Heating options for an uninsulated garage

[savantelite]

Been a tough winter here in Montana. Many nights the wind chill is below zero. Now I am going on almost 3 months without even touching my bike!

What are good heating options short term and better insulation options long term?

 

[skiper]

Eskimos use Muk Tuk don't they ?

 

[slider]

LxW then x height and you'll have cubic feet. Find a heater for that cf. Depending on fuel source it could very well be cheaper to insulate it.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Been a tough winter here in Montana. Many nights the wind chill is below zero. Now I am going on almost 3 months without even touching my bike!

What are good heating options short term and better insulation options long term?

I use a propane bottle mounted double heater to bring the temp up to about 60 degrees (Short term) and then I have two 1500 watt electric wall heaters to keep the temps constant while I am working. (Long Term). Good R value insulation in the walls and ceiling of the garage. As high as you can afford. Higher the R value the more expensive it is. And a good insulated garage door. Make sure you get any drafts around the garage door sealed. My garage never gets below 40 degrees in the winter time, even when it get to 10 below outside, and it takes about 15 to 20 min to bring it up to 60 degrees. Some of the best money I spent.

 

[suvcw04]

Chuck, that's not a garage. That's an operating room!!!!!!!!

Very Nice Job.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

I have an attached 2 car garage (~20x20). The ceiling is 11.5' tall. The garage shares two walls and part of the ceiling with the house. The garage doors are not insulated and neither is the 3rd unshared wall. I have added insulation to the unshared portion of the ceiling.

The temp never drops below 40F even when really cold. I use this propane heater:

I connect it to a 20lb tank with a 6' hose. The tank sits outside the garage and the heater sits inside. I run the hose under the garage door which is proped up on 2x4s (laid flat). The 2x4's allow the space for the hose and some fresh air intake.

When the temps outside were 15F last weekend, the heater increased the temp in the garage by 5F every hour. After 3 hours, the garage was a comfortable 55F. A 20lb tank is good for 24 hours of running at Hi (good for 3 days @ 8 hours of shop time). I use a small box fan placed behind the heater to circulate the air for even heating. For the 2-4 times a year I work in the garage during the winter, this setup has worked well for me.

If I have to do any fuel tank work, I will turn the heater off until the work has been done.

 

[Dee G]

Our garage is 30x60 and currently, the only insulation is on the ceiling. So, when I venture out there to work in the winter, its parka and ski glove time.

however, the spouse moved his shop from one of town to the other and his new shop has a gas forced air unit in it and the two infrared radiant heaters went into storage. I brought one home, rewired it and hung it above my work area.

It will not heat the whole shop (which is fine) but just the area where I'm working.

This is the area that I work in. The spot directly under the heater is where the 'work in progress' bike goes. Eventually, I would like to is bring in the second heater and hang one on each of the trusses. That way, I can stay warm at the bench as well as the bike. The base of the heater is currently about 10' off the ground, not 6' as it is in this pic.
(Please ignore the mess, I'm hoping to finish the clean out and re-organize project this year.)

This is what it looks like when its on. Right now, I have it plugged in to the only 220 outlet in the shop. I picked up a new dual pole 220 breaker yesterday and a switch, so I can hard wire it to its own breaker and use the switch to turn on/off, instead of the breaker. What's nice about this heater is that it will only heat up whats under it, so I'm not wasting power heating up the entire garage. What is inconvenient about that, is when I head to the back of the shop to look for something, its stinking COLD and I have to put a jacket on.

This thing puts out a LOT of heat. In fact, I'm going to have to raise it up another 6-8 inches. As I was standing next to the NT, putting the fuel tank back on, the top of my head was getting a little too warm. Bike and tools were a nice 70F. Perfect in that 28F shop.

 

[junglejim]

For occaional use I think radiant heat is most economical. You get immiadiate heat and only have to heat what you need. You really don't have to heat the whole garage, just the part where you are working. Radiant heaters are most commonly electric or gas.

Heating the whole garage to working temp is going to be expensive unless it is well insulated.

My garage/shop is 24'x36' and is insulated. I heat it to 45 degrees when I'm not using it with a gas, ceiling mounted, hot air, frunace. Propane cost is about $400 per year (about 150 gal).

 

[Herb]

Chuck, that's not a garage. That's an operating room!!!!!!!!

Very Nice Job.

Every time I see Chuck's garage.... I"m amazed, awed and embarassed. Operating room indeed! Cleaner than most human operating rooms I suspect.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Yep, I've been there, and I don't think any of Chuck's bikes will ever get an infection.

 

[Bear]

Our 30x30 garage is insulated. We installed a Modine Heater in the return water line for the last heat zone in the house. When the boiler (oil fired) kicks in, the Modine kicks in as well. The garage is usually 60F all through the winter. I have one of those electric oil filled radiators in my work area which I turn on when I am working.