What kind of Garage Heater you recommend?

[Oracle]

I'm ready to pull the trigger, .....finally a heated garage...

The question is Infrared (i.e www.Calcana.com) or forced air (furnace-like)?

What do you have and what do you recommend.. I read comments in the tech. forum but I don't think they have winters like in Calgary for what I can tell in those comments.


Thanks!
Gaspar

[Fritz Peyerl]

I have a forced air ceiling mount and it keeps my double garage cozy.

If you read the installation manual for infrared tube heaters, most of us have not enough room or height to work proper. The distances from door ways and cars are not to safe.

[billybek]

Like Fritz mentioned, it depends on your ceiling height.
I am not a big fan of the infra red as you cook one side while freezing the other while working.
I have a Reznor low profile unit heater in my garage. It can be mounted within 1 inch of the ceiling (drywalled) and the unit is only 12 inches deep. Can be vented horizontally or vertically. Works great and is far above fuel fumes or the like that have a tendency to ignite while pooling on the floor... You still want to turn them off while painting, using solvents or working with gas.
One of the positive things about the infra red is that they put heat into the mass of the building (floor) and objects in the room.
https://www.rezspec.com/catalog-udap.html

[billybek]

Link.
https://www.rezspec.com/catalog-udap.html

[Oracle]

Bill,
Where did you buy the Reznor?

I'm off for the coffe @ spyker if you want to join, here's the invite:

We had a great turn out last Saturday for Coffee and Cars; a good group of guys and a nice mix of Machinery. I posted some photos on my blog at www.vintageandsportscar.com. Porsche was particularly well represented with a Concours original Speedster and a current 997 GT2 bookending a colourful line of 911’s. We had 50 years of classic cars represented: from the 50’s (Speedster, Mercedes 220se Cab), 60’s (GT40 continuation), 70’s (911), 80’s (930 Turbo), 1990’s (Ferrari F355, Porsche 993), and lots of Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini etc, from the current decade. Thanks to everybody for bringing down their rides. We will do the same thing every Saturday, except for Classic Car Week in Monterey, Mid-August, when too many of us will be down in California! So if you are free tomorrow am please drop by 8 to 11am. And again please feel free to forward this message and attachment to other car enthusiasts. Cheers, Lawrence RomanoskyCell: 403 607-8625 My Work Info:The Distinctive CollectionAston Martin CalgaryBentley CalgarySpyker Calgarywww.distinctivecollection.comPhone: 403 208-6262 My Hobby Site, Blog etc.www.vintageandsportscar.com

[nreed]

+1 on the Reznor gas ceiling mount. Mine is a UDAP30. Wish I'd bought it sooner. Just call your local gas guy.

[dvkk]

You guys need to heat your garage in the winter???

[nreed]

Yes, but we don't get as much rain as you guys do in Vancouver....haha

[billybek]

You can try some of the heating wholesalers, Emco, Sinclair Supplies, RSL to name a few. If your garage is well insulated one of the two smaller sizes will be right.
I think mine was 40,000 btu in 36,000 out and the garage is 24x24.
I put in a commercial thermostat that I could set down to 5 deg C.
I would recommend that the unit be professionally installed, permitted and inspected. Most of the installers will want to mark up and sell you the unit and the install as a package price.
In this economy, I would phone and ask for quotes (written/faxed/email). Since new construction is way down they may have installers that are not doing too much.
You could purchase a unit (ask for scratch and dents, don't buy one if they look too beat up) and have someone install it if they are game to do that....

[haycait911]

I've worked in a lot of body shops and always liked the radiant-type heater. they heat the objects and fixtures in the room instead of the air. so when you pick up a steel tool it's the warmest thing around, instead of the coldest. and when you open a door you don't lose all your heat, as happens with a forced air type heater. all that warm air goes away. also much better for drying paint and such. I just finished building a new house and after much deliberation went with a Schwank radiant gas heater. wound up being only a few hundred dollars more than the two forced air units I would have needed. also MUCH more economical. it's an 80,000 BTU burner and about 40 feet of tube. very nice heat, and not too hot if you get close. garage is about 1200 square feet in an 'L' shape. Don.

ps. the two post hoist gets here next week. hee! hee! hee! this has been a LONG time coming. two sinks, a toilet, 11 foot ceiling, lifting beam, 10 8-foot flouresent lights, exhaust fan, air-conditioning, fridge, TV, as my wife likes to say, we built a new garage with attached house.

[Brian 162]

Radiant heaters are pretty good. I've installed a few of them. There is one drawback with tube heaters. Usually the tube heaters should be around 4 feet from the roof of a car to avoid paint damage. (Schwank heaters have that in their specs.)
Princess Auto has a pretty good unit heater that can be installed with zero clearance.

[unclebilly]

Talk to Ken MacDonald - he's a bit of an expert at getting garages up to temperature quickly...

[wideRSR]

Sweet Garage Don!

As for garage heat I have a really well insulated (including the door) double garage and I just use an oil filled electric radiant and it keeps the garage usable even on the coldest days...

[911JC911]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Talk to Ken MacDonald - he's a bit of an expert at getting garages up to temperature quickly...

I think the temp got too high for everyday use.

[Porsche_monkey]

Heated floor.

[haycait911]

Originally Posted by Porsche_monkey

Heated floor.

sweet idea! best of all worlds.

[Porsche_monkey]

Once you've had to lie on a cold floor for an hour changing a starter you will appreciate it.

[wideRSR]

+1 on in floor... Acutally the infloor hydronic is the way to go.. i've seen guys just using a hot water tank to run garage systems...

[Oracle]

In-floor is not an option..I considered that when the garage was planned but way too expensive. The sissy builder pushed really hard (bloated the price on purpose)

Anyway I have received some good comments about "Pete the Plumber" and Nathan will come and we'll chat at what options and how much.. Home Depot will also come and prepare a quote for a forced-air.

The good thing of Pete the Plumber is they have all different kinds and they install.. I've been told that unless I have a license I can't buy a heater.. I don't believe that but at least Home Depot didn't want to sell me the unit unless I show the license!

[Porsche_monkey]

You just need to find someone with a gas fitters license to buy the heater for you. That is a pretty standard rule, you usually need one to buy furnace parts also.