My garage is 28x24x12' ceilings... I need one big enough to take the COLD out, not just a southern chill...it's gets below Zero in NH. Buddy of mine has a 100k BTU in his garage and it's only got 8 ft ceilings..says I should go 125k min. I am going to go w/a Forced Hot Air Furnace, and I have propane here...so, can anyone talk from experience??
Gonna put heat in my garage finally, opinions???
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Pronto
No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot.
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Tap into your neighbors gas line.
Is it well insulated? If so, 125,000 is too big. You should be fine with 80,000 to 100,000. One thing to try though: The hot air is going to rise to the ceiling, try to keep a ceiling fan running or something to circulate air. Other wise you will be wasting heat, the air at the ceiling will be hotter than hell, and the furnace will run a lot to keep the lower 8 feet warm. For the ultimate, get radiant in floor heat. Kinda pricey, but so nice. Floor is nice and warm, and its an even heat.
Chris Cornett
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A little advice if you are keeping a nice car in there is to get a good dehumidifier to keep the moisture off your car. A buddy of mine had a trailer queen Boss 302 Mustang in his heated garage and he told me the humidity in there in the cold months was over 80%. I would hate to see a nice car get scaly frame rails and floor pans from all the moisture.
Good choice with the 12 foot ceilings.
A floor-mounted dehumidifier is also really worthwhile. Aim for 40% year-round average.
Make sure you make provisions that will assure the your garage has good-quality air.
An electrostatic filter in combination with the dehumidifier will serve you, your lungs, your cars, and everyone's comfort, very well.
Hrm, I never thought of the humidity factor, but I guess it makes sense. I guess because it's not heated now I never thought of it, but once it i s heated and you take a wet, snowy car in the garage, that moisture will all now be in the air. Now with it so cold it just stays there frozen LOL
Good point. So, you think a hanging Modine is a better choice that a FHA furnace in the attic?
Good point. So, you think a hanging Modine is a better choice that a FHA furnace in the attic?
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Save your money!!
I suggest you just move your computer to the shop. That way you can use all the HOT AIR you create when on Mirc to heat the area!!! 
I suggest you just move your computer to the shop. That way you can use all the HOT AIR you create when on Mirc to heat the area!!!
Re: Save your money!!
Why, did that work well for you Chuck? ;p
Think I may go this route. Just priced one out, guy is saying under 600 for a 60k BTU. Their website says 60k min for 12ft ceilings.
It would help if I put the link!! LOL
http://hot-dawg.modine.com/
Originally posted by Chuck Leeper
I suggest you just move your computer to the shop. That way you can use all the HOT AIR you create when on Mirc to heat the area!!!
Why, did that work well for you Chuck? ;p
Think I may go this route. Just priced one out, guy is saying under 600 for a 60k BTU. Their website says 60k min for 12ft ceilings.
It would help if I put the link!! LOL
http://hot-dawg.modine.com/
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Nope!
Don't need it down here. We don't live in a deepfreeze for 8 months a yr.
Have heard it's used up around some shops in NJ and NY!!
Don't need it down here. We don't live in a deepfreeze for 8 months a yr.
Have heard it's used up around some shops in NJ and NY!!
a few suggestions........
I have a 26'x30' garage and use a 50,000 btu floor mounted, updraft furnace. I put the heat runs in the attic space so the warm air comes from the ceiling and blows down. I put the furnace on a 1' stand so it draws it's makeup air from the cooler air at the floor level. Stay away from a downdraft furnace because it will kick up every ounce of dust on the floor and put it in the air. I also use 2 ceiling fans but not for the furnace, more just to keep air circulating in the summer. I have put up many ceiling hung units and they have their drawbacks. They are a bitch to hang in the corner or near a wall because of the pitch of the roof coming down to meet the top plate of the wall. Unless of course, you are a midget. Another thing is that the top 6' of your shop will be warmer than anywhere else because it will take it's makeup air from the top 6'. You will have much better circulation with a floor mount unit. I have been doing this for 15 years and I see less and less of ceiling hung units because they are not as efficient, more expensive, and harder to service......hope that gives you some good ideas.......good luck
I have a 26'x30' garage and use a 50,000 btu floor mounted, updraft furnace. I put the heat runs in the attic space so the warm air comes from the ceiling and blows down. I put the furnace on a 1' stand so it draws it's makeup air from the cooler air at the floor level. Stay away from a downdraft furnace because it will kick up every ounce of dust on the floor and put it in the air. I also use 2 ceiling fans but not for the furnace, more just to keep air circulating in the summer. I have put up many ceiling hung units and they have their drawbacks. They are a bitch to hang in the corner or near a wall because of the pitch of the roof coming down to meet the top plate of the wall. Unless of course, you are a midget. Another thing is that the top 6' of your shop will be warmer than anywhere else because it will take it's makeup air from the top 6'. You will have much better circulation with a floor mount unit. I have been doing this for 15 years and I see less and less of ceiling hung units because they are not as efficient, more expensive, and harder to service......hope that gives you some good ideas.......good luck
Some good info there BigDaddy. I have 12.5 ft ceilings w/a flat ceiling so no roof pitch to interfere, but I could see that being a big problem. FHA does sound good too, I was actually thinking of going that route and maybe hanging that?? I was planning on putting runners along the ceiling as well. I dont' want to sacrice floor space w/having it not hung. Never seems to be enough space no matter how big it is!! What size would you recommend??
