Game Changer Heat & A/C In the Shop

[JCM 10,596]

Back in 2009 I installed a Modine 45,000 BTU Hot Dawg LP heater in the garage. Only time it got used was in the  Fall / Winter when a tractor needed to come in for whatever to be out of the elements. In 2024 I bought another one for the shop, a 30,000 sealed combustion type , same brand with a Summer switch as well. Finally this past fall I installed it. When I was working full time I just didn't have the time to do it but always wanted a heated shop like I had at my last residence. I have been out there for the past month sorting, rearranging and throwing things out, etc,etc. I also added another workbench, just need to paint it in the Spring. I built the bench so I could get a WH under it on one end and made a brace back to the 6x6 PT post. Really enjoying my time spent out there and finding parts everywhere. Trying to label everything and find a home for it. Been on average 20 degrees out there upon entrance and climbing to 60 degrees within 35 minutes. Shop is 12' x 22. Searching on McMaster Carr for rubber mat for the floor. That opened up a can of worms, a LOT to choose from. Probably do that in the Fall. Also, on the back wall I framed an opening and installed a Friedrich 8000 BTU A/C unit.Still a bit to go but nice to get organized again.

[Sparky-(Admin) 24,518]

Yep! 
  I’m jealous!
  I need to get serious and finish insulating my garage and then put in a better heating unit.

[squonk 45,314]

My garage is 12' X 24' and I heat it with a 24,000 BTU Empire Direct Vent Propane wall heater. R11 insulation in the ceiling and walls. It's 3° with the chill at -15°. I put the t stat on the lowest setting last night and it was 40° in there this afternoon when I needed to go out and get something. I only run the heat when I'm out there or like now when they predicted 6" of snow or more and I wanted the loader oil warmed up just in case.

 

There was a window in the back wall to a smaller uninsulated shop but I took that out years ago and installed an 18,000 BTU Carrier window shaker running R22 that I got from my brother's printing shop. I only run that if it's a zillion ° outside.

[Achto 30,738]

Walked in the ole corn crib this morning and it was 7f. Wood stove & the kerosene torpedo heater got er up to 70f in about 3hrs. All this so I can get some painting done.

[JoeM 9,538]

I heat mine to 50 and keep it there, I so no difference in the electric bill vs going cold to warm. 

Do a couple weld jobs in a month and the cost of heating the shop is insignificant. 

It is nice to walk in and everything is not cold as ice and I can jump right in. 

[Beap52 1,950]

I keep my shop about 50 degrees.  I've got paint, flowers that we are keeping alive and I'm out there pretty much every day and other stuff I don't want to freeze.  I have a propane wall hung ventless heater with a fan above to circulate the air.  It works great until a board is sawn or a spray from aerosol  can in which case the door are opened for fresh air.  Not only does it stink, I  can bring tear to a fellow's  eyes.  I try to do all spraying outside.  Then a couple years ago I installed a ceiling hung electric heater.  I made a holder so I could install  furnace filter behind and therefore capture sawdust before it goes through the heater.  This works very well.  

 

I keep the propane heater at about 50 and kick on the electric when I want additional heat. 

[ebinmaine 77,016]

3 hours ago, JCM said:

rubber mat for the floor

 

 

Workshop space is looking great Jim! 

 

For those floor mats we went to TSC and got horse stall mats. 

Very reasonable prices but they're not as soft and fluffy as a standard expensive people floor mat.  

 

Horse mats will likely outlive the building though...

 

[JCM 10,596]

Those ventless heaters are dangerous. Not recommended. Hopefully you have a carbon monoxide detector as I do in the shop. BE SAFE PLEASE .   @Beap52 That second piece of vent pipe brings in fresh air from outdoors on the shop heater. 

[Bill D 2,575]

I'm a big fan of electric shop heaters.  I have a 4000 watt heater in my 2 car garage.  Does a great job.  Made in the USA, no glowing coils, and the fan motor is a refrigerator fan motor made for constant use.  Very safe heater.

