and clean the blower at least once a year.
 
The mini splits probably will not work for you. Below about 10 F they do nothing I reccomend a self vented wall heater. Only problem is they need electric power to run.
Bil lD
 
I've been heating and cooling a ~700sf building in N.E. TX for about four years with Mitsubishi units and love them. Just be sure to clean the filters regularly and clean the blower at least once a year.
TX is the perfect place to test heating equipment for Canadian winters. ;)
 
get some infrared flood lights like they use to keep french fries warm.
.
seen in bathroom over toilet 4 bulbs, 2 heater and 2 lights. usually start sweating and have to turn one of the infrared heater lights off after about 5 or 10 minutes.
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and get Carhart coveralls if shop not less than 55F you will be sweating just wearing the coveralls. i would forget heating to 70F. cold concrete floor takes hours to warm up
 
The mini splits probably will not work for you. Below about 10 F they do nothing I reccomend a self vented wall heater. Only problem is they need electric power to run.
Bil lD

I'm afraid your mini split info is a bit out of date. Current units are rated down to -10F or below. My units have performed flawlessly in 5F weather.

If your weather is regularly below that then a ground source unit would be better and they are much less expensive to install with trenched vertical coil technique vs. The now obsolete drilled well or large field installation methods.
 
I just installed a Modine Hot Dawg suspended heater in my garage and it works great. Only about 2" clearance required from the ceiling. I keep the temperature at about 40 degrees just to keep things from freezing up, finally found a thermostat that will work down to 30 degrees.
 
lots of options depending on $$ + time your willing to spend. i heat my all block fairly new 900 sq ft + 9' ceiling with 10" of insulation quickly with a cheap pot belly burning wood + once heated it stays in the 40 range + long time after stove is out, coal is a longer lasting option that uses less time. a lot of variables as well as different codes to deal with unless your in the country. thecoalpale.com is a good forum about various heating options.
 
I currently heat nearly the same space with a simple 5000 watt electric. Not a good solution if your electric rates are crazy but its simple and works. You just need to keep it at a steady temp (in my case 50F however I'd had it 65 some winters) so if you are bringing cars in and out its not sufficient. That said it won't take much to warm that size of space.
 
I also use electric in the garage. Have a natural gas Reznor in the shop but use a 5500 watt 220 volt electric furnace (suspended from the ceiling)for the garage. It has a dial thermostat on the unit, just need 220 volt service to it. My rates are probably average and I think it adds about $1 to $1.50 per day to the bill. I keep the temp about 50 degrees. The insulation in my garage is not super either.
 
I also have Hot Dawg. Any heater in a garage,shop will need to be ceiling mount to avoid ignition of any fumes that may be in garage. I keep it at 50 and put on an xtra shop jacket and stand on rubber mats. Could crank it up if I wanted, but works fine. Some of the best money I ever spent.. will never have an unheated garage again. Figure the water heater and one large wall of the house are now in a heated environment, that offsets the extra expense of heating somewhat.

Watch out for taking short cuts for heating or you may torch your house.
 
My garage is attached.
I insulated the shit out of it and made "curtains" out of old blankets to go across the door.
Then I just tapped into the house heating system with one input to the garage and no cold air side.
Stays nice and warm. Putting old carpeting that I do not care about on the floor helped.

Your ceiling is maybe not high enough for a radiant tube.
Bob
 
I have an AC unit with a heating coil. It keeps my attached garage/shop comfortable in the winter here. But I am in south Texas, not north Canada.

I would call a local HVAC company or two and get their ideas and an estimate. That does not mean that you need to use their services, but they will have a LOT of experience with the local situation and the building codes, if any, that apply. Also the people at your local building supply stores which sell the heating appliances may be of some help. But do talk to more than one of them, if possible.
 
I'm afraid your mini split info is a bit out of date. Current units are rated down to -10F or below. My units have performed flawlessly in 5F weather.

If your weather is regularly below that then a ground source unit would be better and they are much less expensive to install with trenched vertical coil technique vs. The now obsolete drilled well or large field installation methods.

Interesting they work that low now. Thanks for the update. I thought my figures might not be up to date but still worth mentioning so he can ask about his local climate.
It never goes below freezing here so I have not really paid attention to those ratings, just to the AC efficiency at higher temps 100+.
Bil lD
 








 
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