Optimal Placement of Garage Heater

[Andrew Thuswaldner]

I would like your recommendation for optimal placement of the gas heater I have purchased for my garage that will be used as my woodworking shop. I want to achieve good heating performance and have a safe set-up.

Here is the background information:

The heater is an HDS45 Modine which has external air intake and exhaust pipes.
The heater is to be installed about 7 feet or higher from the floor. It is rated for 27 feet of heat throw.
My garage is 26' x 10' with 10' ceiling and is attached to my house on one of the long walls.
The garage door is in one of the short walls and there is standard 32" wide entrance door at the other end of the garage.
I have a gas fireplace in my basement that exhausts through the wall of the house about 5 feet away from the garage door and about 2 feet above the ground. I am mentioning this because of the potential hazard of sucking exhaust into the garage. I will be sure to have the garage heater air input at least 15 feet away from the fireplace exhaust (and around the corner) so I think that risk is eliminated but I am concerned that the proximity of the fireplace exhaust to the garage door may warrant some restrictions on the placement of the heater that's in the garage.
Any advice you can give me will be appreciated.
Thanks, Andrew

[Joe Pelonio]

My first thought on it is to place it as close as possible to the large garage door, while keeping it far enough away from the fireplace chimney.

That way, if the garage door leaks air, or is opened, the heater is blowing heat toward the more closed areas. That would also blow toward the smaller entry door, creating pressure that reduces the infiltration of cold air when it's opened.

[Joe Chritz]

That is the same unit I have.

Mine is mounted on the short wall about a foot down from the ceiling (10 foot ceilings). It is used only to heat when I am not in the shop since I run a small wood stove while I am out there.

It is a good unit. Heater vents are place under windows in houses to kill any cold spots so close to the garage door would be good. I use a small house fan in my shop to help circulate the air and it helps.

ETA: My shop space is currently 22x30 with one 8 foot lightly insulated door. The whole thing except one wall is spray urethane insulation.

Joe

[Andrew Thuswaldner]

Thanks guys!
JoeP, so you have some concerns about the fireplace chimney being close to the heater even though I can make the heater in-take quite far away from the fireplace chimney?

So, no one is recommending I blow towards the garage door? I thought there may be some comments on that since that door is the biggest leak in the garage (even though it's insulated R16) and the principle of creating a hot air barrier might apply.

JoeC, how do you find the Modine for that size shop, does it keep up ok? You have the 45k btu unit? And what temp do you keep the shop at when you are not there/are there?

Thanks again guys, great to have your input.

Andrew

[David G Baker]

I have a 30x40x10' pole barn that is fairly well insulated, heated by a 75k BTU Modine Hot Dawg heater and it keeps the building as toasty as I want it if I turn the thermostat up.