Options to heat tiny shop.

[Karl Wicklund]

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I've got a small shop, 12x16, 9 ft ceilings. Last year I heated with an old electric milkhouse heater. There was daylight showing through the walls in places, and this heater was sufficient. For instance, I could do glue-up on all but the coldest (-20 degrees) of days.

I reworked the space a bit this summer - large insulated windows on the south wall, plywood floor instead of the old cracked slab, tighented up the walls and doors. I'm finishing the insulation right now.

The little heater I used last year has given up the ghost - just too decrepit to fix up. I could easily go buy a new one like it, but wonder what other suggestions folks have.

[Christopher Dopp]

I heat my 19.5ft x 13.5ft shop with this electric heater:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_595_595

It's in a detached building that currently has no insulation (going to fix that very soon) and it has worked very well.

It's also on sale right now.

[Dave Gaul]

Karl,
First I would ask is what you want your source to be? My shop is about the same size, but 8' X 24', a barn style shed on a concrete slab that I've been converting to my shop! Personally for me, I don't want to heat with electric since right now I only have 20 amps @ 220V available for tools and such.
Using kerosene right now, works really well and aquired the heater for free, but the fumes are not the best to deal with!
Seriously considering switching to propane, this model in particular...
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200307975_200307975

Electric might work for you, but starting in 2010 electric company rate caps in PA are lifted and rates will increase enough that propane/gas/oil heat will be more cost effective... not sure what you best option is for $$ in WI...

[Lee Schierer]

Look at the old heater and determine the wattage and then shop for a new heater with similar or slightly higher wattage if you were satisfied with the level of heat it provided. 220V heats cheaper than 120V and baseboard heaters work well without stirring up the dust like a fan type heater will do.

[Dave Gaul]

220V heats cheaper than 120V

Please explain your basis Lee.

[Karl Wicklund]

I think right now a small electric would be ideal - I don't have 220 in the shop, since I mostly Neander. Eventually I'd like to put in a little fish-shack wood stove, but that's a year or two down the line.

Would an electric coil heater be better than ceramic? Never used a ceramic, so I know nothing about it. Is there an appreciable difference?

[Lee Schierer]

Please explain your basis Lee.

220 has less line loss and 120V heaters are usually built pretty cheaply.....

[Dave Gaul]

220 has less line loss and 120V heaters are usually built pretty cheaply.....


The difference in line losses between 220 and 120 are probably minimal, unless on a long run, but for arguments sake I'll agree.

Just wanted to clarify your claim, some mistakenly think that you pay less for 220V power vs. 120V.

[Dave Gaul]

I will also agree with Lee that 120V space heaters are not very well built for the most part. There are, however, many more "permanent" type 120V heaters that are built just like their 220V versions, just pre-wired for 120V.

I can't really speak for coil vs. ceramic, but I would think ceramic would be more efficient. I have seen ads for those "hydrostatic" baseboard styles, that have 120V models, and that seems like a good choice if you don't mind the higher initial cost.

[Jim Rimmer]

I heated a shop in Iowa with this little Vornado heater. Electric, thermostat control, tip-over protection, and doesn't get hot to the touch (important if you have kids or pets around).

http://www.amazon.com/Vornado-VH2-Vortex-Heater/dp/B00006C7HJ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1259953872&sr=8-2

[Chris Damm]

I use one of those milkhouse heaters in my 625 sq. ft. heavily insulated shop. I just turn it way down low. Mine has min and max settings. On low heat and no. 2 on the dial my shop is 55° and it warms up to 60°+ in less than 1/2 hour with all the lights on.

[Bob Borzelleri]

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I've got a small shop, 12x16, 9 ft ceilings. Last year I heated with an old electric milkhouse heater. There was daylight showing through the walls in places, and this heater was sufficient. For instance, I could do glue-up on all but the coldest (-20 degrees) of days.

I reworked the space a bit this summer - large insulated windows on the south wall, plywood floor instead of the old cracked slab, tighented up the walls and doors. I'm finishing the insulation right now.

The little heater I used last year has given up the ghost - just too decrepit to fix up. I could easily go buy a new one like it, but wonder what other suggestions folks have.

If you can get your hands on a decent replacement for the milkhouse heater, I'd go that route.

I have one of the Dayton (there are several versions with a ton of different names) heaters in my 25x25x9 insulated shop and it works fine. Fact is, I also have a Holmes Workman milk house heater that has worked flawlessly for about 10 years and it preceded the Dayton in the shop; it was just a little short of stuff for the space I needed to heat.

