Shop Heaters

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8,098
Location
North West Indiana
I am going to be looking for a heat source for my shop within a couple of months. Wondering what is being used and has been used by you folks and the good and bad about them. Not going to use a salamander heater as I can't stand the smell and I do want a permanent heater as I will be leaving it to run to keep a minimum of 45 degrees to keep stuff from freezing and condensation. It will need to be a propane furnace. I have looked at the dawg heater. Any other options? I will be doing some finish so flame is a consideration. Other unforeseen situations? Thanks in advance.
 
My dad has used one of these for a few years. Works great, but he also has a few jackets that have a few melted spots on them. :eek: No odor, but he did keep a windo cracked for air. In his new shop, he was looking at one of these, but I don't know what he will go with.
 
I have an unvented natural gas radiant heater in my shop. Have had it for three winters so far, and it's worked great. 35K btu for an 800 ft² well insulated building. Costs about $35.00 per month.

It does have an open pilot and 'heat mat' though. I've sprayed lacquer and shellac in there with no problems.

In my garage, I have the second heater (this one) that Jeff recommended. It also works very well, but needs to be mounted low, and therefore takes up some otherwise usable wall space.
 
My dad has used one of these for a few years. Works great, but he also has a few jackets that have a few melted spots on them. :eek: No odor, but he did keep a windo cracked for air. In his new shop, he was looking at one of these, but I don't know what he will go with.

That first one and my grandson in the shop :eek::eek::eek:.
Now the second one is one great price until I see no thermostat and blower included. But that is big enough and looks like a contender. Thanks.:thumb:
 
I have an unvented natural gas radiant heater in my shop. Have had it for three winters so far, and it's worked great. 35K btu for an 800 ft² well insulated building. Costs about $35.00 per month.

It does have an open pilot and 'heat mat' though. I've sprayed lacquer and shellac in there with no problems.

In my garage, I have the second heater (this one) that Jeff recommended. It also works very well, but needs to be mounted low, and therefore takes up some otherwise usable wall space.

Jim, I would assume then I could get a different orfice and it would work on propane. The spraying issue is one of my concerns thanks for mentioning it. Since it is radiant, are things away from it cold?
 
My dad has used one of these for a few years. Works great, but he also has a few jackets that have a few melted spots on them. :eek: No odor, but he did keep a windo cracked for air. In his new shop, he was looking at one of these, but I don't know what he will go with.

I tried using the first heater you listed in my shop but it wouldn't heat it up enough. I now have the second one thats 30,000 btu's and runs on propane. I just turn it on high for about 20 to 30 minutes and than turn it down on low to maintain the temperature. A 20# tank will last about a month for me working in the shop 6 days a week 10 hours a day.
 
During the winter, there was a long thread on this subject. You might want to search it.
I use radiant heaters run on 20 lb. propane bottles. Work fine but run through that propane like crazy. I have to use sparingly, very expensive.
 
My old shop was heated with a wood stove while I was in there and had a small propane heater to keep the shop above freezing when not in there. Wood stoves are great for fixing mistakes.:D:thumb:
 
I have a used 90% furance in my shop. My shop size is 24x30. This works great and is really pretty cheap. I got the furance from a dealer and it was a take out from a job that had 2 of these,but 1 was bad so the customer had both unit replaced. I modified the inlet for combustion to bring the air in from the attic above the shop. The exhaust is the normal 2" pipe thru the wall.
 
Jim, I would assume then I could get a different orfice and it would work on propane. The spraying issue is one of my concerns thanks for mentioning it. Since it is radiant, are things away from it cold?

Yeah. I bought mine from a propane dealer, and it was re-jetted for NG.

It's mounted high on the back wall, in a 26 X 32 building. It's about 10 feet in from one end, and keeps the whole 832 ft² room warm. Mine has a programmable thermostat on it (about $40 extra) and keeps the shop 50° all night, and 65° all day.
 
Well Jonathan call me Mr. Toasty :rofl::rofl::rofl: cause in winter my shop is nice and toasty.

I fell in love and got married to a radiant heater the first time i saw it. you can see a picture below and you can see how its all mounted in the thread http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10987&highlight=workshop+palace


Now I will tell you what made me do it.

1) I did not want to be hot and stuffy. This radiant heater heats the tools and then they radiate heat and heat the air.
2) Its natural gas or propane but i use natural gas cause i am on a main.
3) Its a fully sealed unit. It draws fresh air in from outside and exhausts outside too. Pilot light only comes on when it comes on and the pilot is in the same tube so its sealed.
4) Its insurance approved for home garages and you know how fussy those guys are.
5) It can be mounted low down even though i have mine at around 8ft
6) I can leave it on the thermostat and with my R22 insulation and tightness of my shop ( double 5/8 inch drywall) it hardly runs. But when i go in there a small touch to the thermostat and boom i am nice and toasty.:rofl::rofl:
7)Cost was around $800 Canadian when i bought it. It is made in Canada down in the Niagara region but they have the same kind of thing in the USA just not sure who from.
Here is a link to my source ...nice guys.
http://www.garageheater.com/heatwave.htm

The other thing is i can stand under mine and it dont get uncomfortable.
With a sealed unit like this you have no vapor worries other than yourself suffocating from fumes in the spraying.:rofl:

looking at the electik prices in USA i doubt you wanna being going there. So the radiant panels that i have seen would also be a no no to run.

Best of luck in the quest. :thumb::)
 
Well Jonathan call me Mr. Toasty :rofl::rofl::rofl: cause in winter my shop is nice and toasty.

I fell in love and got married to a radiant heater the first time i saw it. you can see a picture below and you can see how its all mounted in the thread http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10987&highlight=workshop+palace



looking at the electik prices in USA i doubt you wanna being going there. So the radiant panels that i have seen would also be a no no to run.

Best of luck in the quest. :thumb::)

that's a nice system you have there, and probably the safest of 'em all.. if that keeps you warm in Canada, then it's more than enough for most of us living waaaay south of you. I have the wall mounted propane heater, and it does ok (my block garage is un-insulated) for average cold temps( above freezing) but anything below that, and there's too much cold in the block/concrete floor for it to overcome. I spend limited time in there on very cold days for that reason. Should I ever build a new shop building, I'm going your route!!!:thumb:
 
I rarely use a heater in my shop.. I do have one of those little electric thingys that I can turn on if it does get unbearable. My shop is all metal, not insulated so if the sun is shining, I get a minimal amount of heat from that. I'm generally okay out there until my feet get cold, this I have to quit and go in.... probably thermal socks would help that. If there's snow on the ground - happens sometimes in winter - then I just stay in the house.
 
I have a 45k wall heater. A 6 inch pipe goes through the wall. The iner pipe brings in fresh air for combustion and outer pipe for exhaust. It blows heat out the bottom so keeps the hfloors nice and warm. I set it at 45 when not useing and 65 when in the shop. It only sticks into the room about 10 inches so saves alot of space. When its below zero it takes about 10 minuts to bring it from 45 to 65 degrees.It does have a piolet light. Its old, have had it for about 30 years and have only replaced the thermo coupler once:D Would'nt do any good to say what I paid for it even if I could remember:rofl:nothing stays the same.
 
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