how do you heat your garage/ workshop

[ovrszd]

I installed a 100K btu propane furnace when I built my shop. Also have a homemade woodstove. The propane furnace is set on 60 degrees and takes care of things after the wood fire goes out late at night until I stoke it again in the morning. I'm heating a 42x50x10 well insulated shop. I've burned three tandem axle trailer loads of wood this Winter as well as about 50 gallons of propane. Shop temp is never below 60 and normally 70-75 degrees.

 

[Pilot]

Next house will have a ductless heat pump to heat the garage / shop. Very efficient, don't use much wall space (about 1.5 ft. by 2.5 ft, mounted up high) and no floor space. If it gets too cold outside for the unit to be efficient, I would probably find something else to do for the day.

 

[bigtiller]

I have a 60K btu propane furnace hanging from the ceiling heating a 30x46 well insulated attached garage. I keep it set at 42 degrees and it is amassing how economical it is to heat. It's a Reznor Stubby from 1998 but I don't think they make it anymore.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I use a large air tight wood stove in my shop. It's not insulated and has no ceiling, so it's not a great setup. Maybe some day it will be insulated but I would hate to put in a ceiling. Actually a lot of the time, I start the fire, or if I am lucky a friend does, and just leave the large overhead door open. Just having the fire there, gives a sensation of warmth plus I get rid of my accumulated garbage!

In my new drive shed, I insulated the slab, but opted not to put in hydronic heating. I only work in a shop sporatically and the time to heat the thing is just too long. You pretty much have to keep that slab heated from October to April! I made the provisions to put in a wood boiler and then I would just put a fan forced heater in the section I want to work in.

 

[ovrszd]

I only work in a shop sporatically and the time to heat the thing is just too long. You pretty much have to keep that slab heated from October to April!

I'm in my shop every day, most days in Winter, all day. People think I'm crazy to keep my propane furnace thermostat set on 60 degrees. I say it's cheaper to buy a little propane to maintain 60 degree temp for a couple hours each night than it is to reheat the shop if it's allowed to cool off. And I never have to wait for it to be comfortable enough to work in. The inside of my shop's never been colder than 60 degrees.

 

[BitChin1]

Next house will have a ductless heat pump to heat the garage / shop. Very efficient, don't use much wall space (about 1.5 ft. by 2.5 ft, mounted up high) and no floor space. If it gets too cold outside for the unit to be efficient, I would probably find something else to do for the day.

I use a 1t Mitsubishi mini-split for my 14' x 25' shop area in my garage - it heats and cools the area very well and quickly.
I have a door that can be opened to my garage area (36' x 25') and it will keep this entire space heated to mid sixties with outdoor temp in single digits (until the doors get opened) - much lower cost to operate than propane and will provide cooling in the summer

 

[KennyG]

I do the same as you with my pole barn - diesel salamander to take the edge off and then run a wood stove. I'm well insulated. I heat it only on weekends but, until this last week, it never got below freezing inside the building. I actually have natural gas in the building so I'm thinking about adding a small thermostat controlled furnace just to keep it at 40 degrees or so.

 

[ovrszd]

I do the same as you with my pole barn - diesel salamander to take the edge off and then run a wood stove. I'm well insulated. I heat it only on weekends but, until this last week, it never got below freezing inside the building. I actually have natural gas in the building so I'm thinking about adding a small thermostat controlled furnace just to keep it at 40 degrees or so.

Yeah, a buddy of mine does that so his paint stock, etc., doesn't freeze. If you are only in there a couple days a week I think that's the most practical. Since I'm in mine every day thru Winter I never want to have to reheat much so it's more economical to use alternate heat to maintain something close to working temp. Every item in my shop is storing heat, including the building materials and concrete.

 

[sixdogs]

I do the same turn on the LP salamander face where i am working and then build fire in wood furnace.

Do you need to vent that?

 

[kenmac]

I actually have natural gas in the building so I'm thinking about adding a small thermostat controlled furnace just to keep it at 40 degrees or so.

If you were only closer. I have a couple used 100K BTU forced air furnaces I would give you 1. 1 is an 80% and 1 is a 90%