Kerosene heater for 2 car garage shop?

[dennis thompson]

Can anyone recommend a good kerosene heater for my shop in a 2 car garage?
Thanks
Dennis

[Rob Russell]

I have a kerosene heater that I used back when working on our addition. It's my understanding that they produce a lot of moisture. If you fire one up around cold machinery, you could be asking for condensation problems on cast iron surfaces which would lead to rust.

I think the brand of heater I have is a Kerosun.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Dennis, I assume you are storing tools and wood in the garage? The trouble with kerosene heaters, especially the bazooka style, is they produce a great deal of moisture. It's a byproduct of combustion.
When I built my shop, we built it in the winter and I used one to raise the temp so the drywall mud could cure. The windows were dripping moisture on the inside and the whole shop felt like a steam bath. You might want to think about different ways to heat if it's in a permanent way.
For occasional heat in my garage (it's not heated like the shop), I use a Dayton bazooka style heater with a thermostat. 100k btu's it works just fine and it's a 3 car garage almost 900 sq ft.

[M Toupin]

For occasional use I use on like this http://www.amazon.com/Sengoku-Portable-Convection-Kerosene-HMHC2230/dp/B000NIAOPK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1232555901&sr=1-4.

I've never had a moisture problem, though I only use it intermittently, a few hours at a time. The convection heaters don't put out as much heat as fast which might be why they don't produce so much moisture.

Mike

[Dave Potter]

For occasional use I use on like this http://www.amazon.com/Sengoku-Portable-Convection-Kerosene-HMHC2230/dp/B000NIAOPK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1232555901&sr=1-4.

I've never had a moisture problem, though I only use it intermittently, a few hours at a time. The convection heaters don't put out as much heat as fast which might be why they don't produce so much moisture.

Mike
Mike:

That's much the kind of heater I have and it still puts out a fair amount of moisture. Also, there's still a Carbon Monoxide issue to consider with unvented heaters. If you can work it out, see about getting one you can vent out an outside wall. Most are able to burn different grades of kerosene/heating oi: lhttp://www.alsheating.com/KeroseneHeaters.htm .

Dave Potter

[Greg Narozniak]

I have a 50,000 BTU Reddy Heater brand kerosene heater (My Son calls it the Jet Engine) that I use in my 2 car garage Roughly 20 x 20. I can typically run it for 10 - 20 minutes to heat up the shop and it stays nice for a couple of hours. Only time I needed it more was last week when it was in the single digits. Most garages are not air tight so CO is not a factor, at least for me it is not.

As others have said, I do not run it very often and have never had any moisture issues.

I have had no issues with mine and I have had it for 7 years

This is similar to mine but newer :)

http://www.heater-store.com/forced_air_heaters_reddy_heater_751_prd1.htm

[David G Baker]

I have a kerosene heater similar to the one that M posted. I found that if I have it adjusted properly moisture has not been a problem and the smell is tolerable. I haven't used in a air tight building and only use it to break the chill in a non heated building that I haven't finished insulating. I have to dress warmly because the building is fairly large and move the heater to the areas that I am working in. I am not sure that I would use it as my sole source of heat, electric heat would be better in my situation. I have never been able to get more than 4-5 hours of heat on a tank of fuel and kerosene is not cheap in my area.

[Chip Lindley]

I have not seen a garage/shop yet which was air-tight enough to make CO an issue. KeroSun is a good heater, it will certainly knock off the chill of a 2-car garage. What's a little kerosene smell along with sawdust and WD40 and motor oil? Its a garage afterALL !

[Dave Potter]

I have not seen a garage/shop yet which was air-tight enough to make CO an issue. KeroSun is a good heater, it will certainly knock off the chill of a 2-car garage. What's a little kerosene smell along with sawdust and WD40 and motor oil? Its a garage afterALL !
Chip:

Sorry to disagree with you on this point but I clearly remember when we had to pull two of my soldiers from a tent -- a structure definitely not known for air tightness -- passed out from CO poisoning from a space heater. Because of that, and the accidental death of a childhood friend in the 70s who was running an engine to set the gaps in an enclosed garage, I'm of a mind to error on the side of caution in this.

That said, I do use my kerosene in the garage as it is all I have at present, I'm just starting to look around for a way to maintain temperatures in the garage at a more constant level. But then, I'm not spending hours and hours in there and usually only run it when working on vehicles. I also sweeten the fuel with a scent additive as my bride of 35 years tends to complain about the smell.

Dave P.