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Garage Heat

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Scot

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Since Winter is approaching in the Great Northwest, it got me thinking of how I don't want my Healey in a cold garage all season.
My garage is attached to the home and the furnace is out there which helps some. I also covered the floor with b/w vinyl tiles this summer.
Does anyone have a CHEAP way to heat the garage or at least bring it up a few degrees so the car won't get "cold soaked". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Hi Scot,
Cheap is a relative term. I don't know if any of these ideas fit your definition.

You don't really live in a cold climate. I think that if you well insulated the garage exterior walls & ceiling, and of course the doors, the residual heat from the furnace would keep things reasonably warm. Styrofoam insulating board can do wonders. Blow in insulation works well for closed exterior walls.

You could likely make an extra outlet vent from the furnace to add more than enough heat.
D
 
Don't really think we have a problem in Seattle. I would think an unheated, but attached garage should remain at least 10 degrees above the outside temp. For the few days and nights that we drop below freezing, your garage will probably be at least 40. If not, I think I would add some insulation as Dave suggests. I have a good friend who lives in Bismark, N D. They have to use heaters for their engine compartments in the winter, but it gets way below 0 F.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys.Sounds like insulation would be the way to go in this climate. I'm exploring tapping into the furnace also.
 
I've considered the insulation route also. Just remember that the largest heat loss (once insulated) will be the garage doors (the reason I didn't do my garage - the doors leak like sieves!)
 
Heating Garages, why? Oh, I forgot. Some of you folks actually have winter. LOL
 
Scot,
Let me take this one! (As a guy who is 65 miles south of you, and who addressed this same problem last year...)

First, it's not about the health of your car, rather it's your comfort when you're tinkering on it, or you're just out there sitting in it pretending to drive while our weather is crappy.

The answer is very simple...go out to Lowes or Home Depot and grab a forced-air heater -- there are two styles, an in-wall one or the one I got is a wall-mounted unit by Cadet called "Hot One" -- it's about 18"X16"X4" (just guessing.)... It has a thermostat knob on it and a hi/lo switch for the fan speed.

Essentially, all you have to do is drill the mounts to the wall and plug it into a 250outlet...I actually mounted mine a few feet from the breaker box (in my sig picture, you can't see it, but it's on the top of the wall above the silver Corvette -- but angled downwards, so the heat is directed towards the black Corvette area.) Placement made wiring the outlet a snap. You might already have the higher volt outlet in your garage for a heavy duty air compressor or something. When my father-in-law said "why did you put the heater up there, that doesn't make any sense?" I reminded him that a)the floor area was usually blocked by tools or a car and b)I tend to have cars that "melt" in high heat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The cost was $200 for the heater...you can buy an in-wall one (which my father-in-law uses in his garages) for $100 or less, but they require cutting through the drywall.

I've been VERY happy with the unit. It takes about 5 minutes to heat up my garage (which, as you can see, is a little over 600 sq ft.)

If you can install a cheap ceiling fan, running it will be cheaper, because you can keep the heat down, but honestly, I saw no blip in my electrical bill, because you don't use it that much. (Turn it on when you need it.) But it makes a HUGE difference when working in the garage Dec-Feb.

Sam
 
Dave's right on the button, insulating the garage's walls and ceiling will allow the heat given off by the furnace itself to raise the temperature of the garage, even without a hot air duct directly into the garage.

USASMA is also right that the garage door(s) is the largest heat loss. If it's not an insulated door then your best to insulate it and also install good quality weatherstripping around the door and the bottom of the door.

After insulating the garage if you find that the furnace doesn't give off enough heat, then add a hot air duct into the furnace.

Just my two cents worth.

Mark
 
Guys,

Thanks again for the valuable input.
Coincidently, I was at Home Depot a few days ago and looked at these heating units.
One of these coupled with some well placed insulation will solve the problem,thanks.
 
I'm up in the Great White north (Canada).....My garage is insulated and also attached to the house......Be sure to insulate the door........I and my father both use propane heaters........Cheap, thermostat adjustable, and plenty warm enough......Unless you intend to spend a lot of time in the garage i find this the way to go........If you do plan to spend a lot of time......Get a natural gas heater installed.......Electricity is a way more expensive way to go but more convenient
 
I know this isn't a possible solution, but my dad in Maine has radiant heat throughout the house and 4 car garage. Radiant heat is hot water pipes running under the floors. I stepped onto the floor of his garage with bare feet in below zero weather and was not uncomfortable at all.
Just my 2 cents
Rick
 
Radiant heat is great! I agree that when spec-ing a new garage, that is definitely the way to go. Also helps to dry out your cars without rusting them when they come in wet.
 
Propane heaters in a closed garage is definitly a no no.
Radiant gas is the way to go.My son has it in his shop.24 feet long.Fresh air in and and exhaust out.No air from the shop is used and no exhaust into the shop.super insulated doors.He likes to work in shorts even when the outside temperature is -25 to -30F.
 
I think that I mentioned once before, any type of unvented combustion heater also gives off tons of water vapor into the heated space as a normal combustion byproduct, as well as CO2 & some poisonous CO. If fresh outside air is not provided, the humidity will rust everything it comes in contact with. Not even mentioning the safety aspect of the situation. An additional furnace hot air outlet would be the simplest safe solution by far.
D
 
Installing infloor radiant heat is very possible. Clear out the entire garage. Lay down 6" wire mesh. Zip-tie 1/2 infloor tubing to it and then do a 2" concrete overpour. Use a 60 gal hot water tank as your heat source.
 
Mark, I never even considered that. Darn it, now you've got me thinking, and that can be dangerous!
Thanks for the tip.
Jeff
 
Mark
You have me thinking on the hot water tank idea.Great idea.I will probably have to do a 2 inch pour next year anyway.
 
Hi Chuck and Jeff;

It's almost as easy as I described too. You'll need a small pump and a zone control valve connected to a thermostat to go along with the hot water tank. Wire the pump to turn on only when the control valve is open, ie calling for heat, using the same low voltage wiring as the control valve and a relay. To further improve the efficiency of the system lay 1.5 to 2" of styrofoam down first and then the wire mesh/tubing/overpour, and, of course, insulate your garage. I do have pictures of this type of system.
 
Scot:

you say your burner is in the garage? I assume you have hot water, or you'd just put in another duct? How about installing a heat exchanger on the flue pipe? They make them to attach around the pipe & they have a thermostat & fan to capture the hot air that is escaping out of the chimney. My dad has one although it's in his basement it keeps the room near 70 all year round in the Adirondack mts. Don't think they are even $100. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Hi Gary,

This sounds great! I have never heard of these. Can you find out who makes this heat exchanger and where I can find one?
I assume you mean the unit is mounted on the galvinized exhaust duct that goes up through the ceiling. Does it tap into the air itself or just use the hot duct surface?
 
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