Thread: Garage Heat..

So what are you guys using?

I'm considering going with a propane blower but afraid it'll be overkill but the little electric jobbers don't do much actual heating.

Reddy heaters and the like are the hot ticket (no pun intended) primarily because of the fan forced projection... The Mr. Heater Big Buddy works well, but won't project heat over a large distance. The main thing to remember when heating a garage, or any space which might have flammable vapor such as gasoline or others, BE CERTAIN TO PLACE THE HEATER AT LEAST 2' off the floor... These vapors tend to extend upwards of 2-024" off the floor surface, and I don't have to tell you guys what will happen when a source of ignition is introduced to that scenario.

Thanks for the intel guys, the propane based Reddy Heater idea is the direction I think I'm going to go with, just a weee bit concerned about integrating something that can explode. I usually don't keep canned fuel this time of year because I won't use anything that uses it, so I'm good there.

This is my first winter in this garage and not used propane as a heat source before. I came from the west coast and the last garage I had was heated.

So my guess is proper process when say doing a brake job would be to heat the area first, turn off and cool down the heater entirely, do stuff (spray brake parts cleaner) and then vent the area, rinse and repeat?

I have a 35,000 btu propane heater and a 220v electeric heater. I heat the garage with the propane then use the electric to maintain it. You can leave the heater running while doing anything, just dont pour gas on it.

you should not use bullet heaters indoors or propane heaters, as they give off carbon dioxide, and can kill you and your whole family if used in an attached garage. unless its properly vented.

best bet is to go to home depot or some other store and get electric baseboard heaters.

Just get a monoxide detector,which you should have in the garage anyways, You can run one for a long time with out getting too much.

Originally Posted by 01GTP

Just get a monoxide detector,which you should have in the garage anyways, You can run one for a long time with out getting too much.

if you have never used a bullet heater, rent one before you buy it, and try it out, YOU WILL BE breathless in 30 minutes, and have the door wide open before long, trust me, ive been there, a monoxide detector will go off in 5 to 10 minutes of starting the heater up, thats why you see them on construction sites with open walls and such, the box its in will give a warning not to use it in a closed area., using these heaters is the same as running your car in a closed garage, not the best idea.

any heater that is mounted to the ceiling of the room and is vented, such as gas, oil, or propane should be just fine, but it will cost some coin.

Originally Posted by scottydoggs

best bet is to go to home depot or some other store and get electric baseboard heaters.

Unfortunately my electricity in the garage is pathetic. There's one plug on the far side that I discovered on accident is on the same circuit as the living room AND some kitchen outlets of the house..and it's only (I think) a 10 or 15 amp breaker. So anything that draws some power will blow the breaker, as I found out while trying to run a small electric heater that really didn't do much in warming things up.


So...based on your post to 01GTP I'm screwed!

Floor heat ftw. That and and an older propan heater does the job quite nicely.

Originally Posted by scottydoggs

if you have never used a bullet heater, rent one before you buy it, and try it out, YOU WILL BE breathless in 30 minutes, and have the door wide open before long, trust me, ive been there, a monoxide detector will go off in 5 to 10 minutes of starting the heater up, thats why you see them on construction sites with open walls and such, the box its in will give a warning not to use it in a closed area., using these heaters is the same as running your car in a closed garage, not the best idea.

any heater that is mounted to the ceiling of the room and is vented, such as gas, oil, or propane should be just fine, but it will cost some coin.

Well the one you have used must have been a pos and not buring the fuel. Buy this one and it will work fine for you.

Originally Posted by scottydoggs

if you have never used a bullet heater, rent one before you buy it, and try it out, YOU WILL BE breathless in 30 minutes, and have the door wide open before long, trust me, ive been there.

Thanks for that important tip; This my first rodeo, and I don't have an airtight garage.

I've got a wall hanging natural gas heater, had it installed when we built the garage. But it costs a ton on the Electric/Gas bill to run it all winter, so i have a Space heater like the one posted above if i have to do a job in the garage on the spot. Otherwise the day before doing something ill go out and turn on the big heater and let it warm up the garage before working. Oh and for reference the garage is 32x26.

The Edenpure looks pretty slick but kind of pricy and I still haven't figured out what sort of current it draws?

The Mr Heater based on its manual looks safe to use for a garage with some fresh air flow required.

I've been eyeballing one at summit that seems close to it:
SUMMIT RACING CLEARANCE REM55PVA - Remington Forced Air Propane Heaters - Overview - SummitRacing.com

but...haven't seen specs for venting yet.

I'm only going to be using what ever I get this and next winter then it'll likely never be needed again. So I'm trying to be practical but not stupid.

whats a heater?

I vote that all us who have to deal with cold and such head down to Arizona.

Abduct Corey, bring him to I don't know..... how bout International Falls, MN. That should be plenty cold for him.

Maybe that way he will quit asking these questions like: Whats a heater? or Whats snow? Why would you need to plug your car in?

Anyone with me?