Shop heat

[Blown70]

Well here is a question for you all.  or all ya'all?

35x40 shop with 12 foot ceiling.  How many BTU necessary.

I do currently have a gas heater, I do not mind the gas just dont like the heater I have. 

So any recommendations?  And or best place to purchase


Thanks in advance.

Tom

[RD]

get a 1,000,000 btu heater!!  I had one, called it Mega-me, warmed up a 24 x 30 garage to 96 degrees   (yeah, it was nutz i admit, but the space heater was cheap at an auction and it worked).

[tin_soldier]

I am getting a "Reddy Salmander"  Also known as a "Torpedo". Reddy is the brand name  Things work great.  They can run off several types of fuel.  Best part it sounds like a jet engine for @ 3 min. while it warms up the shop.

[41husk]

I got two Kerosene space heaters at a yard sale for $10.  Gonna try fireing one up this weekend

[RD]

I got two Kerosene space heaters at a yard sale for $10.   Gonna try fireing one up this weekend

That is what I need for my shop.  Hey 41husk, on a tangent, found a rampage in a junkyard, looks pretty complete but is hurtin a little.  body is pretty straight as well as front grille, has motor/trans still.  sittin on 4 wheels.

[41husk]

I would like to have one but I am now focusing all spare time and $ on getting the convertible Challenger back on the road, and with wrestling season starting in a week I am rapidly getting short on both

[NHCharger]

My shop is 30x50 with 11' ceiling. I have a Hot Dawg FHA propane heater hanging from the ceiling. $1,500.00 installed and running, 10 year warrenty. After years of working outside laying on a piece of cardboard or a unheated garage I decided I was getting to old for that $hit. I'll have to check on the BTU rating, here's a pic after the install.

[Blown70]

My shop is 30x50 with 11' ceiling. I have a Hot Dawg FHA propane heater hanging from the ceiling. $1,500.00 installed and running, 10 year warrenty. After years of working outside laying on a piece of cardboard or a unheated garage I decided I was getting to old for that $hit. I'll have to check on the BTU rating, here's a pic after the install.

That is what I would be looking for.

[BrianShaughnessy]

I got two Kerosene space heaters at a yard sale for $10.   Gonna try fireing one up this weekend

My friend uses one but he has a small 1 car garage and it's fairly well insulated ... considering.    He starts it when he gets home and a couple hours later it's tolerable.

I could never get my regular kerosene heater to work good in my 2 car...  I left it for the garbageman earlier this year.

I run my 55K reddy heater... it warms up to 70 something pretty fast when I need it.   I need to insulate better tho.   The worst part is the concrete floor tho... that never seems to get warm.

[41husk]

This is a small garage, and not insulated, I may end up kicking these to the curb but for $10 I will give them a shot. NH charger, that is a sweet garage, I would love that with a lift.

[nh_mopar_fan]

Brian,

NICE!

I've got a 3bay that is going to be heated by a kerosene furnace that came out of a mobile home. Need to install the tank though and that means pouring a pad. Time is running out. Hopefully, I can get the thing started this weekend, if it ever stops raining.....

[4402tuff4u]

Rough quick and dirty formula is: cubic foot X 4 for poor insulation, 3 for average insulation, 2 for good insulation. In your case 16,800 cf x 4 = 67,200 btu's. This does not take into account window square footage of doors/garage doors, etc.. This will give you a rough ballpark figure to look for a space heater.

[Blown70]

Rough quick and dirty formula is: cubic foot X 4 for poor insulation, 3 for average insulation, 2 for good insulation. In your case 16,800 cf x 4 = 67,200 btu's. This does not take into account window square footage of doors/garage doors, etc.. This will give you a rough ballpark figure to look for a space heater.

Thanks,  I will say I significantly upgraded the insulation last year.  THe JackaZZ that had the place prior was a putz..... Cut down a whole tank of fuel last year.  Plust I put new door seals and will reseal the walkin door before winter.

THANKS I DO APPRECIATE IT....

[RD]

I got two Kerosene space heaters at a yard sale for $10.   Gonna try fireing one up this weekend

 The worst part is the concrete floor tho... that never seems to get warm.

