attached garage heating ideas
- Thread starter Jeff H
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bp fick
Super Member
I wouldn't mess with the balance of the system presently in the house. You'll only use extra heat occasionally out in the garage anyhow.
I would simply put a supplemental unit in the garage. The choices are endless and many are quite affordable. Simple and cheap ventfree gas heater, repurposed take out gas furnace, hanging unit, radiant gas heater, direct vent gas heater, etc, etc. Sending out a gas line shouldn't be difficult if you can twist black pipe together. Easy.
Natural gas is relatively cheap compared to other energy sources. Since the garage is attached and begins at temps 20 to 40 degrees warmer than the outside air, this is a plus. Most attached garages are.
I would simply put a supplemental unit in the garage. The choices are endless and many are quite affordable. Simple and cheap ventfree gas heater, repurposed take out gas furnace, hanging unit, radiant gas heater, direct vent gas heater, etc, etc. Sending out a gas line shouldn't be difficult if you can twist black pipe together. Easy.
Natural gas is relatively cheap compared to other energy sources. Since the garage is attached and begins at temps 20 to 40 degrees warmer than the outside air, this is a plus. Most attached garages are.
vwnotrunning
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Keep in mind any air that you direct from your existing system to your garage will be made up with infiltration air to the house from outdoors. A dedicated system will ultimately be less costly. A water to coil type solution will also need freeze protection or remain active all the time to prevent damage in the garage.
If you don't mind trial and error either system you discussed will work.
If you don't mind trial and error either system you discussed will work.
dqdave1
Veteran Member
I would be worried about odors or worse; fumes; entering your house heating system.
SpudHauler
Gold Member
I agree with dgdave1, fumes can ruin a nice smelling house and dangerous too.
I prefer Mom's fresh cooked bun smell.
Anyway, my friend has a 14x20 garage that he heats with a propane convection heater using a barbecue tank as the supply. Drilled a hole out through the wall, mounted the small tank on a bracket, put the heater in a corner wrapped in sheet metal on two sides spaced from the wall with copper pipe and had heat and lots of it. Gets great use almost every weekend and the small tank is just fine.
http://www.heatershop.com/mrheater_propane_convection_heater_mh80cv.html
I prefer Mom's fresh cooked bun smell.
Anyway, my friend has a 14x20 garage that he heats with a propane convection heater using a barbecue tank as the supply. Drilled a hole out through the wall, mounted the small tank on a bracket, put the heater in a corner wrapped in sheet metal on two sides spaced from the wall with copper pipe and had heat and lots of it. Gets great use almost every weekend and the small tank is just fine.
http://www.heatershop.com/mrheater_propane_convection_heater_mh80cv.html
LBrown59
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I plan on using an outdoor forced air gas furnace.
The selling feature for me is the flame is out side instead of inside the building.
The selling feature for me is the flame is out side instead of inside the building.
mjncad
Super Member
Those are the radiant tube heaters I was suggesting the OP to look into.
westcliffe01
Veteran Member
If you have a building code, it will not allow any of the open flame options, including the pellet stove, any form of wood stove, gas logs etc. The units which will be allowed have to bring in the combustion air from outside, vent back outside and not have the flame exposed in any way. If it is advertised for use in a garage (as compared to a "shop") it should be permitted.
Running a ventless system is dangerous because of the potential for oxygen depletion / CO / CO2 as well as condensation if you are using propane. And, generally, propane is expensive. Not too long ago, I paid $50 to have 2 partially empty 20lb cylinders refilled in Colorado (Grand Junction). In MI, a 20lb exchange cylinder runs $20 at the hardware store. But I digress, it is still expensive.
Having looked online 20lb of propane would have an energy content of 431.6kbtu which at ~$20 translates to 21.58kbtu/$. Diesel fuel has an energy content of 139.2kbtu/gal at a local price of $3.26/gal that yields 42.7kbtu/$, double what you get with propane. If you can burn off road diesel, you might be looking a bit better and if you make a huge propane purchase you might come out a bit better on that one too (I'm sure someone will chip in who solely uses propane).
The only significant advantage with propane is that it may operate with the power out. Otherwise burning diesel fuel is likely to be cheaper. NG is a cheaper than just about anything else out there, but if you don't have it, tough.
Running a ventless system is dangerous because of the potential for oxygen depletion / CO / CO2 as well as condensation if you are using propane. And, generally, propane is expensive. Not too long ago, I paid $50 to have 2 partially empty 20lb cylinders refilled in Colorado (Grand Junction). In MI, a 20lb exchange cylinder runs $20 at the hardware store. But I digress, it is still expensive.
