"she-shed" heat options

[mar13]

We're planning a she-shed for my wife to use as an office and as a peaceful place to escape from the house during the day. We're thinking 120 square feet, likely with a tall peaked ceiling, so say, 8 feet average ceiling height. Decent insulation.

Our location is a reliably cool and damp coastal climate. The shed will be in a spot that gets no passive solar heat during the wet winter when lows are in the 30s and highs in the mid 40s. Even during the summer mornings, warm-up heat will be needed. (57 degrees with drizzle can be common noontime temperatures in July.) Dampness will be a concern. A/C is never needed.

We could just go the space heater route, but at 32 cents/Kwh (and increasing) for electricity, wood heat seems much more enjoyable. Furthermore, the she-shed will be right near where I already keep our wood.

Questions:
(1) Am I fooling myself that a small or quick fire, such as one often used in shoulder seasons, in a Jotul 602 v2 (wouldn't have to cut special wood lengths) or a Morso 1440 (slightly less clearance requirements, but appearance not as well liked by my wife) might work without keeping the windows wide open? That is, is 120 sq feet with moderate/high ceilings too small for an EPA approved wood stove?

(2) I see there are other micro wood stoves out there, but I am afraid that California frowns upon non-epa stoves (in case it needs to be permitted) and I don't think they'll pass my wife's aesthetics criteria.

(3) Other options? Perhaps some small 9,000 BTU heat pump?

 

[begreen]

In that small of a space a wood stove would heat it up quickly, but then it would probably need windows opened. If insulated the place could be heated with not much power draw. It's heat loss that runs up the electric bill, so insulate it well. A 9k heatpump or small, vented, propane heater would also work.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I like the gas or propane option. I agree that the space may be to small for a wood stove

 

[peakbagger]

If dampness is of concern then a dehumidifier may be desired and with the need for heat a minisplit heat pump would serve both the dehumification and heating demand. It will also have cooling but it sounds like you dont need it. These units are incredibly efficient at mild temps. They are made down to 9000 Btus/hr

 

[xman23]

If she is planning on using this as a day time office year round, I would put in an automatic heating system. Surely a lot of options. Initial cost, operational cost and reliable. Easy to create a remote to control the thermostat. Bring the heat up before arriving. If well built with today's standard insulation, it will be fairly cheep to heat. A small wood stove would be nice, if she has the time run it. But as said I to think easy to overheat.
Sounds like it would be a slab on the ground. To keep the the humidity down look at insulation under the slab.

 

[mar13]

Yes, I'm also afraid a wood stove. other than micro wood stoves, would be too much heat. A small mini split system can be found for under a grand which is less than a stove by itself, and enters me into a new type of technology. Or there are space heaters. (Did you know, with infrared heaters, the space heater world now has the debate of radiant vs convective heat too? It's not longer just wood burners debating what's best.) To support a computer and monitors, the shed will eventually have to be electrified beyond that of an extension cord.

But even it was just for a little while, it was nice to imagine having another model of wood stove to play with....

 

[Geoff C]

You could do a Woodstock Franklin mini gas stove and just run it off a propane tank. 8000btus.

 

[kennyp2339]

120sq ft is to small for a wood stove in an insulated space, plus the actual foot print of the stove with clearences would take up a lot of useful space and prob make it seem even smaller then it actually is.

 

[Mutineer]

Sorry to see your cost/kWh is so high, just signed up a couple of months ago here in Ohio under the energy choice program at 4.15 cents/kWh. That cost would make a small space heater a much more viable no-brainer.

 

[mar13]

If dampness is of concern then a dehumidifier may be desired and with the need for heat a minisplit heat pump would serve both the dehumification and heating demand. It will also have cooling but it sounds like you dont need it. These units are incredibly efficient at mild temps. They are made down to 9000 Btus/hr

I chalked out the dimensions of the shed on the driveway and then chalked in a small Jotul with clearances. It'd fit fine, but the consensus here seems to be it'd give excessive heat. I've started to look into a small mini split. There's some talk out there about inefficiency and wear and tear that occurs from short cycling from too small of a space being heated, but that's probably another forum's discussion (though suggestions are welcome). I did a preliminary look at Woodstock's mini Franklin, that will be an aesthetics decision on my wife's part.

Thanks for all of your feedbacks.

 

[rwh63]

a little gas stove with a thermostat. mimics a cosy wood stove without the mess, and instant on/off.

 

[Don2222]

We have a pellet stove in our 100 sqft shed which is the largest we could have per the building codes. So check your local codes for all the limitations and road blocks.
With the pellet stove it does not get to hot or to cold and only use a bag or two for a whole week which is about $12. The best part is to be able to turn it on before going out there to warm it up. Also we put in a cement walkway with 3/4” stone and rebar so we do not have to walk in muddy water every spring.
Good luck

 

[snaple4]

If dampness is of concern then a dehumidifier may be desired and with the need for heat a minisplit heat pump would serve both the dehumification and heating demand. It will also have cooling but it sounds like you dont need it. These units are incredibly efficient at mild temps. They are made down to 9000 Btus/hr

A mini split is a great option for heat but dehumidification will be nonexistant at temps below 70.

How about Woodstock’s little gas stove. You can use propane. The 100lbs tanks are cheap and easy to fill.

Mini Franklin Soapstone Gas Stove

Yes, it really is only 17 inches tall and it weighs just 72 pounds! And yes, it produces a lot of radiant heat, especially for its size. People who saw the first, experimental versions of the Mini Franklin gas heater thought they were toys or a scaled-down version of bigger stoves. But when they

www.woodstove.com

Edit: just noticed OP already looked at the WS mini gas stove. My bad. If your wife approves I think it would be a perfect fit for the space.

 

[begreen]

A mini split is a great option for heat but dehumidification will be nonexistant at temps below 70.

Actually, interior relative humidity will drop when the space is heated due to the difference in the outdoor dewpoint and interior temp. This is why house humidity is much lower in winter even if it is raining outside.

 

[snaple4]

Actually, interior relative humidity will drop when the space is heated due to the difference in the outdoor dewpoint and interior temp. This is why house humidity is much lower in winter even if it is raining outside.

yes, that is true. I was thinking of the dehumidification feature on the mini split that uses a/c. I could have been better in saying that.

 

[xman23]

Don, I assume your shed was built and taxed as a shed. Not a living space. Did you have any issues running electric to it? I ask as a friend wanted to run water and I believe electric to his detached garage, and it wasn't allowed.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

120 sq ft is very small, and if it is insulated you will be overheating it with even a very small stove.

 

[Don2222]

Don, I assume your shed was built and taxed as a shed. Not a living space. Did you have any issues running electric to it? I ask as a friend wanted to run water and I believe electric to his detached garage, and it wasn't allowed.

Yes A permit was pulled and it was inspected and approved as a shed. Many of my friends have run electric to their sheds. Some just have an extension cord. I dug a 3 foot deep trench for the wires and also have a cable tv wire.
Running water maybe different but a hose in the summer maybe good temporarily.

 

[Don2222]

120 sq ft is very small, and if it is insulated you will be overheating it with even a very small stove.

Our shed is 10x10 but with a thermostat on the heater it does not over heat.

 

[FPX Dude]

Our shed is 10x10 but with a thermostat on the heater it does not over heat.

Gimme a cot and a pillow, nice!