You should have installed a water heater and piped 1" copper tubing throughout your concrete floor.  That way during the winter it is a heated floor   this is what my father-in-law has done to his garage, really nice 

[BrianShaughnessy]

I got two Kerosene space heaters at a yard sale for $10.   Gonna try fireing one up this weekend

 The worst part is the concrete floor tho... that never seems to get warm.

You should have installed a water heater and piped 1" copper tubing throughout your concrete floor.   That way during the winter it is a heated floor   this is what my father-in-law has done to his garage, really nice  

  You're assuming that it's something new that I would be able to plumb in slab heating instead of what it is... an attached garage to a house built in 1961.  I haven't checked into retrofitting that system...  that's a possibility I guess...  as soon as I hit that lotto 

[RD]

I got two Kerosene space heaters at a yard sale for $10.   Gonna try fireing one up this weekend

 The worst part is the concrete floor tho... that never seems to get warm.

You should have installed a water heater and piped 1" copper tubing throughout your concrete floor.   That way during the winter it is a heated floor   this is what my father-in-law has done to his garage, really nice  

  You're assuming that it's something new that I would be able to plumb in slab heating instead of what it is... an attached garage to a house built in 1961.   I haven't checked into retrofitting that system...   that's a possibility I guess...   as soon as I hit that lotto  

I will cross my fingers hoping you win, but remember, if you do win, remember I crossed my fingers for you hehe

[BrianShaughnessy]

I got two Kerosene space heaters at a yard sale for $10.   Gonna try fireing one up this weekend

 The worst part is the concrete floor tho... that never seems to get warm.

You should have installed a water heater and piped 1" copper tubing throughout your concrete floor.   That way during the winter it is a heated floor   this is what my father-in-law has done to his garage, really nice  

  You're assuming that it's something new that I would be able to plumb in slab heating instead of what it is... an attached garage to a house built in 1961.   I haven't checked into retrofitting that system...   that's a possibility I guess...   as soon as I hit that lotto  

I will cross my fingers hoping you win, but remember, if you do win, remember I crossed my fingers for you hehe

I'm still waiting on my friend at work that did hit lotto last spring to kick in the $20K for the crate hemi I asked him for...
He's one of the few guys I've given a hell ride to... ya think he'd be more grateful to to somebody for helping relieve that constipation problem he had      That was before he won it too.   

[firefighter3931]

My shop is 30x50 with 11' ceiling. I have a Hot Dawg FHA propane heater hanging from the ceiling. $1,500.00 installed and running, 10 year warrenty. After years of working outside laying on a piece of cardboard or a unheated garage I decided I was getting to old for that $hit. I'll have to check on the BTU rating, here's a pic after the install.

Killer shop NHcharger   I'd like to build something similar but think i'll go with radiant floor heating. It gets freaking cold up here in the wintertime. A warm floor seems like a bonus when it's -50c outside.  

Ron

[RD]

Killer shop NHcharger   I'd like to build something similar but think i'll go with radiant floor heating. It gets freaking cold up here in the wintertime. A warm floor seems like a bonus when it's -50c outside.  

Ron

that gave me the shivers just thinking about it!

[41husk]

were can you buy Kerosene? I don't think you can get it at the convenience marts.

[Blown70]

were can you buy Kerosene? I don't think you can get it at the convenience marts.

Many of the Lowes, fleet Farm, TSC, home depot.... ect. around here have it in 5 gallon containers...

[Troy]

were can you buy Kerosene? I don't think you can get it at the convenience marts.

I can get it at regular gas stations. It's off to the side away from regular gas on its own pump. About 1 in 10 stations seem to have it around here.

Troy

[41husk]

Thanks guy's I will check both local gas stations and lowes.

[NHCharger]

Hey Blown, here is a closer pic of my shop heater, it's a 60,000 BTU unit. My shop is insulated with R-19 in the walls and R-30 in the ceiling. I didn't use any styrofoam insulation under the slab because I think it's pointless unless your using radiant floor heat, plus it would have cost $1,400. just for the insulation. Also my windows are double pane, low-E glass. Since I built it myself I know it's pretty tight.
Last January, which was one of the coldest months on record, it cost me $132.00 to heat the shop. That's setting the temp at 52 and raising it to 60 when I work in there. Propane was running about $ 1.86/gallon then.