John Larkin
Sublime Master of Turbology
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Propane is sure expensive, especially if you're running your house on it. Given that information, I'd go to an alternative fuel or electric heat. Even electric heat will eat your lunch (not that gas is much of a bargain anymore either). Those little $150 standing kerosene units will go 12 hours on 2 gallons and heat 1,000 ft2. Heck, might cost you $5/weekend if you only work in the garage then. At least you could buy some time until making a final commitment.
Not sure what the prices of gas are in your area, but propane is much cheaper here in NH than gas (1.30 vs 1.55 and gas should be about 1.75 soon) and A VERRRRY LOT cheaper than Electric. Electric in NH are some of the highest rates in the country. Not the preferred method for anything really.
I have a 500 gal. burried propane tank that's used for:
Heat, hot water, cooking, gas dryer (20+ loads a wk)
and last yr, for the entire yr of propane use was only 1200 bux. And that was with a very cold winter, colder than normal. So, you're talking 100 bux/mth for that which is peanuts.
I have a 500 gal. burried propane tank that's used for:
Heat, hot water, cooking, gas dryer (20+ loads a wk)
and last yr, for the entire yr of propane use was only 1200 bux. And that was with a very cold winter, colder than normal. So, you're talking 100 bux/mth for that which is peanuts.
modine unit
I have a Modine in my garage 30x40 with 11ft.-6" ceilings. The only down side I've seen is on those cold mornings when you first start it up is the amount of time it takes to warm up the tools,floor and the car itself. The air is warm but thats all. My son brought over a heater he got at Lowe's kinda looks like a upside down garbage can rated at 200,000 BTU's we use that to take the chill off, usually takes about 20 minutes then turn on the wall hanger and we're set.
I have a Modine in my garage 30x40 with 11ft.-6" ceilings. The only down side I've seen is on those cold mornings when you first start it up is the amount of time it takes to warm up the tools,floor and the car itself. The air is warm but thats all. My son brought over a heater he got at Lowe's kinda looks like a upside down garbage can rated at 200,000 BTU's we use that to take the chill off, usually takes about 20 minutes then turn on the wall hanger and we're set.
50,000 to 80,000 would be plenty big enough. You might spend the extra 30-50 bucks for a programable thermostat. Some things to think about.......on most heat only thermostats, the lowest reading on them is 45 deg. so even on the coldest of NH nights your shop will never get below 45. Then when you go out in the shop, if you want it to be 65, it will only take about 5 mins because your shop is already above the outside ambient temp. Just for example.....I just got home from work and it is about 25 degs. outside (20 mph winds) and it feels warm in the garage. I turned the 'stat to 65 and timed it to see how long it took for the 'stat to get satisfied and shut the furnace down. 8 minutes,. Back to the programable 'stat.....here is how I use it, lets say that you know that you are going to be in your shop at 6am on a Sat. morning, set the stat to kick on at 5:45. When you step in the shop at 6 on one of those ballshrinkin' cold mornings, you'll feel like you are in FLA......hope this helps........good luck
I have one of them upside down garbage can heaters. Runs off propane. Its what Im using now. It works very well too.
I am going to put a thermostat on it and plan to keep it like 45 normally. I wont run much to maintain that temp. I have a prog. stat in my house, but I dont mind the 8 min wait.
I've seen them thermotubes...they are biiiiig money. Raidiant tubes.they are a few grand.
I'm still up in the air. I"ve talked to a few that say FHA is the way to go and a few that say the modine would be better and is a lot easier to hook up and all....
I am going to put a thermostat on it and plan to keep it like 45 normally. I wont run much to maintain that temp. I have a prog. stat in my house, but I dont mind the 8 min wait.
I've seen them thermotubes...they are biiiiig money. Raidiant tubes.they are a few grand.
I'm still up in the air. I"ve talked to a few that say FHA is the way to go and a few that say the modine would be better and is a lot easier to hook up and all....
