Pellet Stove for Garage

[Luv2burnPellets]

I have a 28'x 32' well insulated garage with R21 insulation in walls and ceiling with 2 insulated 9' x 8' doors. The ceiling height is 10' 6". Location is Maine. Since I already use a pellet stove in the house, I am lusting for a pellet stove in the garage, for weekend projects. What stove would be best for my needs? I am thinking about the small Englander 25 PDVC which is rated for 1500 square feet. Would this be a good choice? I am hoping to find a decent used stove, but how would I know what to look for as far as price and stove condition? I am comfortable with fixing things, but would not want to keep dumping money into a money pit. Is this stove reliable? At what age of stove should I not consider buying? You guys ( and gals ) are the best here on the forum. Many thanks in advance for your advice and wisdom.

 

[johnny1720]

I have a stove in my man cave/garage. I burn about 1/2 a ton in the stove each winter. I don't keep it running all the time only when I need it. The auger motor sometimes takes 20 minutes to come to temp. But it starts and can bring the area from zero up to 60 in a few hours. If I was going to try and maintain say 50 degrees all the time I would use propane.

When I fully insulate I will install a propane furnace or wall heater and set it at 50. Then use the pellet to makenit warm enough to play cards.

 

[john193]

Check your local code. A garage is typically not an approved location for a pellet stove.

 

[DneprDave]

I put an old Whitfield Advantage II in my insulated detached garage/shop and direct vented it outside. It keeps the garage a nice 65 degrees when it is 20 degrees outside and that is on the second lowest setting. I also only use it, when I need it, I only burned about 4 bags of pellets there this year.

Not bad for a 50$ crag's list pellet stove!

Dave

 

[DZL_Damon]

Pellet boiler with a modine to your shop!

Or like DneprDave said... a cheap craigslist score since you probably won't be running it all the time... only to knock the edge off when working on projects.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

First I built a raised water proof garage/workshop hearth using 2x6 PT lumber and composite board set on 4 patio blocks to withstand any spillage or wetness.
See pics
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/raised-waterproof-wood-pellet-stove-hearth-for-garage.104197/

Then I installed Selkirk DT venting to warm that burn air to keep any stiky caked ash out of the burnpot!
See pic below

Then I found a nice 10 y/o used Harmy for $225 and updated it!

Click pic to enlarge

 

[Pete Zahria]

I have a 28'x 32' well insulated garage with R21 insulation in walls and ceiling with 2 insulated 9' x 8' doors. The ceiling height is 10' 6". Location is Maine. Since I already use a pellet stove in the house, I am lusting for a pellet stove in the garage, for weekend projects. What stove would be best for my needs? I am thinking about the small Englander 25 PDVC which is rated for 1500 square feet. Would this be a good choice? I am hoping to find a decent used stove, but how would I know what to look for as far as price and stove condition? I am comfortable with fixing things, but would not want to keep dumping money into a money pit. Is this stove reliable? At what age of stove should I not consider buying? You guys ( and gals ) are the best here on the forum. Many thanks in advance for your advice and wisdom.

I think it would work fine.
My shop is not as big as yours, nor is it insulated as well.
I only have 3-1/2" in the ceiling and 1" urethane in the walls.
And a fairly crappy 16' door that I glued 1/2" foam to the panels.
On low setting (1-5) mine stayed around 45° in the coldest weather.
Aprx 25 hours per bag.
No trouble getting it to 62° on 5-5
For a stove that cost around a grand, I thought it was a good deal.
Quite satisfied.

Dan

 

[MCPO]

I have a 28'x 32' well insulated garage with R21 insulation in walls and ceiling with 2 insulated 9' x 8' doors. The ceiling height is 10' 6". Location is Maine. Since I already use a pellet stove in the house, I am lusting for a pellet stove in the garage, for weekend projects. What stove would be best for my needs? I am thinking about the small Englander 25 PDVC which is rated for 1500 square feet. Would this be a good choice? I am hoping to find a decent used stove, but how would I know what to look for as far as price and stove condition? I am comfortable with fixing things, but would not want to keep dumping money into a money pit. Is this stove reliable? At what age of stove should I not consider buying? You guys ( and gals ) are the best here on the forum. Many thanks in advance for your advice and wisdom.