Having looked online 20lb of propane would have an energy content of 431.6kbtu which at ~$20 translates to 21.58kbtu/$. Diesel fuel has an energy content of 139.2kbtu/gal at a local price of $3.26/gal that yields 42.7kbtu/$, double what you get with propane. If you can burn off road diesel, you might be looking a bit better and if you make a huge propane purchase you might come out a bit better on that one too (I'm sure someone will chip in who solely uses propane).
The only significant advantage with propane is that it may operate with the power out. Otherwise burning diesel fuel is likely to be cheaper. NG is a cheaper than just about anything else out there, but if you don't have it, tough.
dstig1
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I'm surprised you haven't gotten the Safety Police on your case yet, so allow me to step in 
Code typically requires some sort of a fire-resistive barrier between an attached garage and the adjoining living space. Typically this means something like 5/8" type X drywall (taped and mudded with at least 1 coat) a 20 min rated fire door assembly and to have any penetrations sealed. A duct between these two spaces would send most inspectors into orbit for that reason. Risk of fire spread, CO, flammable fumes, etc make the duct idea very bad.
By far - the cheapest and most efficient route is a dedicated nat gas heater in the garage controlled by a T-stat in the garage. You can get sealed combustion, which is wise, and if it ducts in outside air for combustion and exhausts outdoors too, then you are in the best of all worlds. The ceiling mounted units with a fan are perfect for garages. My neighbor has one and it is awesome.
Electric is workable, but it takes a lot of power to get decent heat and is expensive to run (but cheap to install). Any time you take a step from an energy source to some other form, you lose a lot in the transition. You burn some fuel to make heat to make electricity, and then turn the electricity back into heat in your house, losing energy at every step. Going straight from fuel to heat is by far the most efficient route (within reason). Electric is nice if you cannot get easy access for a gas line, for very rare usage needs, or if you want a temporary solution. I have 2 electric heaters in my garage - 5000W (30A 220v circuit) and 4000W (20A 220v), and they cannot make my (insulated) garage decently warm unless it is mild out - but they can sure make the meter spin! I do not have good gas access in there and they are temporary in my case, so I deal with it.
I wouldn't worry about any extra maintenance coming with a new heater in the garage. There isn't much to them, and they are only intermittently used. Watch Craigslist for used garage/warehouse/dock heaters. Many will be too big, but good sized ones come along. Or just bite the bullet and buy new. You will spend a ton on making your house duct ideas work, so I don't think it would save you anything that way, and the safety compromise is not worth it, IMHO.
Get a gas heater, run a gas line, run a vent/intake, plug it in and go.
Code typically requires some sort of a fire-resistive barrier between an attached garage and the adjoining living space. Typically this means something like 5/8" type X drywall (taped and mudded with at least 1 coat) a 20 min rated fire door assembly and to have any penetrations sealed. A duct between these two spaces would send most inspectors into orbit for that reason. Risk of fire spread, CO, flammable fumes, etc make the duct idea very bad.By far - the cheapest and most efficient route is a dedicated nat gas heater in the garage controlled by a T-stat in the garage. You can get sealed combustion, which is wise, and if it ducts in outside air for combustion and exhausts outdoors too, then you are in the best of all worlds. The ceiling mounted units with a fan are perfect for garages. My neighbor has one and it is awesome.
Electric is workable, but it takes a lot of power to get decent heat and is expensive to run (but cheap to install). Any time you take a step from an energy source to some other form, you lose a lot in the transition. You burn some fuel to make heat to make electricity, and then turn the electricity back into heat in your house, losing energy at every step. Going straight from fuel to heat is by far the most efficient route (within reason). Electric is nice if you cannot get easy access for a gas line, for very rare usage needs, or if you want a temporary solution. I have 2 electric heaters in my garage - 5000W (30A 220v circuit) and 4000W (20A 220v), and they cannot make my (insulated) garage decently warm unless it is mild out - but they can sure make the meter spin! I do not have good gas access in there and they are temporary in my case, so I deal with it.
I wouldn't worry about any extra maintenance coming with a new heater in the garage. There isn't much to them, and they are only intermittently used. Watch Craigslist for used garage/warehouse/dock heaters. Many will be too big, but good sized ones come along. Or just bite the bullet and buy new. You will spend a ton on making your house duct ideas work, so I don't think it would save you anything that way, and the safety compromise is not worth it, IMHO.
Get a gas heater, run a gas line, run a vent/intake, plug it in and go.