Need help with garage heater

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

I really need to finish my engine rebuild, and the restoration of my FJ40, both projects could be done at this point if I only had heat in my garage.

I was able to score a shop heater, however I think it may be too big. I have a an oversize three car garage, it's long enough that you could probably park two VW bugs in each space front to back. The ceiling and walls are drywalled, and the ceiling is 8ft at its highest point.

Now the issue, I was able to get a 160,000BTU hanging shop furnace, an older Janitrol unit to be exact. It's dimensions are 34" tall and 36" wide and it runs on natural gas and probably weighs about 300lbs.

If I mount this heater from the highest point on the ceiling it will hang just about 6' 5" from the floor and just right above my head. I can't find a building code that states that I can't do this, it just seems low. Now I can go a different route and hang it next to a wall where the ceiling is 7' and you would be sort of looking at it as you walked towards the wall.

I either need to figure out how to install this guy, or sell it for a smaller unit, anyone have any thoughts? Or better yet some good HAVAC knowledge on the subject?

William930t · 12-31-2006, 04:41 PM

Well it might be oversized for just your garage, what about a portable electric model that has thermostat control?

To install the one you have, if it is a stationary unit:

-- 1 square inch per 1,000 BTU outside air vent opening

-- proper flue gas outlet per code, likely through roof

-- proper gas line connection and shut-off

--if ignition is electronic, a power connection

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by William930t
Well it might be oversized for just your garage, what about a portable electric model that has thermostat control?

To install the one you have, if it is a stationary unit:

-- 1 square inch per 1,000 BTU outside air vent opening

-- proper flue gas outlet per code, likely through roof

-- proper gas line connection and shut-off

--if ignition is electronic, a power connection

I was going to vent in through the wall to the outside using b-vent, if it has to go through the roof then I will have to sell it. My garage it probably 600 sq ft.

The gas line I was going to pay to have a plumber install that to insure it was to code, and also because I don't feel comfortable working with gas lines, other than hooking up a water heater and such.

As far as power goes the unit requires 110V for the fan, and has a transformer internal for the automatic ignition system, it does not have a what I would call a conventional pilot in that its activated only when the thermostat (wall mounted) starts the furnace up.

I will say that small electrical units are useless in my garage, they could be on for days and do nothing, it's below freezing in there at all times right now, and the space is just huge with an attic over top.

Jadams1 · Jadams1's Garage

I installed a Modine gas heater a while back for around $600. It works well. See the link below.

pics of garage heating system

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Jadams1
I installed a Modine gas heater a while back for around $600. It works well. See the link below.

pics of garage heating system

Thank you so much for that link, I'm not sure why it did not come up in my search!?! At any rate my heater is just slightly bigger than that and now after viewing your pictures I think I can pull this off! thanks!!!

SCOTITUDE · 12-31-2006, 07:39 PM

I was going to use these heaters in my garage (400sq) but I dont have the juice in the panel to accomodate them so off to ebay they go. I don't lknow if they would work for your application.

Ebay item #200063313600

wcc · 12-31-2006, 09:14 PM

I have a Salamader heater. It's more then I can take after 20-30 minutes.

mb911 · mb911's Garage

You never want to over heat your work space as you are hot one minute and cold the next then hot then cold you get the idea. Modine actually has an off brand that is offerend by farm and fleet/or fleet farm/ northern hydraulic/menards/lowes etc for about 500 bucks and they work great. I have the 30,000 btu unit on my 2.5 attached garage and the 45,000 on my dettached 24X26 with 15 foot ceilings and they are perfect . they are the type that bolt right to the ceings for the low profile look and work off a hot surface ignitier so not standing pilot which is great

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by mb911
You never want to over heat your work space as you are hot one minute and cold the next then hot then cold you get the idea. Modine actually has an off brand that is offerend by farm and fleet/or fleet farm/ northern hydraulic/menards/lowes etc for about 500 bucks and they work great. I have the 30,000 btu unit on my 2.5 attached garage and the 45,000 on my dettached 24X26 with 15 foot ceilings and they are perfect . they are the type that bolt right to the ceings for the low profile look and work off a hot surface ignitier so not standing pilot which is great

And it's enough to keep the entire shop at say around 75 deg? Even though this is 160,000 BTU it does have a nice digital thermostat with it, so I assumed it will only run for the time that's needed.

mb911 · mb911's Garage

mine stays a min of 50 year round so yes 75 is no problem as I paint in there in the winter and bump it up to 80

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by mb911
mine stays a min of 50 year round so yes 75 is no problem as I paint in there in the winter and bump it up to 80

So do I, and that was my main concern getting a good paint to cure in the wrong temperature s almost impossible.

mb911 · mb911's Garage

yeah no problems!!!! I shoot dupont with no issues.

Rick V · 01-01-2007, 07:59 AM

Might not help but can you tap into the house heating? I have an oil fired boiler (hot water heat, like old southern houses.............yeah). The boiler is in the garage, so it helps there. One of the expantion tanks is in the celing, more help. I have a small eletric heater with a fan and a thermostat. I leave it on 24/7, and the garage stays 70deg. My garage is only 1 bay so I have less to heat. Once you get the floor warm the rest will stay that way.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick V
Might not help but can you tap into the house heating? I have an oil fired boiler (hot water heat, like old southern houses.............yeah). The boiler is in the garage, so it helps there. One of the expantion tanks is in the celing, more help. I have a small eletric heater with a fan and a thermostat. I leave it on 24/7, and the garage stays 70deg. My garage is only 1 bay so I have less to heat. Once you get the floor warm the rest will stay that way.

I wish! and this was a thought of mine as well. My garage is attached to the house only in the sense that there is an interior door. The attic in the garage and the attic in the house are not connected, and in fact are separated by a firewall.