Detached Garage Heat

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HittinSteel

HittinSteel

Minister of Fire
Aug 11, 2008
1,591
Northeastern Ohio
I have an uninsulated 2 car block garage. I am searching for the best way to heat it on the weekends for football parties. Not looking for t-shirt and shorts type of warmth, but enough that people can comfortably sit around in winter clothes and not freeze to death.

I wanted to get a woodstove, but the red tape and increase in insurance premiums (have to switch companies) makes this cost prohibitive.

Anyone using a vent free type wall heater with propane (I have no natural gas hook up)? If so, I am wondering about approximate propane consumption. Can I expect to get an afternoon and evening of heat from a standard propane tank? More/ less? I'd assume I'd want the most BTU's I could get.

Thanks for any guidance, comments and thoughts.
 
nope, can't say that i do. how bout one of those patio heaters or tank top heaters that attach to the top of a propane tank. Me, i'd find a different company then a couple of 55 gallon drums and make a barrel stove.

cass
 
My premium will increase by almost $400........ this isn't necessarily due to having the wood stove, as much as switching to a company that will cover a garage wood stove.
 
why won't they cover a garage wood stove....because its not a dwelling? i'm interested in it because i've thought about putting my little jotul 602 out there so i can work on the bikes during the winter.

cass
 
Electric space heater(s). I've heard that the oil-filled type heaters are effective and efficient. Rick
 
Have you checked you local building code to see if they even allow a wood stove in a garage?
 
lol....that would be the first step wouldn't it. ;em guess i better put that on my list of codes to check.

cass
 
The little heaters you can put directly on a propane tank will work very nicely and give lots of heat. The only thing you must be aware of is that you do need ventilation. If not, you may have a garage full of dead folks! That ought to scare somebody!

On the other hand, many do heat small dwellings with these and they are okay and give lots of heat so long as everyone is aware of the need for ventilation. Seems most every year we read of some stupid folks who build a small shack for deer hunting and heat with these. They go to sleep the night before season opens and wake up somewhere other than on Earth.

We used to heat a pop-up tent camper with one of the single units with no problems but we also made sure there was a little bit of air coming into the camper.
 
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Check on pellet stoves while asking.
 
I have an 70,000 BTU Cozy propane heater in my detached garage 22' X 28'

It works great.

Turn it on and a half hour later it is comfortable. When you leave just shut it down with no worries. Buy 2 60 tanks at tractor supply and run them tandem and you can fill them locally so you dont have to have a propane truck and the required inspection from the delivery company.

put some rigid pink foam insulation on those block walls ,

http://www.cozyheaters.com/products.php I have one of the square types that sits on the ground.http://www.cozyheaters.com/pdfs/products/spec_sheets/VentedConsoleHeaters.pdf the price was right but I would have preferred the wall mount.


.
 
I'm heating my garage with an old oil furnace that a friend of mine replaced. It's for a hot water system; I have it plumbed to a car radiator with a fan blowing through it, and antifreeze since I don't use it all the time. When I finish the propane conversion of my house I'll replace it with a gas furnace (also used) that I already have. I've heard of others using a mobile home furnace. Any whole house furnace will be extremely effective in a garage, and used ones are commonly available for free.

OTOH, a friend of mine (the same one who gave me the oil furnace) is very happy with a DV wall mount heater in his garage.
 
Does the garage have a ceiling or is it open to the peak. With no ceiling you may never get it warm in there.
 
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_503598_503598

I have one of these in a 35 wide by 32 deep by 15 tall garage and it heats it really well. I can get to 70 in no time then turn it to low and it stays very comfortable for hours. Make sure to crack a door for air though they use a lot.


Pete
 

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We use a propane torpedo heater with a 40 gallon tank. Can't say how long it lasts.
 
I get about 4.5 to 5 hours on a 20 pound tank at full blast and even longer on lower settings. Normally it runs full blast for 30 minutes to warm up the garage then I can set it at about half and walk off and it holds a nice comfy temp. The times will most likely be different depending on garage size and insulation factor. If I remember right it was 11 dollars to fill my tank last time but that was last spring.

Pete
 
DexterDay said:
Your pretty close...Who is the Ins. Co.?
Click to expand...

I have Wayne Mutual....... quotes from companies that would insure a stove in the garage were Auto Owners and Washington Mutual.

I'm gonna order the propane one today........ I can fill an awful lot of propane tanks with the $400 I'll save in insurance.

Thanks for all the opinions fellas.
 
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One thing to watch out with an unvented propane heater is moisture build up. When this moisture laden hot air hits the cold garage walls it's going to condense. I have read about some serious mold build up due to this.
 
begreen said:
One thing to watch out with an unvented propane heater is moisture build up. When this moisture laden hot air hits the cold garage walls it's going to condense. I have read about some serious mold build up due to this.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up. Should I open the garage door at the end of the evening? Would that help?
 
Not if it's 100% humidity outside (as would be typical here). But it might help clear the cigar smoke. ==c
 
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