Edited 12 hours ago by Bill D

[JCM 10,596]

My CMP = Central Maine Power bill has gone somewhat ridiculous , NOT happy. Also in the Plumbing & Heating / GasfittingTrade for 50 years.  @Bill D

[Sparky-(Admin) 24,518]

  I have this beast hanging on my 28’ x 36’ garage. But without the insulation complete it works hard. I yanked it out of the storage room of a package store around 25 years ago. Messed with it and unwired a couple of the heat elements to get the total draw down to around 23 amps so that I could run it on a 30a 2 pole breaker in my house, its been pumping out heat ever since. The fan motor is 208v but not 3 phase so that’s how it works in my house. 
 

 

 

[wallfish 19,009]

3 hours ago, Beap52 said:

I keep my shop about 50 degrees.  I've got paint, flowers that we are keeping alive and I'm out there pretty much every day and other stuff I don't want to freeze.  I have a propane wall hung ventless heater with a fan above to circulate the air.  It works great until a board is sawn or a spray from aerosol  can in which case the door are opened for fresh air.  Not only does it stink, I  can bring tear to a fellow's  eyes.  I try to do all spraying outside.  Then a couple years ago I installed a ceiling hung electric heater.  I made a holder so I could install  furnace filter behind and therefore capture sawdust before it goes through the heater.  This works very well.  

 

I keep the propane heater at about 50 and kick on the electric when I want additional heat. 

Propane adds humidity too and a lot. From the net "For every pound pf propane burned about 1.5 - 1.8 pounds of water vapor is generated."  I don't understand that math but I do know it can be a hassle. 

I had some issues with heating my shed with only ventless but then I added an RV heater which is vented. Use the ventless heater to heat it up quickly because the vented system is definitely slower getting there but then maintain the heat with vented unit. When running the ventless heater continuously things would end up dripping with water. Something to consider. 

[ML3 2,112]

My garage is 24x24. Walls are OSB then insulated w/Rockwool (expensive but worth it)  Ceiling is foam insulation board with 2' of blown on top of that. Insulated overhead door too. I have 2 1500w electric heaters. I keep 1 set @40° all the time & it will maintain the temp. The 1 heater will get garage warm until about when it drops into the teens outside. Thats when I need both. Even with as cold as its been for weeks here it takes about 1-2hrs for both heaters to get garage in the mid 60s to almost 70°. I dont worry much about cost to operate them. We have a small, efficient house & just 2 of us living here so none of my utilities are expensive. I been looking into installing a mini split heat pump unit then I'd have a/c as well. 

[ebinmaine 77,016]

10 hours ago, JCM said:

My CMP = Central Maine Power bill has gone somewhat ridiculous , NOT happy. Also in the Plumbing & Heating / GasfittingTrade for 50 years.  @Bill D

 

Yep. Electric bill is nuts compared to years ago... but what isn't. 

 

We went with electric heat because of the mountainside boulder infested land making it extremely prohibitive for the logistics of installing propane. 

 

Electric heat has been perfect for us though. 

Easy. Clean. Quiet with the right heater. 

 

The game changer for us though is the wood stoves. We have the advantage of living in the same forest we harvest and very much enjoying the work of getting the firewood. 

[Bill D 2,575]

10 hours ago, Sparky said:

  I have this beast hanging on my 28’ x 36’ garage. But without the insulation complete it works hard. I yanked it out of the storage room of a package store around 25 years ago. Messed with it and unwired a couple of the heat elements to get the total draw down to around 23 amps so that I could run it on a 30a 2 pole breaker in my house, its been pumping out heat ever since. The fan motor is 208v but not 3 phase so that’s how it works in my house. 
 

 

 

I stopped at a neighbors yard sale years ago and picked up something similar for free.  I was stunned when they said it was free.  Nothing wrong with it other than needing a good cleaning and straightening one air deflector fin.  Even had a 24  volt thermostat hook up.  A little too big for my needs at 7500 watts, so I  sold it to a friend from work.  Still in use to this day.

Edited 31 minutes ago by Bill D