Garage Heater Warning

[911T70]

A warning to my fellow Canadian Tire shoppers who might be using one of their garage heaters. One evening a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting at home at my computer when a stream of images captured by the security camera in the garage at the cottage (where I keep and work on my 911) started coming in. I quickly realized that the garage heater was burning up so I raced north (30 min drive) to assess the situation, expecting to find crater where our cottage was built. All I found was a garage full of smoke; incredibly relieved that the sparks shooting out of the burning heater didn't ignite anything. With 60 L of gas in the 911's tank and other combustibles in the garage, it would have been dramatic.

If you use one of these heaters, be aware that they are a real fire hazard.

I made a time-lapse video using the photos sent by the security camera:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA4Anoxfqy0

[billybek]

Holy smokes! (pardon the pun)
Did you buy a lottery ticket after?

[exc911ence]

Watching it rain sparks down on your firewood pile would definitely get your attention!

Luck was on your side that day.

[911T70]

Yes, I felt like the luckiest guy in the world when I got there. It was so peaceful and quiet, it was surreal, especially after the chaos in my brain on the drive up there! Loosing the cottage (our retirement home) and the 911 would have been tragic. I'll have to re-think where I store the firewood!

If any of you have suggestions for a high-quality electric garage heater, I'd love to hear them. I asked on the local PCA Facebook and got good advice, but all the heaters I've seen so far seem similar, in terms of quality (read cheap Chinese crap). I bought a Dimplex as back-up and I've reverted to using an older Ouelet unit in the mean-time.

[Uwon]

Ouch!!! That's exactly the unit that I have in my garage, now about 4 years old. Anything new non-Chinese out there that is available in Canada?
Johan

[billybek]

No natural gas?
There are better quality heaters out there...
How about a ductless split with resistance heat?
Or a small electric furnace?

I would go with nat gas if it is available.

[Hawkeye's-911T]

Wow! Michel -You dodged a couple of bullets there. A good lesson learned.
Cheers
JB

[911T70]

Originally Posted by Uwon

Ouch!!! That's exactly the unit that I have in my garage, now about 4 years old. Anything new non-Chinese out there that is available in Canada?
Johan

Hi Johan,

I spent a lot of time looking for a high quality heater and haven't found anything that impressed me. I ended up buying this one, mostly because my cottage neighbour has been using one for over 10 years without any problems. It does appear to be of higher quality that the Canadian Tire one.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.4800w240v-construction-heater-almond.1000116310.html

I was hoping to find something that didn't have the ceramic coating on the element because that's what ended up melting and shooting out of the heater. I found this at Lowe's, it has a metallic heating element, almost bought it but it gets mixed reviews (on other American sites):

https://www.lowes.ca/shop-construction-heaters/profusion-heat-ph-936m-utility-heater-fan-compact-personal-electric-space-heater_g1549550.html

If I can offer advice, I'd be very concerned about the CT heater. This experience really rattled me; we were very lucky not to loose our future retirement home and a car that is irreplaceable for me. You must make sure nothing happens to that gorgeous car of yours!

[911T70]

Originally Posted by billybek

No natural gas?
There are better quality heaters out there...
How about a ductless split with resistance heat?
Or a small electric furnace?

I would go with nat gas if it is available.

Thanks, billybek! No natural gas available but a heat pump might be a good option. I just read up on it and it looks very interesting. It would also provide cooling for the 911 in the summer! An electric furnace would also be a better alternative to those cheap garage heaters.

I plan on spending a lot of time in that garage when we eventually retire and move there so I'm very motivated in finding a safer, quieter and more comfortable way of keeping it warm.

[Edoyle]

I have the same CT heater. The wires leading to the element burned last winter.

[Uwon]

Michel, never felt very comfortable with the crappy tire unit which I bought in a pinch about 4 years ago. Fortunately my practice is only to have the heater on when I’m home, and I do have a smoke/co detector in the garage. Having said that, I’m ordering that unit that you suggested from Home Depot. Should be here on my return from our annual snowmobile trip in Northern Quebec.
Johan

[911T70]

Originally Posted by Uwon

Michel, never felt very comfortable with the crappy tire unit which I bought in a pinch about 4 years ago. Fortunately my practice is only to have the heater on when I’m home, and I do have a smoke/co detector in the garage. Having said that, I’m ordering that unit that you suggested from Home Depot. Should be here on my return from our annual snowmobile trip in Northern Quebec.
Johan

I hope you're satisfied with the Home Depot heater.