Ron, I know what you mean about windchill. I live on the north side of a pond. There's usually a nice breeze blowing all winter. I have recorded temp's here at -20 a couple times, that doesn't include the wind chill factor. That is why I only installed one 12x8 garage door in my shop. The heat loss from a garage door is the major cost of heating my shop .

[nh_mopar_fan]

My heating oil company carries kerosene. Try them. Lot easier to have them come and fill your tank for you.

[Blown70]

NHCharger,

Thanks that is what I was thinking,  HECK here in North Dakota.... -40 a few times in the winter is not that uncommon.  Adding wind chill welll     

I will have to check into those heaters.  Did you connect it yourself?

Thanks again,

Tom

[NHCharger]

NHCharger,

  Did you connect it yourself?

Thanks again,

Tom

Nope, a man's got to know his limitations.
As a builder I do a lot of things myself, but I don't like to play with gas unless it's a emergency. Also in NH you need to be licensed to install a gas appliance, even a stove or dryer. If I installed the heater myself and there was a malfunction which caused a fire I'm not sure my insurance company would cover it.

[firefighter3931]

Hey Blown, here is a closer pic of my shop heater, it's a 60,000 BTU unit. My shop is insulated with R-19 in the walls and R-30 in the ceiling. I didn't use any styrofoam insulation under the slab because I think it's pointless unless your using radiant floor heat, plus it would have cost $1,400. just for the insulation. Also my windows are double pane, low-E glass. Since I built it myself I know it's pretty tight.
Last January, which was one of the coldest months on record, it cost me $132.00 to heat the shop. That's setting the temp at 52 and raising it to 60 when I work in there. Propane was running about $ 1.86/gallon then.

Ron, I know what you mean about windchill. I live on the north side of a pond. There's usually a nice breeze blowing all winter. I have recorded temp's here at -20 a couple times, that doesn't include the wind chill factor. That is why I only installed one 12x8 garage door in my shop. The heat loss from a garage door is the major cost of heating my shop .

NHcharger, that looks like a very nice unit. What's your opinion on using something like that in addition to radiant floor heating ? It does get very cold....many winter days are -40c plus the windchill. I'd like to be able to maintain a reasonable working environment inside a shop when i build it. Your opinion ?

Thanks, Ron

[NHCharger]

Ron, my opinion. MOVE to a warmer climate like New Hampshire. I need a Mopar guru in my area, I'll even help built your shop.

The only drawback with these heaters is the amount of air it blows. My unit has a 27' blow area as they call it. The 75,000 BTU unit has a 35' blow area. When I'm running my table saw I make sure I'm off to the side of the unit, otherwise when the heater kicks in it will blow the dust everywhere if I'm cutting in front of the heater. If you build a lot of engines I'm not sure this would be the correct heater because of the amount of dust it could kick up. I keep my shop clean and if you bought one of the dust collection units that hangs from the ceiling you would probably be all set.
If you are going to use this heater as a piggy back system to the radiant floor heat you might be able to go with a smaller unit. A lot depends on how well your garage in insulated. I know on the windy nights it sounds like someone pounding on my garage door. In your climate I would definitely have a back up system. It also helps on where you postion the heater. I have positioned it so it blows across in front of the garage door area. Your overhead doors will be your major source for heat loss, even with a high R value door the area around the door is where you lose all your heat . Nothing you can do about that. Have the heat blow across in front of the doors (not at them). This will keep your shop at an even temperature.

[firefighter3931]

Thanks, those are excellent suggestions !   I luv New Hampshire and have relatives in the next state over (Vermont). The commute to work might be a bit much though, LOL !

I'm thinking 2x6 stick frame on the walls with a scissor truss on the ceiling for added height (2 post lift roof clearance) because i'm limited to 14.5 ft at the peak due to the local code. I'm also considering foam block for the ultimate insulated shop... a friend builds custom homes using this technology and swears by it. The wall R-factor is 50....talk about killer insulation and cheap heating.

Ron

[Dans 68]

...I think it's pointless unless your using radiant floor heat, plus it would have cost $1,400. just for the insulation.

Nice Shop! Now, I think it would have been money well spent to insulate the slab. It's acting as a large heat sink, and will draw the heat energy out of the air; your fuel bills will be higher.

Did I say nice shop?  

Dan