Shop Heat

[Yettrbomb]

So, I’ve been looking for ideas for some heat in my garage. It’s probably 15’x25’. Not attached to my house, but I do have electric and water to it. Although I shut the water off, as it’s above the frost line. 4-4-2 service entrance cable on a 50 amp sub, and 3/4” pex for the water.
I need something to take the chill off, not looking to get it too hot, but I need something. I’d like a small oil fired furnace or the like. Just not crazy about a wood stove, due to the chemicals and small size not to mention terrible ventilation. I found a propane fired water heater for sale that I was thinking could be used for a baseboard type setup. It’s a 25 gallon, and I have a 420 pound propane tank right outside the garage for my range and water heater in the house. I would be able to mount it well above floor level to get away from vapors on the floor (I think minimum is 18”?). I also have some iron radiators I couldn’t bear to see get scrapped. Anyone familiar enough with this sort of thing to give me any pros or cons? Of course better ideas are always welcome. Thanks in advance!

[Jeff in Pa]

My shed is 12' x 20' and for winter heating ( also to get the 125 to start for snow removal ) I purchased a 35K torpedo heater off ebay for about $80 shipped. Makes it nice and toasty

[sir_lancealot]

I also have a torpedo heater, like Jeff. My shop is only 12’x14’ so it’s a little overkill. Once I get it fully insulated I can find something smaller. Mine is the kerosene version but they do make a propane version that might work better for you.

[Rumblefish]

I had a 35k btu propane heater and itd keep my 20x22 warm no problem. Quieter than the kerosene heaters as well.

[Yettrbomb]

Hmm, that may work better. I guess I should add my ceiling is insulated, the walls are not, and likely won’t ever be. I’d lose too much space putting stuff on the walls. I’ll look into those some more. Thanks!

[J-Mech]

What do you mean you would lose space putting stuff on the walls? Insulation in the walls isn't going to affect space, or hanging things....?

[Yettrbomb]

Missed this somehow. It’s just a block building. Anything added would have to be added to the inside “working space”. Which I guess adding radiators against the walls would eat space too.

[Diesel Doc]

If I were you, I'd look for a decent used propane furnace out of a mobile home. They are compact in size, produce a decent amount of heat and can be elevated off the floor to get away from hazardous vapors. I have a 24x44 shop and use a 100,000 BTU gas fired ceiling furnace. Keeps the shop at 40 until I come out the turn it up. It will have the shop 70 in less than 10 minutes. Remember that a natural gas furnace can easily be converted to propane operation. Check with a local mobile home dealer in your area. Mobile homes are being scrapped every day and usually the furnaces are ok. I've used them in cabins, works shops, all sorts of places.

[Yettrbomb]

That was my original thought. I thought you could easily convert NGas to propane or vice versa.

[zippy1]

Rich, what "vapors on the floor" are you worried about?
My shop is 24x30, and I heat it with a wood stove. Been in it for close to 15 years now. Work on stinky fuel leaking tractors, paint. Haven't blowed up yet. If it gets to overpowering, I crack a window, or put a fan in the doorway. But I guess you must have some pretty noxious vapors going on if a wood stove bothers you.

[Yettrbomb]

Rich, what "vapors on the floor" are you worried about?
My shop is 24x30, and I heat it with a wood stove. Been in it for close to 15 years now. Work on stinky fuel leaking tractors, paint. Haven't blowed up yet. If it gets to overpowering, I crack a window, or put a fan in the doorway. But I guess you must have some pretty noxious vapors going on if a wood stove bothers you.

I guess I’m being more paranoid than I need to be! Haha, something always just scared me about a wood stove in a garage. Most likely the insurance man. Lol

[Leadslingingdaddy]

I have a hanging propane heater with built in fan... heats 750 sq ft up quick... keep it at 65 for winter....The garage is 1400sq ft, 2 story, but I close the upstairs off when using the heat... Vents through the roof.... But those Salamander heaters are cheap and easy....

[olds45512]

Go on Craigslist and look for a used furnace from a mobile home, that should be plenty for a shop that size.

[Yettrbomb]

I have that bookmarked on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace. Lol

[J-Mech]

Take a look at LB while non vented propane furnaces too. You can hang them, they put out good heat and aren't all that expensive or large. But, they can smell. You get used to it though. Just like the kerosene torpedo heaters. I'd rather breath the propane fumes.