I'd avoid the Holmes clones (called Workforce, I think) currently available at HD for $17.95. They are a POS.

[John Powers]

Power is an issue for me. I have about 200 sf in south jersey. Gets cold but not Wisconsin. The Kero heater went south so I got a propane Mr. Heater Big Buddy at a camper place. Say it does 400sf. Works good but haven't used it in really cold conditions yet. The fumes from the Kero got to be an issue. Heard I smelled of it. I'll know more after the winter. I get up to feed the dog, turn it on and its ready by the time I go in but again it hasn't been bonechilling here yet. I do think their claims as to fuel consumption are accurate.

[Karl Wicklund]

I picked up a small ceramic space heater at the local hardware store - theoretically it puts out 5000 btu, but the milkhouse heater with similar rating was much warmer.
However, as luck would have it, another one of the small ceramics came my way. My temporary plan is to use just one on most days, plug the other into circuit#2 on those -30* nights over Christmas. Not an elegant solution, but it should work.
I'll let you know how what the effectiveness and efficiency is like when I've used it a bit.
Thanks for the advice, guys! Great to have this community as I'm starting out.

[Jason White]

If you can swing it, get a pellet stove!

I put one in a couple of weeks ago and it's the best shop purchase I ever made. Mine is adjustable and can even be connected to a room thermostat. All I have to do is fill the hopper with pellets once in awhile and dump out the ash bin every few days.

Many models (if not all) also qualify for up to a $1500 tax credit.

Jason


Thanks in advance for your advice.

I've got a small shop, 12x16, 9 ft ceilings. Last year I heated with an old electric milkhouse heater. There was daylight showing through the walls in places, and this heater was sufficient. For instance, I could do glue-up on all but the coldest (-20 degrees) of days.

I reworked the space a bit this summer - large insulated windows on the south wall, plywood floor instead of the old cracked slab, tighented up the walls and doors. I'm finishing the insulation right now.

The little heater I used last year has given up the ghost - just too decrepit to fix up. I could easily go buy a new one like it, but wonder what other suggestions folks have.

[Dirk Boehmer]

Hi Karl,

my German workshop (4.5m x 6.5m) is not insulated. I have tried a gas heater as
well as an electrical heater. But now I own a wood stove. And that little thing is
the best investment I can imagine.



http://griesenberger.bplaced.net/Griesenberger/Werkstatt/Seiten/Sonstiges_files/Media/DSCF0358/DSCF0358.jpg

[Bill Blackburn]

Karl - being as we likely similar weather...as in friggen cold right now...I'd look at a small wood box stove or something better. Cost a couple bucks to vent but I'm sure woods near free around you too and they do the trick. Hate to spend $$$ on fuel or electric when we lack insulation myself. It did it for me for years cheaply anyway.

Use a Reznor unit now but when it warms up I'm adding a wood burner again. Cheapest way on planet IMO to heat.

[David Hostetler]

I heat my mostly uninsulated garage workshop (that is changing one roll of Owens Corning R30 at a time!) with a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy propane heater. It's not too bad on gas compared to some others I have had, especially for the heat it puts out.

Mind you, my temps here don't get anywhere near that low, BUT if you are well insulated, etc... it shouldn't take much to get that space warm FAST...

Have you thought of maybe an oil filled electric radiator? You will need a fan on low blowing over it to distribute the heat, but I have done that in my shop too. Not enough for my 18x20, but should be more than enough for 12x16... (Mine is an older 4 fin model, the new 7 fin produce a LOT more heat)

BTW, I'd love to see a shop tour of that. With that size, I suspect you have some creative organization projects done there...

[Bill Blackburn]

David - temps were at a minus 21 last night unofficially and windchills maybe minus 45. What even we northern dudes start to call a wee bit chilly.;)

Around here even a small shop needs some more kick than an oil filled elect can provide unless the shop is airtight and one doesn't open the door to enter.

To think that 11 days ago we were on a golf course. Things can flip in a hurry up in the north country.

EDITED: Here be a pic of contrasts from today vs summer. What one do ya prefer and thinks easier to keep warm? BTW - minus 25 unofficially outside at 5:20am and winds still gusting to maybe 20. Chilly

http://www.ifallsnet.com/RainyLake/index.htm

[Yitah Wu]

Two car attached and drywalled (but probably not insulated) garage, insulated door.

