Rivernuggets Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Sometime this year I hope to install a heater in my one car garage. Looking for power vented natural gas models, but if someone has other things in mind please let me know. I've wandered around the big box stores and am a little overwhelmed. Hoping to keep the cost to $500 or less if possible. Any suggestions? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 How's the insulation in the garage? A friend installed a 1,500 watt electric baseboard-type heater, but found it hard to tell the benefit because the garage was completely uninsulated. Fortunately, it had a storage attic that she had insulation blown into, which helped get the temp up some. Still quite cold, though. Her previous garage with insulation in the walls was much cozier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivernuggets Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 The garage needs to be properly insulated also. Plan to work on it when it's a little warmer. Just thinking about heating solutions lately. It's an attached garage so I am only concerned about three sides. The ceiling is drywall finished with blown-in insulation in the attic, so that's ok. Wasn't thinking of baseboard-type heat. It that a good way to go? Is it expensive? Garage has cement flooring, so would there be a floor put it over it? You can tell I know LOTS about this stuff [:|]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ69 Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 They use to make window type A/C units that also had a heater. A wall installation is clean and neat. Insulation and an insulated roll-up door is a must also. Thanx, Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Good insulation is the key to making any heating unit work well. I like your idea of the power vented gas heater. Wall space is premium storage space in a garage, so baseboard heating would be in the way all the time and would get damaged. I have a Modine heater in my shop that runs off my boiler. I use it to boost the temperature in the auto part of the shop. But I don't like it much, it's too noisy and it takes a long time to heat the area up even just a few degrees. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace168516 Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I am kinda in that some boat as well...I have my draft beer box in the garage and during the winter it gets a little too cold...I have been looking at solutions to keep it a bit warmer...I only want like 38-40 degrees max, so I am weighting my options too. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Get a used gas furnace preferably one out of a trailer which is real cutsy smally. Probably get the whole thing for $200.00. Install the gas line hookup and the vent and you probably would not need any pipes. No fumes no problems just set the thermostat and kick butt. I did the same thing in my barn but only used an oil furnace. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hifi jim Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I'm always around kerosene salamander heaters on construction sites and they work quite well. They can heat up a large area quickly and are portable so one could move it to an area where it is needed. I've used two small ones in a typical two car garage without problem. Two small heaters could be bought new for less than $500. Obviously, care needs to be taken with its placement, use and always in a well ventilated area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Obviously, care needs to be taken with its placement, use and always in a well ventilated area. Which is a no-no when the garage is attatched to the home... Unless the slab is insulated underneath and has a thermal break all the way around the slab to the foundation as well as properly insulated walls, any heat you put out there will be like trying to heat an aluminum beer can in the cold. It will be expensive no matter what to heat, even if you want to keep it at a relatively cool 60-65 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivernuggets Posted January 20, 2010 Author Share Posted January 20, 2010 Unless the slab is insulated underneath and has a thermal break all the way around the slab to the foundation as well as properly insulated walls, any heat you put out there will be like trying to heat an aluminum beer can in the cold. It will be expensive no matter what to heat, even if you want to keep it at a relatively cool 60-65 degrees. House was built in '68. Don't know if they insulated underneath cement foundations back then. I thought of the cold cement floor, but didn't think it would influence the air temperature as much as you are saying. Do you think a few rugs layed down would help? Or maybe carpet squares? I could get fancy with the color scheme with those []. The roll-up door is newer ('01) and insulated. The back outside door will get replaced with an insulated one. Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. Anyone else who has ideas please be heard....I'm a sponge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merkin Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Hi Rivernuggets, I live in the quadcities. Close but not quite as cold as Madison. My attached garage wasn't insulated and on a slabe like yours. I first put up rolled insulation in the walls with a vapor shield then dry wall over that. I then got the insulated garage door and the walk out door is a stanely steel insulated door. The ceiling is blown in insulation over drywall. This without the heater keeps the garage above freezing most of the winter. If it is below ) for several days and my wife and kids forget to close the doorsome it will get below freezing in there. Most of the time it stays about 40 to 45 degrees. This also helped a lot with the inside shared wall. Made our living room much warmer. I thought about some heat but I have never gotten around to it. If I was I think I'd use a hanging natural gass heater. My brother in law has one and it keeps his well over 60 degrees without much expense in the same climate as here. The hanging heater is out of the way, not on the walls where you might want storage. He can turn it on to heat up his garage rather quickley and melt the cars off and ect. If I was going to do it that would be the way I'd go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hifi jim Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Obviously, care needs to be taken with its placement, use and always in a well ventilated area. Which is a no-no when the garage is attatched to the home... Michael, I think you're thinking of propane heaters perhaps? Any propane tank over 1lb is unlawful in a residence. As far as I know, kerosene heaters are perfectly legal and safe in attached garages... in these parts anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dBspl Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 It's probably worth mentioning the garage needs to be well ventilated to remove the humidity in the space. Otherwise you could end up with condensation forming on the walls. You don't want a mold problem. dbspl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivernuggets Posted January 20, 2010 Author Share Posted January 20, 2010 It's probably worth mentioning the garage needs to be well ventilated to remove the humidity in the space. Otherwise you could end up with condensation forming on the walls. You don't want a mold problem. dbspl Thanks dBspl, that is a concern. This is to be a small piano shop and in doing that I need climate control. I hope to have a dehumidifier and air conditioner in there once the work is done. That should tame the humidity. Once I have a heater, air conditioner, and humidifier in there I think I'll be out of room! I've been rebuilding pianos using a friend's shop space, but I'd like to get my garage turned into a good small shop for the littler jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Try Modine, Hot Dawg natural gas heaters. Start around $500 bucks. http://www.shophmac.com/modine-hd30.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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