Do you let your garage's temperature go below freezing, with your 911 in it, when you're not home?

Have a good snowmobile trip!

[911 Rod]

My 86 is in deep freeze right now and I don't see a problem with that.

I think your best bet is a baseboard heater if you have 220V.

[911T70]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

My 86 is in deep freeze right now and I don't see a problem with that.

I think your best bet is a baseboard heater if you have 220V.

I assume you leave your car frozen all winter? I work on mine every weekend and the thaw/freeze cycles would be bad for corrosion with the inevitable condensation, especially on an un-galvanized car like mine where I suspect rust is already lurking under the nice, shiny paint.

We have baseboards in the cottage but I don't think they would work well in the garage. It's near impossible to keep the bases of the walls clear of stuff. Thanks for the suggestion though!

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by 911T70

I assume you leave your car frozen all winter? I work on mine every weekend and the thaw/freeze cycles would be bad for corrosion with the inevitable condensation, especially on an un-galvanized car like mine where I suspect rust is already lurking under the nice, shiny paint.

We have baseboards in the cottage but I don't think they would work well in the garage. It's near impossible to keep the bases of the walls clear of stuff. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Yes it will be frozen all winter. It's usually in my heated garage but the other Porsche is in there this year for an engine drop. I agree it's not a good idea with thaw/freeze cycles.

You can mount a baseboard anywhere. Even vertical.

I would be concerned about the wood pile because I have never seen one that didn't have mice living in it.

[pors1968]

Originally Posted by Uwon

Michel, never felt very comfortable with the crappy tire unit which I bought in a pinch about 4 years ago. Fortunately my practice is only to have the heater on when I’m home, and I do have a smoke/co detector in the garage. Having said that, I’m ordering that unit that you suggested from Home Depot. Should be here on my return from our annual snowmobile trip in Northern Quebec.
Johan

Were is your snowmobile trip.RICHARD

[911T70]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Yes it will be frozen all winter. It's usually in my heated garage but the other Porsche is in there this year for an engine drop. I agree it's not a good idea with thaw/freeze cycles.

You can mount a baseboard anywhere. Even vertical.

I would be concerned about the wood pile because I have never seen one that didn't have mice living in it.

Thanks, Rod, never would have thought of installing baseboard heaters elsewhere than baseboards! And about the mice, we do have them in the cottage and it's a real problem. Don't know how they'd get into the wood pile but I'll install traps around it to see if I catch any.

[Uwon]

Originally Posted by pors1968

Were is your snowmobile trip.RICHARD

Into Quebec. Dropping the sleds in Ruoyn-Noranda heading into Seneterre, Parent....about 1,600 km over four days. We are no slouches. This has been an annual event for over 25 years with my son and our friends. Usually we try to go for eight days but busy young family lives obviously take priority.
Johan

[pors1968]

Originally Posted by Uwon

Into Quebec. Dropping the sleds in Ruoyn-Noranda heading into Seneterre, Parent....about 1,600 km over four days. We are no slouches. This has been an annual event for over 25 years with my son and our friends. Usually we try to go for eight days but busy young family lives obviously take priority.
Johan

Johan that almost ironmam tour 400klms a day.Have great trip.Richard

[Mark Henry]

Electric sucks...your wallet.

Get a Mr. Heater Big Maxx convert it to propane, I believe the kit comes with it. It will pay for itself by the second year. Hang it from the ceiling for code, simple to vent add a T-stat, 110v, simple easy to DIY.
Will take a 2 car garage from -15 to 15C in less than a half hour, it would take two 8 foot baseboards 24 hours to do that.
You can rent a big stand up tank for $90/yr with automatic fill ups, or if you have a truck buy a 40lb tank from costco.

I have a direct vent (DV) propane furnace in my large shop, hung on its side, but with a DV you have to keep the shop above 0C or the water trap will freeze. My DV furnace is 97% efficient. I'm going to add AC this year.

All garage fuel fired heaters including wood stoves must be mounted high, at the ceiling is best, because gasoline, propane vapor etc sinks to the floor.
Insurance made me remove the wood stove from my shop years ago. Propane costs the exact same as cut/split wood delivered, without the stacking, hassle and mess.