Heating a Workshop
I am converting a two car garage into a workshop. The garage also has a separate room, approximately 8′ x 12′ in which I am building metal shelving. I will only store non-flamable items in that room. I want to put a non-vented radiant gas heater in that room with a fan and large vent with fine filter in the upper part of the door and another large, fine-filtered vent in the lower part of the door as an air return. In this set-up, I hope to keep the sawdust particles away from the heater. I am a novice, and this is my very first workshop. I know I need to keep dust and flame away from each other. Does my plan seem feasible?
Replies
I have an unvented gas heater in my shop, a one-car garage. (I know, vented would be better, but it would be tough to put one in my shop due to it's configuration.) Airborn dust in a woodshop is not generally an explosion issue. You need VERY high concentrations of wood dust (high enough that you wouldn't be able to breath in the room) to reach explosive concentrations. The more realistic issue is dust settling on the unit and stinking up the place when it gets "toasted". I just blow mine off every once in a while to keep it reasonably clean and have no problems. I don't think you'll have to worry.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Thank you for your positive response. I think the filters, like the ones we use in the furnace air returns, would keep a lot of the dust away from the heater as long as I keep the door closed. Thanks again for your response.
Toney Parker
I think you need to revaluate your life insurance needs.
I appreciate your concern about my life insurance needs. If I was going down the wrong path, do you have any suggestons? Thanks for responding.
Toney
Frankly, there is NO unvented gas heater that I would trust in a confined space. I spent a week in the hospital once from CO poisoning, so I'm somewhat jaded in the opinion.
With the fumes that could possibly be in a workshop, the free dust, combustible materials - there's no way I would be comfortable in such a setup.
If you cannot vent at all, try some form of hot water heat. At least you can run a pipe, can't you?
Why not use a direct vent heater? That way you don't have to worry about combustibles in the heated area and you also avoid the fumes and extra moisture that a vent-free heater produces. Rinnai and others make small, wall-mounted DV heaters.
Thank you for your response. I will look into that. I had not thought of the maistur that might come with the radiant heater. Thanks again.
Toney Parker
First thing is insulation! This means you only need a small heater. Enought insulation and you can use electric baseboard or even the oil filled units. I picked up 4 1500 watt oil filled from Lowes for $18 each (on clearance). This was based on using a 15k btu propane bottle mounted unit. I still need more insulation (roof space) but these heaters hold the shop at 67F with no problem. Note they are all set on 1/2 power with the built in stat on #2-3. My shop is 22x26 with 10 foot ceilings and only the walls have r13.
Good idea. Thanks for the input. 67 degrees is more than warm enough. I have been working in 40 degrees, and even that was not too bad. 67 degrees would be more than adequate.
Thanks again for your response.
Toney Parker
Non-vented gas heaters can deplete the oxygen in the room they are installed in. Obviously, it is possible that a garage turned into a shop will have enough leakage to minimize the problem. Eventually, you will want to plug those leaks to keep heating costs down.
If the garage is attached to the house, any problems there, like carbon monoxide, will migrate into the house (just like running your car with the door closed).
There are plenty of choices for direct vent gas heaters. You will be better off taking that route. Williams is one manufacturer.
Unvented gas heaters have been banned in many places- there is a reason why. Don't do it. When people die from using their stove as a heat source (a "ventless heater"), think oxygen depletion and carbon monoxide.