[Steve Johnson]

For a lot us this the time of year when working on your car can be a pretty cold proposition. My shop is seperate from the house and the only source of heat is a kerosene heater that is way to small to do much. I'm wondering what others do to heat their work area. Thanks for responding, Steve Johnson ACES# 2397.

 

[RACER70]

HEATING THIS TIME OF YEAR CAN BE A DRAG
MY SHOP IS 24X30 AND I USED TO USE A KEROSENE BLOWER TYPE HEATER. HOWEVER I WOULD GET TREMENDOUS HEADACHES I FOUND OUT I WAS DEPLETING THE OXYGEN IN MY SHOP. SO BE CAREFUL. SINCE THEN I HAVE INSULATED AND DRYWALLED ADDED A PROPANE HANG DOWN TYPE HEATER AND IT HAS MADE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT
IT ALSO DID AWAY WITH THE SWEAT FROM THE CONCRETE I USED TO GET WITH KEROSENE
GOOD LUCK AND HOPE THIS HELPS

 

[RT]

Steve,
After 22 years of trying to keep a variety of shop bldgs. comfortable in winter, the best advice I can give you is to make sure the heat you're paying for is staying where you want it. First, Seal up even the most minute air leak. You'd be surprised how much difference it makes to eliminate all the drafts. Second, if the bldg is not insulated, insulate it to the highest R value possible, especially the ceiling since heat rises. If the floor is cold, lay down some padded carpet (when your feet are comfortable, the rest of you will be also).
What Racer mentioned about ventilation for a kerosene heater makes sense. The best way would be to have an externally vented one so as not to lose heat and introduce more cold air which defeats to purpose of heating.
Hope this helps,
Rich

 

[BillK]

Steve,
After many years of the Kerosene heater smell etc, I happened to be at the local hardware emporium one spring and they were closing out the heaters from the winter season. I took a chance and bought a 5000 watt wall hung electric heater. It is not a huge unit, about 2ft x 1ft and 10in deep. It does require a 220 volt dryer type outlet. I have been totally amazed at how good a job it does on my 22 x 22 ft two car garage attached to the house. The walls are insulated, but the ceiling is not, and the door is your standard roll up 2-car door, pretty leaky. I can come home when it is 20 deg outside, turn it on, and by the time I eat something it is at least 65 degrees. Now that I own a machine shop, I dont use it that often, but I was out there the other noght waxing the wifes car and I only had a t-shirt on. It was about 30 deg outside. By the way, I really have not seen any difference in the electric bill. Hope this helps.
Bill

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Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

 

[Ken Seddelmeyer]

I found a couple of 110 volt heaters of around 1500 watts each did a nice job keeping a two door garage warm. I found I had to turn them down after a while so I cold keep the sweatshirt on and not get too warm. This is an attached garage but a bit leaky around the doors, so I simply stuffed some old sheets in the cracks. Even with minus 20 deg F weather, the space was warm. I found it best to keep the heaters going so that the car in the garage didn't get too cold and act like a cold sink that takes too long to warm up when I would want to work. I have a kerosene heater and would supplement with it only if the others couldn't keep up. Mine is a house version so the smell is better, but I still worry about the CO, a real killer after sealing things up, be very careful with this!!!!!! I don't have any idea about the elect bill yet, I figure I'm worth it and with the $ I'm putting into the car it is not a factor. If you go this electric route, you may have to unplug one or two to run your tools as the breaker is loaded up to near max and I have tripped mine often when I forgot.

 

[jrmiller]

I'm in northern Minnesota. My shop is 32x40 with 6 inch walls, insulated. I hung a 75000 BTU natural gas vented heater from the cieling. This will warm the shop to 80 degrees if I want. I keep it at 50 all winter and about 65 when I work out there. Even in 25 degrees below zero, this thing keeps the shop WARM. The heater cost about $500 but was worth it. Oh yeah, the chevelle likes it too.

 

[Charlie James]

check with a local heating company
you can usualy get a used electric
forced air furnace for next to nothing
just build a base for it to sit on and
a deflector for where the heat comes out
these work excelent for a shop as they
were made to heat a whole house

 

[Gator]

I'm using one of those propane heaters that attaches to the top of a 20 lb. propane can, like the one used on a BBQ grill. I turn it on and run it for 20-30 minutes for my 2 car garage (I insulated the walls), then I just shut it off for a while, turning it on every now and then to keep the chill out. Plus when it's really cold, I just wear one of those insulated coveralls.

 

[Marv]

I just built a 24x28 garage this past summer and just purchased a 60,000 BTU Modine "Hot Dawg" unit heater. This is a hanging unit, power vented to outside, natural gas, forced air. The nice thing about it is that is is made specifically for residential garages which typically have lower ceiling heights. The traditional hanging unit heaters are too tall to meet code requirements for minimum installed height to the bottom of the unit. The Hot Dawg units are only 12" high for the 30K and 45K units and 18" for the 60K unit. This is a new product. One other company makes a similar unit, but I can't remember the name. I am looking forward to getting it installed and running.

You can check out this unit at http://www.wsconet.com/pdf/modine.HTM

-- Marv

 

[Byfield]

Bush Baked Beans.

Kurt

 

[Gator]

Kurt, is that direct heat from baking or as a byproduct result!!

 

[Kevin]

As a New Yorker transplanted to California I can certainly relate to the heat issue but now I just open my garage and allow the 72 degree January air in. For safety purposes, I do apply sunscreen in the later afternoon as the sun shines in.

Sorry just had to say that. On the other hand our gas prices are 50% higher than everywhere else. You just don't get something for nothing...

 

[John]

I believe it is a byproduct with a lighter for ignition.OUCH!!!!!!!

John

[This message has been edited by John (edited 01-29-99).]

[This message has been edited by John (edited 01-29-99).]

 

[john e]

I've got some old track lighting, put in heat lamps in 2 when its cold. they heat bodies no air!

 

[COPO]

Wire up a 220v circuit and buy yourself a 5000w Chromalux. Note sure of the spelling.

Mark

 

[Schurkey]

I have an old "parlor stove" which uses fuel oil dripped into a pair of burning chambers. There is a controll valve called a carburetor (!) that regulates the amount of oil and therefore heat. Start it by allowing the carb to flow fuel, then light it with a propane torch. No electricity needed...unless you want a fan to blow the heat around. (I did-so I got a used motor and fan from a house furnace and stuck it against the parlor stove.) I'm sure it is only about 50% efficient, but I get a 60-70 degree temperature rise in my "large" two car garage.

 

[DZAUTO]

We built a new house 3yrs ago with an attached 6 car garage. Lots of insulation in the attic and walls. I had the heat and air man put in a bigger central heat/ac with 2 outlets into the garage and I have to have the door into the house open for the return air. When it gets really cold, I use 2 elec heaters on the far side of the garage to supplement the central heat This gives me about 65-67 degrees on very cold days which is about right when you are working hard. In the hot summer I can keep it about 78-80, not bad with a couple of good fans. The more I work out there, the higher my gas/elec bill because of heat or ac and I have a big 220v compressor that is used a lot. Costs money to have fun working on these old cars! (FUN?)

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