Trying to get around a ban on wood stoves in garages/work shops in my province.

[Toshley]

I was thinking about installing a wood stove in the garage workshop to supplement the natural gas heater, especially on those -30c days when I want to use the workshop, but in Alberta there's a ban on having a wood stove in a location where vehicles or combustibles are stored. The natural gas heater is expensive to run and free firewood is plentiful around here so I haven't given up on the idea, but could use some advice on my thoughts on how to work around the bylaw.

Outdoor woodstoves are perfectly fine, so my plan is to put the woodstove outside of the garage and just route the stovepipe through the garage wall and out of the roof, so that the stovepipe radiates into the garage. Obviously I'd be losing a lot of the heat from the stove itself being outside, but if the wood is free then efficiency isn't to much of a concern.

Is this a terrible idea?

 

[begreen]

Yeah, it's a bad idea. The amount of heat gained would not be that much and a legal, safe setup would cost a lot. Beefing up the garage insulation and sealing would be a better investment.

 

[Poindexter]

Agree with begreen, terrible idea. There really should not be a wood stove in any place you also store gasoline, even inside the tank of your truck or lawnmower. I am also against wood stoves in wood shops. One popping ember on a few minutes of making plane shavings could easily total my wood shop.

 

[brenndatomu]

Forced air wood furnace in an outside detached (but close by) metal shed? You would have to run 2 heavily insulated ducts to/from the garage, but it might work?

 

[stoveliker]

If your chimney radiates a significant percentage of the heat as compared to the stove, something fishy is going on...

 

[EbS-P]

I would be looking at getting a cold weather mini split. The ability to control humidity and keep is cool in the summer is nice.

 

[bholler]

Forced air wood furnace in an outside detached (but close by) metal shed? You would have to run 2 heavily insulated ducts to/from the garage, but it might work?

I think a properly constructed furnace room would be fine even if it was attached. But you are absolutely right about the hot air furnace. Hot water would work as well but gets allot more expensive quickly

 

[begreen]

Forced air wood furnace in an outside detached (but close by) metal shed? You would have to run 2 heavily insulated ducts to/from the garage, but it might work?

That's the best idea to solve the issue with wood heat. This would be safe, legal, and would generate some significant heat. It could be in a shed or in the house if there is a usable space with proper clearances next to the garage.