I have the 25 pdvc in my isulated / finished walls garage , 24X16 and it works well but I wish I had the larger PDV instead. The smaller one takes a while to get up to temp.
Therefore I highly suggest you get the larger Englander. It`s a beast when it comes to outputting heat .

 

[Don2222]

I have the 25 pdvc in my isulated / finished walls garage , 24X16 and it works well but I wish I had the larger PDV instead. The smaller one takes a while to get up to temp.
Therefore I highly suggest you get the larger Englander. It`s a beast when it comes to outputting heat .

Yes The 25-PDVC is approx 25k btu and the 25-PDV is approx 50k btu/hr The Harman P61 is 61k btu and has a nice 1 ton ash pan.

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

Thanks for the input. I will focus on a good used 25-PDV. What is a good price for a five year old unit? How do I judge it's condition? What should be the max age I should consider? Should I re-use any venting that may be available with a used stove? Of course I would prefer the P61, especially since I am familiar with operating and cleaning them, but not likely to be as lucky as Don was when he found his. I think I will be very satisfied with the Englander 25-PDV.

 

[hyfire]

This post may interest you...

https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/stoves-in-residential-garages/

 

[Don2222]

Hello

A garage is a place where vehicles are stored or repaired. Also where flamable liquids are stored. That is the difference between a garage and a workshop. Some inspectors may bock at an overhead door but that is not part of the definition.

Any 25-PDV that has an ignitor is worth fixing IMO. The key to fixing a 25-PDV or 25-PDVC is removing those pokey burrs or what I call super auger service.
See my pics of "Pimp your Augers" ! ! !
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...-little-auger-burs-pimp-my-auger-pics.102423/

 

[DneprDave]

I don't see a problem with a pellet stove in the garage, they let you put gas hot water heaters, with open flame pilot lights, in garages.

Dave

 

[john193]

I don't see a problem with a pellet stove in the garage, they let you put gas hot water heaters, with open flame pilot lights, in garages.

Dave

It's a good idea to get the installation code compliant. There are a few things to consider with a gas water heater, min 18 inch off the ground, isolation from garage space, etc. Why give the insurance company a reason to deny a claim...

 

[MCPO]

Thanks for the input. I will focus on a good used 25-PDV. What is a good price for a five year old unit? How do I judge it's condition? What should be the max age I should consider? Should I re-use any venting that may be available with a used stove? Of course I would prefer the P61, especially since I am familiar with operating and cleaning them, but not likely to be as lucky as Don was when he found his. I think I will be very satisfied with the Englander 25-PDV.

I see them used on Craigslist for $400-$700. I also would want to see it running. Before I`d pay more I`d look at AM/FM stove sales for a fully warranted factory blemish .



In reference to the importance of adhering to local and state building/fire codes . The regulations are there to protect the lives and property of yourself and others but in all probability wouldn`t ever have been put into effect but for those few individuals who were either careless or totally lacking in common sense , or just plain dumb enough to cause property damage and/or injury to themselves or others .The bottom line is the public never objects to whatever the code underwriters put into these codes. The general public wants to be led like sheep and there is no shortage of those who prefer to lbe the shepherds.

Unless you store vehicles and / or volatile materials in there I don`t see any significant danger of having a properly installed pellet stove in your garage.
But as John 193 points out , you take your chances with the insurance co.
My garage workshop in in the rear of the house unattached and if it burns down and the insurance refuses to pay it'll be my tough luck.
I also occasionally exceed the speed limit , jaywalk , use my cell phone while driving . Life is a lot more fun when you flaunt the law . The trick is to get away with it.

 

[hyfire]

If you feel more comfortable raise your pellet stove 18" above the floor, as vapours tend to accumulate on the last few inches above the ground, this is the reasoning for the height of other open flame heating sources, and of course like MCPO said use common sense...........

 

[Pete Zahria]

I wonder how many people have pellet/wood/coal stoves in
their basements with a gas furnace/water heater? Like me?
My insurance company never said a word about it.

Dan

 

[john193]

^then you are all set. I think everyone here just wants to make sure people stay safe.

 

[Pete Zahria]

Hopefully you are not suggesting I don't.

My point was, if their was a universal feeling that there was
some sort of horrible danger, there would be universal requirements.

Dan

 

[john193]

Hopefully you are not suggesting I don't.

Of course not. I was merely acknowledging that you had done your due diligence, and so should the OP.