[Merk]

My heater is the 90000 BTU propane version of this:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...773fd94bb40b23

It heats up my 1000 square foot shop with no problems. My shop is insulated.

I used to use a torpedo heater.....until I went on a squad run. He has carbon monoxide poisoning from the heater.

[dodge trucker]

I have a 30x36 garage with 10' high walls and a walk up attic above that, besides/ I have the walls insulated, and so far half of the ceiling/ attic floor "sub floored"-- working on the other half as time and money for materials allows. I have a 100K BTU Modine natural gas hanging heater, like a warehouse or greenhouse would have.
Got it for a steal off of CL, some years back. it was only 4 years old when I got it, had 1 season on it, and it was saved when the building that it came from, was demolished.

The guy I got it from sold it, because of permitting regulations and building department hoops he would have had to jump thru, to get the town to let him install it in his garage.... (to begin with, the town of Griffith IN does not allow a DIY install on such a heater, has to be "farmed out" to a HVAC professional" including trenching for the gas line from the house to the garage.so he sold it)

works fantastic. I have had it up n running in my garage for 3 winters now. better than the torpedos,
before I got this, I would have to sometimes run 2 torpedos to take the chill off, so that I could work out there. but I didn't have it as well insulated back then either. still have a ways to go, in that dep't.
I ran a 75k BTU torpedo, which was plenty for ~80% of winter days, but I would sometimes run a 40k BTU torpedo in the opposite diagonal corner of the garage when it was below about 10* outside. wouldn't have needed that large of a "kicker" but back then I had what I had.

The problem with these is the moisture that they put off. Work out there a few hours after work (or even all day on a Saturday) and shut them down and the garage would equalize to outside temps, and my garage would "sweat", all of my tools would have rust on them. No way to afford kerosene to run either more than absolutely necessary to be able to work out there, and though cheaper and it was "doable", I couldn't stand the fumes when I would run diesel instead of kero. as it was I had to crack the overhead door or a couple of windows to be able to stand being in the garage with those running.... which means I was losing a lot of the heat I was generating.
I run a low temp T stat so I can keep it ~35-40* all the time and crank it up to what ever I want while working out there, without the fumes, usually I only put it to ~60* but occasionally I take it up a bit more depending on what I am doing and just "how" cold it is outside. The pilot is overhead, safer when working on fumey things, where the source of fumes is heavier than air.

[Rescue11]

Do you have a Heating and Air guy? see if he ever pulls decent functioning furnaces from houses. If you plan to leave it at 40* or warmer ask for a 90%+ Build a simple plenum, and slap a filter on the side, plumb your condensate drain, vent the Exhaust AND Intake, plug it in (or run a ckt preferably) and Hang a T-Stat. Otherwise get some B vent and stick an 80% in.

Not a fan at all of vent less appliances, but have installed a few "garage heaters" in the past. nothing more than an infrared gas fired 25K milivolt ventless heater. pretty compact, hangs out at the ceiling on one end of the garage operated by a wall stat. Probably what Id do in your situation.

Put insulation on your walls, quit making the utility companies rich.






Then again, Im just a heating and air guy so what the fuck do I know.

[jaynjeep]

you can still find these old Dearborn propane heaters in our area.. the cabinet doesn't get hot and you don't need a vent. They really pump out the heat and don't use a ton of propane.. I use a 30K BTU unit in my 30 x 30 insulated steel building and it will warm it right up in about 20 minutes. Once you get them hot you can cut the flame way back and the bricks stay hot.. Plus they are dead quiet.. no noise

[zippy1]

you can still find these old Dearborn propane heaters in our area.. the cabinet doesn't get hot and you don't need a vent. They really pump out the heat and don't use a ton of propane.. I use a 30K BTU unit in my 30 x 30 insulated steel building and it will warm it right up in about 20 minutes. Once you get them hot you can cut the flame way back and the bricks stay hot.. Plus they are dead quiet.. no noise

Kinda sounds like my wood stove Jay.
I was thinking about getting something I could start from the house, to warm up the shop, them once I'm out there, light the wood stove, and turn down the other, or shut it off.
But haven't pursued it as of yet...