*
I’m about to add heat to my new shop (finally), but am still wrestling with the available options. The shop is in Vermont, will be used in the winter (when -30F isn’t uncommon), and is very well insulated (sprayed and rigid poly insulation, approx. R-21 in the entire envelope).
The best solution I’ve found so far is a direct-vent propane heater. We currently have an oil-fired boiler but it would be cost-prohibitive to use that to heat the shop (the distance is too great, and I don’t want baseboard in the shop).
I hate the idea of having propane tanks right in front of our house, but the shop needs a source of constant heat (eliminating a woodstove).
Anyone out there have any ideas? Anyone who has a direct-vent propane heater — what do you think? What’s the efficiency like for that type of heat? I’d hate to have spent the time, energy, and $ to insulate the shop so well only to turn around and heat it with something wasteful.
Any/all suggestions,insight, etc. are appreciated.
s.
Replies
*
I am uncomfortable with any kind of flame producing heat source in a shop. Wood dust, paint vapors, etc are all flamabe and in a closed space, explosive. I would consider a high efficency propane hot water tank in a shelter outside the shop (with the air compressor, may be). Use a small, thermostically switched pump to bring the hot water to a heat exchanger (looks like a car radiator) and fan inside. You could also use an electric water heater. Depending on where you are this may or may not be more economical. Talk to your propane supplier. You can put the tank anywhere they can reach with a hose. They like to put them right in front but it is your place.
*Steve-thanks for your input. I forgot to mention that the open flame is another one of my concerns. One of the propane heaters I looked at is the 'Hot Dawg', made by Modine, but it has an open flame and that makes me very, very nervous, particularly because the shop is so tight.I like the external hot water idea. I've toyed with solar hot water heat -- a 65 gallon tank, panels, motor, etc. is about $3500 installed up here. Of course that's 7x the price of a propane heating system, but propane also is about $1.90 now.This decision seems so simple but I've been wrestling with it now for almost 12 months. Hard to think of heating the shop when it's 90, but we all know what's coming...Thanks again.s.
*ShawnI don't know what size you need, but some of the direct vent, through the wall heaters are seal combustion. The bring in outside air.And for bigger heater get one of the high eff FWA furances that uses outside combustion air.
*Shawn, In our shop (2000 sf) we put in a high efficiency FA gas. Just put it in a sealed closet on an outside wall and duct in outside air for combustion. I have had good success finding these when they are 3-5 years old for a couple a hundred. The ductwork was used too! Cheap, effecient, my kind of deal. DanT
*In floor radiant heat is my dream (hot water), using a water heater for heat source and if you put it in a closed closet (with combustion air source) you'd be able to stick with gas, but the most fire-proof would be to use electric.It seems like in-floor would be real efficient because you can use the mass of the slab as a heat reservoir for when you open the big doors, etc. The water temperature would only need to be enough above your target room temp to make up for the building losses.If you make a new slab you can insulate under it's edges (so you don't try an heat the whole earth), but if you already have your slab I guess you just want to pour a thin layer to cover the tubing.Dan T's re-used heater is also great, to me, for low cost up front (and recyle points). So I've been battling back and forth about forced air vs. radiant in-floor water. I think the in-floor is winning for me but my slab's not poured yet!
*I'm reading this thread with great interest. I'm currently designing a shop which will be about 100' from the house. I've been throwing around in my mind all the various options for heat. My shop will be wood floor above a either a 4' high crawlspace or a 7' high full basement. The Yankee in me wants to combine a gas water heater ($220 for new), a pump ($75), some copper pipe, and baseboard radiators ($125) for a total investment of about $500. Thinking of connecting a thermostat to the pump switch to make it an automatic system. This is a little less than a wall, direct vent furnace costs (per Grainger). Think this will work for a shop size of 12' x 26'???
*Hi-As far as shop heat goes, anything that radiates heat (and in turn heats objects-not air) is great when you open doors, pull cars in, etc., because you don't lose all the heat. If you are starting from scratch I agree that in-floor radiant (especially in concrete) is the way to go. One other option is Gas IR (infrared) which is also a radiant heater. They mount at the ceiling, run the width or length of your shop depending on what size you need. They look like a long shop light shroud with a tube that radiates heat. This is gas fired (not electric so don't confuse my shop light analogy.) They are closed and don't really have an open flame- many car dealerships and service bays use this type of heater. Since they don't heat the air, but radiate heat, you'll need less BTU's to heat your shop, and it will be more efficient. The bad news is the ones I have looked at are around double the cost of that Modine Hot Dog. I will admit that I don't own either, but have done a lot of checking around, and would use one of these 2 (in-floor or IR) when I heat my garage.Good luck-Brian
*Everyone-thanks for all of your input.I should have specified that in-floor radiant really isn't a viable option, although it would be my ideal choice. The shop is within another building (an 84' long renovated barn, which also is my house), and is 8' above the slab on the second floor. I looked into the radiant panels, but the installation cost (total) would have been brutal.I've narrowed it down to two options, based on everyone's input. Direct vent, closed-combustion chamber (propane), or propane-fired radiant (as per Brian's suggestions). Everyone around here (central Vermont) seems to love the direct vent propane, but that might just be because of availability. Either way, it looks like I'm stuck with propane.Given that the shop is insulated completely with urethane foam, I should be able to heat it with a candle. Maybe I'll try that first...Thanks again.s.
*Just don't get one of the candles that have been in the news as giving off lead fumes from the wick...
*the ceiling mount infra-red heaters always give me a headache (they heat my head more because it is closer to it).Human Factors studies have shown that the human animal feels best when the feet are warm and the head is cool.But since its IR heat, a hat would block most of it if it really bothers you (just have to wear that hat all the time, I guess). Not everyone reacts as much as this, but some people are quite bothered by it.
*
I'm about to add heat to my new shop (finally), but am still wrestling with the available options. The shop is in Vermont, will be used in the winter (when -30F isn't uncommon), and is very well insulated (sprayed and rigid poly insulation, approx. R-21 in the entire envelope).
The best solution I've found so far is a direct-vent propane heater. We currently have an oil-fired boiler but it would be cost-prohibitive to use that to heat the shop (the distance is too great, and I don't want baseboard in the shop).
I hate the idea of having propane tanks right in front of our house, but the shop needs a source of constant heat (eliminating a woodstove).
Anyone out there have any ideas? Anyone who has a direct-vent propane heater -- what do you think? What's the efficiency like for that type of heat? I'd hate to have spent the time, energy, and $ to insulate the shop so well only to turn around and heat it with something wasteful.
Any/all suggestions,insight, etc. are appreciated.
s.