I use a Mister Heat double propane heater

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200332705_200332705

the garage is leaky enough I don't worry about exhaust. I run it on high (28,000BTU) for perhaps 20 minutes then drop it down to 16,000 BTU

It has a decent amount of radiant output so if you're within about 10-15 feet you can really feel it.

[Kevin Gregoire]

i have a small shop 12x22x8 and i have some old 220v wall heater my dad put in a wood frame so its portable but it dont heat up much and the fan is lame so i need something stronger.

im curious if anyone has one of these overhead radiant heaters and how does it work? they are cheap so i could get a couple for each end of shop?

The quartz elements have two settings – 760W and 1475W, producing 2590 and 5030 BTU/hour respectively


http://i47.tinypic.com/2jb8ob7.jpg

[paul cottingham]

I use one, and its OK. A ton of heat in front of it, but virtually none further away. That being said, it heats the work area in front of it pretty well, especially for the price.

[Phillip Bogle]

I will be a bit off the wall. If you have incandescent lights you might want to consider some higher wattage light bulbs. I had 300 watt bulbs in my print shop and never used the heat, and I like it warm. Just a thought, if it will work for you. Not a lot more power consumption, since like has been mentioned, 120 heaters use up juice. With the higher watt bulb you get light and heat, not on the floor or counter space. Just make sure the sockets can handle the size bulb. Some ceramic bases are very cheap and will handle larger wattage bulbs.

[Robert Malone]

My shop is 12X24X8 and was heated for years with a one-burner Mr. Heater Portable Buddy propane heater. Which did fine. For the last 2 years I have been using a 1500 watt heater. This year I have a oil-filled heater set on about #4 and it's doing fine.
Bought mine at Casco's for 41 bucks.

http://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-EW7707CM-Oil-filled-ComforTemp-Technology/dp/B000TGDGLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260705285&sr=1-1

[John Daugherty]

I have a 24x24 shop and use one similar to this. It was free so I can't complain and it does a great job. I usually use diesel in it.


http://www.amazon.com/Reddy-Pro-Tough-Heater-Kerosene-TA100/dp/B000VL3J2O/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1260712212&sr=1-10

[Joel Earl]

You must be in Bayfield/Superior area if NW Wisconsin then?
Guess my first thought would be how 95% of the listed options available to most would even work:D
You are talking numbing cold winters, wind chill off the charts, the whole shebang of Santa's Wasteland! Ask me how I'd know about this :o
The shop must be attached to another structure ?? - maybe I missed that in post. New windows and insulation will be huge but it still gets bitter cold. I'm scratching my head how you managed any "winter" glue ups before to be honest. Maybe placing things close to the heater?

You on city or co-op electric rates? That Northern hanging unit works well if one can afford to run it. Mine ran around $150-175 a month to operate but I kept all in the high 40's and then near 70 when I was in shop. Guess I'd still opt for a pellet/wood burner as best option to keep actually warm vs above freezing. Method I chose in the end but tried many others first. Do you have natual gas available? A small Hot Dawg/Reznor would also do the trick then - fast heat ups but have to be natural gas as propane costs ridiculous here.

Most folks have no clue how cold we really get. One of those things you need to deal with for a winter to 2 to appreciate. More than that, to just respect it all - I've had it take days to bring actual wood temps back up to the 70's in all corners after having the power go down in a storm. 30 below and colder is nasty stuff. Brutally nasty cold beauty.

[Wes Ramsey]

Anyone ever try this one?

http://www.heatershop.com/delonghi_space_heater_dch2570e.html

I'm trying to find the same thing. My shop is 6x14x8 (basically just a walled-off section of my garage). I don't mind the cold when I'm working, but I need a warm place to apply/cure finishes. Any idea if this unit would be safe to leave unattended for days at a time? That's my only concern...

[Karl Wicklund]

Thanks for all your ideas!

David,
Still a bit early for a tour. Right now, I've still got a bit of insulation to install, then wall covering, then moving the tools, workbench and other sundries back in. It's a separate building - actually, the old summer kitchen/pump house on the place we bought two years back. I had to replace the sill, clean out a mound of dirt kicked up by a woodchuck, on and on... I'll post a tour of it when it's all done. Or closer to done. I suppose it'll never really be 'finished.'

Dirk,
That is a cute little stove! I've been looking around a bit, but so far, everything's too big, or too flimsy. Yours looks about right! Any suggestions where a skinflint like me might pick one up?

So far, the two tiny ceramics are doing the job okay. I'm not out there every day - heck, I didn't make out there at all last week - so the cost isn't going to break the bank.