has anyone had any good or bad experiences with overhead garage heaters? I'm sure the only way to get my malibu finished is to invest in some sort of heat for the garage. looking at mr. heater 45000btu gas forced air vs gas radiant type.
:rolleyes:

The radiant heaters are the best in my opinion,they heat the objects rather than the air. Mike

How do they compare in cost?

Just installed an electric ceiling heater in my garage. Pretty nice little unit from Northern Tools. Checked on cost of natural gas, propane and electric and found in our city electric is least expensive. Unit has heavy duty fan and thermostat. Cost about $.18 per hour.

Ralph,

Have you looked into the Propane heaters, they may do the job. You can find a ton of both gas and Propane up in Henrietta, NY. Builder's Square and Lowes have good lines. The wall mount look like they would do the job for a small 16 X 16 garage. I've been looking at them, but just have not made up my mind on which way to go. It is starting to get a chill in the air up here.

Fred.

I have a Dayton 3UG73 220 volt Electric heater from WW Granger. This is a tiny little heater that puts out a TON of heat with a blower. A buddy of mine used one to heat a 24' x 30' garage here in Iowa. I couldn't believe it. I was so impressed, I bought one. Now since we just moved, the wife has taken possession of it so she can keep her 2004 SS Impala nice and toasty in HER garage... (my new shop has Reznor propane furnace and a waste oil heater - FREE HEAT!!!! graemlins/hurray.gif )

I have a small 120 volt electric radiant heater from Lowes or Home Depot. Between that and the air compressor, I have to ocassionally open the garage door to cool it down on a 30 someting degrees night.

Now when it gets colder it works to keep up, but gets it warm enough to work. The only bad thing is still the garage floor is cold...and I am having to work under the body that's elevated on stands right now.

If I was building a new garage I'd look into the floor heat systems.

Steve

Joe are you saying it's cheaper to heat with electricity in Leawood now?

Last I heard it cost 4 times as much to heat with electricity as natural gas cost but that was quite a while ago.


Past discussion:

http://www.chevelles.com/forum/ultimatebb.php/topic/2/26904.html#000000

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/35/2673.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/forum/ultimatebb.php/topic/35/2673.html#000000

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/31/2709.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/forum/ultimatebb.php/topic/31/3204.html#000000

http://www.chevelles.com/forum/ultimatebb.php/topic/31/2709.html#000001

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/10/3970.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/10/3831.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/10/3695.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/10/3006.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/1/5165.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/1/4737.html?

http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/1/1079.html?

This is the one I installed, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41987&item=5939585327&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW . I keep a fan runnin to keep down the humidity. Ventless heaters will up the humidity, works perfect in a 24x24. I paid about $100 for mine, had a small dent in it. My gas bill went up very little. Mike

I have the ceiling mount, natural gas, radiant heat in my shop. 22 wide 58 deep with 16 foot ceiling. It cost $1,000.00 but uses very little gas to keep at 40 degrees all winter. I turn it up when I'm out there and my highest monthly bill in 3 years was $37.00. I have it VERY well insulated too. http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Needa70/Pete006.jpg

I bought a Kerosane floor heater for my 18x24 garage and believe me i have air leak all over this place you will not belive and i keeps my garage hot payed only 65.00 for it at walmart does the job only uses a tank of fuel every 18 hrs works great

thanks for all the input on heaters. don't feel as bad living in sunny rochester after seeing pics of stillwater mn.
did a heat loss on my 21'x24' garage. seems to be about 34000btu uninsulated and 18000btu with min. insulation-r-13walls, r-19 ceiling. thats with three windows two pasage doors and overhead door - attached.
granger has nat. gas low profile with ceramic pilot $638, northern has mr.heater similar with standing pilot $369.
think i'll go with mr. heater. no pilot would be nice for fumes. but its not that hard to shut off gas if needed.

rural_ralph I have a old hanging gas heater for sale cheap, but the shipping would probably offset the savings. $75.00.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Needa70/heater001.jpg http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Needa70/heater005.jpg

I bought a kerosene heater at home depot in 1998. It sounds like a jet engine when your using it but it works great. I dont do a lot of work in the garage in the winter months so if I should ever need heat in there if I do, I use it then. I like the portability.

Chris.

Originally posted by Second_chance_SS:
rural_ralph I have a old hanging gas heater for sale cheap, but the shipping would probably offset the savings. $75.00.
Wow, I've thrown away better looking heaters than that smile.gif

Note to self: When looking for a nice heater for the garage. Hang around Deans place on trash days. ;)

Chris.

I've been looking at one of these:

http://www.gas-space-heater.com/space-ray-cold-blocker.html

I like the theory bind them. I'm afraid to ask what it's going to cost to run a gasline into the garage and install the heater though.

Dean, good move on the links. This gets brought up every fall.

You need to decide whether you want an open flame, enclosed flame or no flame (electric); can plumb a gas line and maybe B vent pipe plus the heater into your garage within code. Same holds true about an electric heater. Find out what the code requirements are if you decide to install one yourself. Make sure you have the proper sized service available. I actually ran a 100 amp sub panel for an electric heater in mine. (yes, to code with inspection)

I know I sound like a wet hen but garages have special building and electrical code restrictions. If ANYTHING happens to your garage or house, and the insurance company finds a non-code installation, you can kiss any home owners insurance payout goodbye. Same holds true if you ever sell. There really is no such thing as "as is" in todays world.

A lot of people don't take these things into consideration when they just install a heater or extra outlets or lights in their garage. You can do it yourself, but NOT doing it according to the building, electrical or plumbing (for gas line) code is foolishly putting yourself or family at risk.

Sorry for the sermon but have seen the worst results of not considering this stuff.

Don't want to deal with all of the above, get a portable gas or electric heater, not fixed to a wall, and use it. Here's another option:
LB White Heaters (http://www.fortrecoveryequipment.com/shoponline/partmanufacturers/manufacturer.asp?manufacturer=LB%20White)

Put 2 inch casters under that LBW346 model and BBQ grill tank on it and it'll run you out of a 3 car garage. Just keep the door ajar for fresh air. Turn it off and roll it into the corner when not in use. I have one it works great for quick, cheap heat.

Believe it or not, those xenon lights you can mount on a stand or have freestanding get really hot. I am building my engine in my 2 car attached garage, and i have that thing up on a shelf. I originally just used it for more light, but then i realized that it warmed up things very nicely at least when you were under it.

Actually when my house was built some really smart guy put a hearter vent into the garage from the house heater. It isn't connected to the inside thermostat, but it does blow warm air out there when it comes on!

Although i also live in california, and it never really drops below 30 to much at night anyway.

Daniel

you west coast guys have it made. if it gets chilly just light one of the wifes candles.