garage shop heat?

[dale rex]

having a garage built very soon and will need some heat out there. Was wondering what all of you use for heat in your garage shops? I live in the northeast (near Allentown,PA) and need a pretty serious heater(or furnace). I am considering propane,possibly a Modine hot dawg heater, but wont rule out other forms of heat(except maybe electric) I will be insulating the walls and ceiling with as much as I can get in there.Hopefully R-38 in the ceiling and R-15 high density fiberglass in the walls(2 x 4 construction). Still pondering the use of 2 x 6 walls to get R-19, but dont know if I would realize any greater cost savings in heating by doing this.

[Rob Littleton]

I have just added 24x24 shop to my garage and a half shop and I used the 75K BTU Hot Dawg by Modine. It kicks butt and heats that room from a chilly 52 to 67 in around 5 minutes or less. Well worth the bux. I got it on line somewhere but I always forget.......back east somewhere.

Bottom line, thumbs up from me......

[Frank Pellow]

having a garage built very soon and will need some heat out there. Was wondering what all of you use for heat in your garage shops? I live in the northeast (near Allentown,PA) and need a pretty serious heater(or furnace). I am considering propane,possibly a Modine hot dawg heater, but wont rule out other forms of heat(except maybe electric) I will be insulating the walls and ceiling with as much as I can get in there.Hopefully R-38 in the ceiling and R-15 high density fiberglass in the walls(2 x 4 construction). Still pondering the use of 2 x 6 walls to get R-19, but dont know if I would realize any greater cost savings in heating by doing this.

My shop is not a garage shop but it is a stand-alone building about the size of a double car garage and it is insulated (R21.5 in the floor, the walls, and the cathedral ceiling). Just this week, I hooked up my Empire propane space heater and, so far, I am very happy with it.

The Empire web site is at: http://www.empirecomfort.com/ and I purchased the direct vent 35,000 BTU model.

[Jim Becker]

I use three overhead electric radient heating units I got from Lee Valley...they work great in all but the absolutely coldest weather. (I pre-warm the shop in that case with a kero heater, but extinguish it outside the shop to avoid the fumes) I'm just south of you in Bucks County and have less insulation than you do.

[John Bush]

Hi Dale,
I built a stand alone shop ~1560sqft, and used in-slab hot water radiant heat. I piped in natural gas and using a hot water tank ,simple pump,relay switch, thermostat, and 4 circuit manifold the system works perfectly. I used the new type of plastic tubing(don't remember the specifics but standard stuff) and looped 3 zones on the wire mesh. I used 2" dense cell foam, vapor barrier, mesh and tubing in 4+ in. of slab. I heated my old shop with a wood stove, so my interest in heatiing the new shop was to keep a consistent temp. to manage moisture for wood dynamics and keep the iron from rusting. I assumed 55-60 deg. would do, but now I keep it set at 68 deg. because I'm spoiled. It feels great to walk in and the shop feels comfortable. I have left the 8" doudle doors open in the cold season and the heated mass holds its temp. for a long time. I live in the Pac. N.W., so it doesn't get or stay much below 35-40 deg. in the winter so the demands are different than the N.E., but this type of system is worth the extra $$. Congrats on the new shop and good luck. John

[Brad Olson]

If you are building new do radiant floor heating. I have a friend with this in his shop and it is great in the winters of Michigan. The other nice thing about radiant floor heating is that he vents his Oneida cyclone outside and because the heating works so well, he doesn't get significant heat loss thus not having to deal with filters on the cyclone. If I ever build a shop this will be what I do for a heating solution. Operating costs are pretty good as well, install costs are a bit pricey unless you do the tubing install yourself. Materials aren't expensive, but since not too many people do this sort of thing not all contractors will install it for you.

[Bob Marino]

I use three overhead electric radient heating units I got from Lee Valley...they work great in all but the absolutely coldest weather. (I pre-warm the shop in that case with a kero heater, but extinguish it outside the shop to avoid the fumes) I'm just south of you in Bucks County and have less insulation than you do.

Jim,

Just three of those lights can maintain warmth in your shop? Much of a jump in the electricity bill?

Bob

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dale,

First....Welcome to the 'Creek!

2nd Congrats on the new shop! You'll enjoy the building process!

3rd.....Look at various types of heating alternatives before you build or make the decision. I would have gone with in the floor radiant heat in my shop except for budget limitations. My initial plan was to install the insulation and tubing myself and let a heating contractor install a water heater for the heat source. Then the exceptions.....local city code requires a constant water source to the heater (which I don't have in my new shop) or a special safety circuit to prevent the system from boiling dry. This added cost to the project. Because I'm building my shop on a "cash only basis", I didn't know when I'd have the budget to finish the installation of the heat source and the local building code doesn't allow for certain type of permits to remain open longer than 6 months. Heating permits are one of those.

In the end I ended having natural gas piped into the shop and a "rough-in" for an overhead natural gas furnace installed. Now I can finish the electrical, insulation and finish work then have the heater installed. Everything is ready for it.

Check all alternatives for heat before you start building.

Good luck! And again.....Welcome to the 'Creek!

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Dale

I live just a few miles west of you! My address says Kutztown, but I am about 15 miles west of Allentown just one mile south of I 78. I have a Reverberray radiant propane heater in the shop, and you are welcome to come over and take a look at it. You can also bask in its warmth right about now. It does a great job of heating the shop. The local distributor did a good job helping me set the system up and getting it running, although I will say he stinks when it comes to support. Fortunately there are nationwide dealers and I do not bother with him anymore. Despite that I would buy it again, as the heater is a very good unit.

By the way, I do not know if you know about the woodworking guild in Allentown, but we have a meeting tomorrow night. Send me a PM for more info if you are interested.

Bill