small home shop heater

[Dragsinger]

This is a 20 x 20 home shop were I do some race car sub - assembly bench work and other around the house projects. The building is reasonably and tight and has some insulation.

For years I have toughed it out with no heat but as my "mature years" approach [basically, I am old!] I do not tolerate the cold like years past.

240 voltage is available but no gas. Propane is an option, but for convince electric is the first choice. Mostly weekend use so the electric bill would not be a big issue with an efficient heater. My location is East Texas, mostly 40 - 50's average day time temps.

Let me hear what some of you have used.

Thanks

[THE LEGEND]

Larry,
I bought one of the small "TORPEDO" type propane heaters at Home Depot. It runs off on of those 20lb cylinders. I used it in my 30x30 and after about 30 minutes you would have to cut it off too warm.

My new shop is 28x44 It works it a little harder in there, but I have not put the insulation or ceiling tiles in yet either.
Chip

[mtkawboy]

Dayton makes several 240/208 heaters that would work well in a shop that size. Look in Ebay to see what they look like. Having a 20lb propane tank in your garage is like having a bomb in there. Anything goes wrong there goes the garage up in flames and the house too if its attached. Yes everyone has done it, me too until I saw the results when things go wrong. They work if youre willing to take that risk. I have an electric one that hangs from the ceiling myself

[T Hall]

I have a 24x24 garage that is insulated. I purchased a 240 electric heater that mounts up high, looks just like a gas garage heater. I bought it from NORTHERN Tool co, I have had it for 6 years, my father in law bought the same one 2 years ago, we both love them, I keep my garage set on no3 out of 10 all week long and on weekends I turn it up to 5 as I will work in a t shirt. I live in Ohio with bad winters. My electric bill will rase only by $30 a month.
Here it is, I HIGHLY recommend it.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...t_6970_595_595

[John Mason]

I use a Sears 110 volt 1000 watt and it keeps my 28 X 42 garage nice and warm in our bitter cold desert winters here in S. California. I learned this trick from Don Kennedy.
I had a different plan when I lived in Colorado!

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by T Hall

I have a 24x24 garage that is insulated. I purchased a 240 electric heater that mounts up high, looks just like a gas garage heater. I bought it from NORTHERN Tool co, I have had it for 6 years, my father in law bought the same one 2 years ago, we both love them, I keep my garage set on no3 out of 10 all week long and on weekends I turn it up to 5 as I will work in a t shirt. I live in Ohio with bad winters. My electric bill will rase only by $30 a month.
Here it is, I HIGHLY recommend it.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...t_6970_595_595

That's a nice little heater. Unfortunately, my shop is a 24 x 36 pole building. I started moving things in shortly after it was built. Never really intended to return to working on or seriously building cars again! So, I didn't insulate it, big mistake. You run yours all week long? I'd just be happy to have something that I could heat it up for the evening or to work on the weekends. Midwestern winters can be testy.

My buddy and I talked, may do something with the garage this coming summer.

[George Mirza]

Larry,
I have 16' of electric baseboard heat (220 single ph.) in my 24'x24' well insulated garage. I just turn it up an hour before I go out there and it warms it up enough to be comfortable in 20-30 degree weather. I think it was around $150 to do the entire job and I don't even notice it on my electric bill for an occasional Saturday use. But once you open the garage door for a few minutes it's back to square one. The ceiling mount electric heaters that T Hall spoke of work great also. If I spent more time out there I'd add one of them along with the baseboards.

[T Hall]

Originally Posted by Robert Swartz

That's a nice little heater. Unfortunately, my shop is a 24 x 36 pole building. I started moving things in shortly after it was built. Never really intended to return to working on or seriously building cars again! So, I didn't insulate it, big mistake. You run yours all week long? I'd just be happy to have something that I could heat it up for the evening or to work on the weekends. Midwestern winters can be testy.

My buddy and I talked, may do something with the garage this coming summer.

Once I turn it on for the winter, I leave it on all winter. I keep it on 3, which is probably around 62 deg inside, when I go out to work, I turn it up to 5-6, that makes it easy 70 deg. I hate to be cold.
As far as opening door, you are going to lose the heat no matter what you have. The 220 volts help keep the cost down compaired to 110 v.

[BillK]

Larry,
This is what I have in my 22x22 attached garage. It keeps it pretty toasty and I have never noticed a big increase in the electric bill. I dont use it every night, but sometimes most of the day on weekends.

http://www.heater-home.com/product/PH-5HW.aspx

[Darcy Clarke]

Hi Guys,

I live in Canada and have a 40 x 50 shop with 12 foot walls when we built it we used 8" wall and insulated the crap out of it as you only pay for insulation once. We heat it with one 240 volt 4500 watt heat at a continous 62F to 65F. Our heating bills are approx. $100.00 to $125.00 more per month but the heater only costs $65.00 therefore my initial output costs were low compared to $2000.00 for a furnace. We have 2 heaters in the shop with one set at half the one that runs so that in case one gives up the other will take over. The extra insulation cost us under $1500.00 for the life of the shop which is metal clad outside and inside. We have used it for 5 years now and our weather at time gets to -40 to -45 at times.

Darcy
6254stk