Winter heat
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 361
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From: muscatine abouts
i started out with propane torpedo type but the noise was to much like to play radio. i bought a confection construction heater 85,000 btu it seams to get it warm enough and i use a couple milk hose heaters for toolbox 1300 btu. other wise tool sweat when warming up a 30lb pig runs about 18 hrs on high. the torpedo was the same size would stick a engine block in front of it
FTE Legend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 283,479
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From: northwestern Ontario
I'd say insulation is the cheapest way to go and then you only have to add a little bit of heat, if you have natural gas in you area I'd go that route. My shop is 24x24 well insulated and costs very little to heat, not much more than $100 a year using a 45,000 btu suspended heating unit. When I'm not in the shop I keep the thermostat set for 50F, turn up to 70F and in 15 minutes very comfortable. I also insulated under my concrete pad with 2'' of styrofoam.
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 696
Likes: 48
From: Central Connecticut
ct50f1, welcome to the site! Glad to have another states man here! I too have been thinking about heat my garage. I now run a kerosene heater now. I just bought some this weekend and it was 4.29 a gallon! Ouch!! Im looking to talk to a guy on a heating system for the garage this week.
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 696
Likes: 48
From: Central Connecticut
i started out with propane torpedo type but the noise was to much like to play radio. i bought a confection construction heater 85,000 btu it seams to get it warm enough and i use a couple milk hose heaters for toolbox 1300 btu. other wise tool sweat when warming up a 30lb pig runs about 18 hrs on high. the torpedo was the same size would stick a engine block in front of it
Senior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Granger IA
Go see someone in the HVAC business. They are starting to cgange out the older forced air units for higher effeincy units. You can usally change the orfice in them for propane or to nat. gas. Put cord on them for blower motor power [110]. I have picked them up for free. Hope this helps.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,288
Likes: 1,052
From: NM
This is the ave that I think I will go down. Seems like you can find used furnaces everywhere for little to nothing. Guess my biggest concern is that I dont know much about forced air furnaces so its hard to make an educated decision. The blower's energy requirements the furnaces energy requirements and which fuel is more cost effective for occasional use, natural gas or propane?
The cost of all petroleum products vary with the price of oil; while the price of natural gas is regulated, and tracks energy prices with a lag. Kerosene is about the most expensive, propane/LPG next lower, natural gas is usually cheaper. It really depends what you already have at your house; if you had to add a LPG tank and piping, or had to extend your natural gas line, you are probably better off using Kerosene or electric heaters unless you intend to be there quite a while.
There's always solar...
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I'll have the Roast Duck
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,622
Likes: 108
From: Northshore, MN
Whatever method you choose, consider this: 'tis better to heat the garage up to 60-70 from 40, than from -40. IE, I would put in a heater with a thermostat that can be set to 40F when you are away, and can turn up when you plan to be in there. It takes a tremendous amount of heat energy to bring a piece of steel such as a truck up to temp that has sat in the garage at -40F. That said, radiant tubes from the ceiling is a nice way to retrofit. The "hot-dawg" heaters that hang in the corner are nice as well, and don't take up floor space.
In my own garage, I have two 80,000btu torpedo heaters that work, but don't last long. The woodstove I installed I had to remove due to the ins. co. stopping by, and ever since then, I've been broke enough not to buy a "hot-dawg", lol. Now that the trailer is torn down, I've thought about using the furnace from that, which is oil, convertable to propane. And just use the 100# tank I have.
In my own garage, I have two 80,000btu torpedo heaters that work, but don't last long. The woodstove I installed I had to remove due to the ins. co. stopping by, and ever since then, I've been broke enough not to buy a "hot-dawg", lol. Now that the trailer is torn down, I've thought about using the furnace from that, which is oil, convertable to propane. And just use the 100# tank I have.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 391
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From: Peterborough, Ontario
Northern Tool carries a nice 45000 BTU propane cieling hung unit for around $500 (Mr. Heater), it requires a certain amount of permanent installation but should work good. I am in Canada and am waiting for one to come in from the local TSC store but they are backordered. They also make the same thing in a 75000 BTU which I may go with. It is -21 C this morning so I need something. I have a portable kerosine heater that works well but is noisy, smelly and expensive to run.
Winster is too long not to heat the shop, good luck
Winster is too long not to heat the shop, good luck
FTE Legend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 283,479
Likes: 8,187
From: northwestern Ontario
Northern Tool carries a nice 45000 BTU propane cieling hung unit for around $500 (Mr. Heater), it requires a certain amount of permanent installation but should work good. I am in Canada and am waiting for one to come in from the local TSC store but they are backordered. They also make the same thing in a 75000 BTU which I may go with. It is -21 C this morning so I need something. I have a portable kerosine heater that works well but is noisy, smelly and expensive to run.
Winster is too long not to heat the shop, good luck
Winster is too long not to heat the shop, good luck
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,288
Likes: 1,052
From: NM
Whatever method you choose, consider this: 'tis better to heat the garage up to 60-70 from 40, than from -40. IE, I would put in a heater with a thermostat that can be set to 40F when you are away, and can turn up when you plan to be in there. It takes a tremendous amount of heat energy to bring a piece of steel such as a truck up to temp that has sat in the garage at -40F. ....
Senior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 247
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From: Granger IA
in my specific case our house is on Natural gas. Its a new house with a 3.5 car attached. The builder didnt insulate the garage at all so I have work to do there but I would like to run wiring for lights and a couple ceiling fans before I get to that stage. I will keep an eye out for a used furnace for the garage... then have it plumbed when the money is there for it.
My wife says that she will never move again. So if thats truely the case and I do believe her, then we will be here for awhile. I know nothing of running gas line so i guess its better to have someone do that for me. All I know is that I need heat in this garage if I am going to have any hope of getting the trucks close to where I want them to be.
My wife says that she will never move again. So if thats truely the case and I do believe her, then we will be here for awhile. I know nothing of running gas line so i guess its better to have someone do that for me. All I know is that I need heat in this garage if I am going to have any hope of getting the trucks close to where I want them to be.