HSM Garage Shop Heat

[oxford]

I have a 20x20 detached shop, it is pretty well insulated and I am in northeast PA. I run a 600 watt oil filled electric radiator throughout the winter. It keeps enough heat in there to keep things from freezing and bearable enough to work if it is bitter cold out. I will turn it up to the 1500 watt setting if I am going to be out there for a while. At that setting it is more than comfortable.

[Tundra Twin Track]

It won't take much to heat that space if you've insulated well. My shop is a similar setup, just slightly larger, and I can get it comfortable with just a small electric space heater. You will always be fighting the cold from the floor, though. With most of it in the unheated portion of the garage it never warms up and it's much colder by my feet. Some mats to stand on help.

I have some friends that install floor heat in insulated in closed trailers,they are big time Snowbike enthusiasts and like to thaw bikes out after riding in deep powder snow.I’m sure a small area in a Work Shop could be done in a similar way,I’ve suited up a few morning in those floor heated trailers and they are toasty warm.

[wmgeorge]

Interesting..........
Looking at replacing an electric HVAC unit in a condo with (hopefully) a gas fired unit as the old A/C condenser and evaporator were deemed too old to repair economically. Started looking at heat pump, gas fired assist units. Supplier literature said (in heat mode) the heat pump cuts out at 35F. Haven't stared collecting contractor proposals yet.

I have a Trane in my house high Eff gas two stage.
On my glass on 3 sides porch here in Iowa I have a heat pump.
But see my post about my mini split, heat down to -13/-15 No resistance or gas heat. High SEER 24 or so. Times change, I did HVAC/R work for 40 years or so.
Mini split is the key, Japan designed and made , solid state variable speed everything. I have a Mitsubishi and love it.

[J Tiers]

Just a point of info. A company in this area, I can look it up if needed, makes an electric heated floor system that is sold nation-wide. Low voltage, and uses a self-limiting bulk heat material. Not harmed or hazardous even if nails go into it. (low voltage)

Put that down over some protective base, the heater over that, and a top over that, and your feet will be toasty. A cold floor makes the space cold, a warm one does the reverse.

[rdfeil]

If you have no option to heat the concrete floor make your third investment priority some GOOD insulated rubber mats for the standing areas at the machines and benches. First priority: Insulate well. Second: heat as needed. Cold feet take ALL the fun out of a project!!!

[RB211]

Yep, Mitsubishi mini split, hard to go wrong.

[lakeside53]

I'm going to score a nice Mitsubishi 1.5 ton unit for free. Needs to come out of our network closet in a month or so. 10 years old, works like new, and best of all, single phase 208-240v! Has condensate tray and pump too.

[DennisCA]

I use an oil filled 2kw element, and have good insulation. I also keep only 1/3rd of the shop (35m2) heated to 10-ish degrees C. Where the mill and lathe is. The other sections (welding & grinding in one end, woodworking in the other) are separated with plastic drapes so the temperatures in those areas is what bleeds through, usually half the temp of the warmest part.

[DS_park]

I find a Mr. Ready Heater attached to a 20lb propane tank along with a 300 watt halogen light pointed in the work area to help keep me warm in my SE Michigan detached / non-insulated / 2 circuit 120 @ 15A garage (ie no electric heat).
(At least the 2 120's are handily on opposite phases 😁)

Good hat and warm foot wear helps too.

The 20lb tank lasts a long time too.

Fire extinguisher on hand. COMMON SENSE WHEN WORKING WITH FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS ETC = M. Heater off.

BTW welding can light off flammable materials too.

[JRouche]

Like the old heads said.. You can stuff as much heat in there till you crack the plsce.

Its about keeping what you put in IN. Insulation thay said... JR

[DennisCA]

My shop is well insulated, 150mm rockwool in the walls, 500mm isulation in the ceiling, concrete floor floats on insulation as well.

[AntonLargiader]

Was thinking of something to blow warm air that I could just shut off when not using the machines, so I bought a small propane fed space heater, looks like a mini salamander heater,.... it has a fan, and will try that.

Sounds like a recipe for condensation on cold metal machines. Also, I'm unclear whether your 10x10 space is walled off from the 2-car garage or not. If it is, it should be easy to insulate it and keep it warm with a very small heater. If not, you could try an infrared heater that just shines on you when you want it, like people mount outside.

[RB211]

To avoid condensate, just make sure the dew point is NEVER reached in your workshop. If I need to open my garage door, a few hours at least, before hand I will turn off my A/C so the temperature equalizes with the outside temp. Others have told me this and they were correct. Humidity level in the air is much less of a concern.

[Mike279]

Unattached two and a half car garage, fully insulated with a direct vent wall furnace. Been running for thirty years now with very little maintenance required. Central New York temps range down below zero for more than a few nights every year. The heater runs at 80% efficiency and since natural gas prices are usually low compared to other fuels cost to run is also low. The unit uses a thermopile to open the gas valve and run the thermostat. About as simple and bullet proof as you can get. If I was doing my garage for the first time now, I would do the mini split as many have said. Air conditioning and heat would be even nicer.

[I make chips]

10X10 is a small area. Yeah you can hook up and install a small nat gas furnace which is the cheapest to run but likely the most expensive to install. Exterior venting etc.

As the space is occasional use why not just get a couple of these 120 volt space heaters unless you want the area heated constantly.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Comfort-Zon...rd!53066!US!-1