I’d like to work in my garage more often this winter. A few years ago I insulated and rocked. It’s a two car, stand alone, – approx 20 x 20 x 8.5. I don’t have gas to the house so I’m looking at an electric unit. I’ve seen some small 220v units (Dayton, etc) with a blower that will heat 500 sq ft, I could mount from the ceiling. Seems to be in the $200-300. range. Anybody use something like this? Any problems with sawdust?
Dave
Replies
What do you have for heat, forced hot air (furnace) or hot water (baseboard heat, radiators, etc). If you have forced hot water you can get a modine unit from a heating supply house and run it off your boiler if it can handle the extra load. The modine looks like a square fan and has a copper coil with fins inside and a small electric fan on the back. When it calls for heat, hot water from the boiler runs through the coil and the fan turns on and blows the air across the hot fins. I think they are about $200 depending on size and you have a little to do to pipe it into the boiler. It gives off very good heat and would run more cost effectively than anything electric.
Should have mentioned, I live in NJ. I would definitely look into something I could run off my boiler (Hot water , baseboard) The garage is about 12' from the house, attached by an open breezeway. I would think the piping to it would freeze unless it automatically drained or used some sort of anti-freeze heat exchanger, which sounds kinda complicated. I already have 220v to the garage to run a large compressor which doesn't get much use, so that seemed the easiest. Had to stop woodworking in the basement cause of the mess so it could be a long winter! Thanks, Dave
I assume you're talking about the Dayton electric unit heater, the kind that hangs up in the corner of the room. There's always the issue of energy costs since electric heat is generally more expensive, depending on where you live, but they are fairly inexpensive and do work pretty well. They'll heat up the area quickly when you turn them on, which is nice. Besides Dayton, a couple other reputable brand names to look for are Berko and QMark. The webpage listed below has a number of electric heaters to choose from, you can also get them from Grainger or from your local HVAC supply house.
http://www.air-n-water.com/electric-utility-heater.htm
Lee Valley sells cieling mount radiant units, very economical and effective (in Ottawa, NJ - 20º)
Dave,
Here is a link to the one I have: http://www.heater-home.com/product/PH-5HW.aspx
My garage is attached, 22x22 walls are insulated, ceiling is drywall, but no insulation above. Door is a nice metal insulated one with very little air leakage. If its 25 deg or so outside and I come home and turn the heater on, it will have the garage at 60 degrees in about 20 minutes and then cycle on and off to keep it there. I am in Maryland, maybe a little milder winters. I dont use the workbench in the garage every night, but I dont think I have ever noticed a big increase in the electric bills when I am using it. Here is another link that can help you figure out what you need for heat: http://www.heatershop.com/btu_calculator.htm
Hope this helps,
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
Don't mount the unit high, keep it low. You have enough trouble with heat rising in a garage, no sense in having it start there.
Do your best to eliminate air leakage into the garage, to give the heater half a chance.
Don't expect wonders, and be prepared for stuckee shock if you use it a lot in cold weather.
happy?
that's not an issue with radiant heat, it doesn't do anything to the air between it and the surface it hits ..