shop furnace
- Thread starter M E Cook
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Citydude
Elite Member
ovrszd
Epic Contributor
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- May 27, 2006
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- Missouri
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I use a 65K BTU propane furnace in my 42x50x12 shop. I have 12" insulation in the ceiling, 4" in the walls. My furnace plays with the task. I also burn wood when I'm energetic. Let the propane furnace take care of it when I'm not. Whatever you set the thermostat to, it'll keep the temp there, regardless of weather.
If you have a problem you could always add more to the ceiling. That's where 90% of your heat goes anyway.
One last thing, drafts are your worst enemy. If your building isn't tight, start finding the leaks and fix them.
Good luck with whatever you choose. Post your decision and the results with pics of course!!!
If you have a problem you could always add more to the ceiling. That's where 90% of your heat goes anyway.
One last thing, drafts are your worst enemy. If your building isn't tight, start finding the leaks and fix them.
Good luck with whatever you choose. Post your decision and the results with pics of course!!!
George2615
Super Member
According to CD's provided BTU calculator you'll need about 60,000 BTU to heat to 65 deg.
I have 2 garage areas connected by a 12' x 7' opening.
Front garage is 24 x 24 x 14 and has 3 1/2" insul. in walls covered by 1/2" sheetrock. Ceiling has no insul. just a black tarp stapled to bottom of rafters. When I get a-round-tuit I'll insulate my rafters and add some sheathing to help stop the upper heat loss.
Back of garage (shop area) is 18 x 32 x 10 and has 6" rolled insul. in walls and ceiling plus is covered by 17/32" sheathing.
In the back shop area is an 80,000 BTU oil fired mobile home furnace. I can easily heat that area to 60-65. The front stays cooler at about 50-55 with this set up due to poor insul. plus door being opened to get different vehicles in or out. If I set a box fan on the floor blowing heat from back to front I can maintain the 2 areas withing 5 deg. of each other. It stays warm enough for me. If I need more heat in the front I have a 135K BTU salamander with built in T stat.
It was 30 deg. outside this morning and I worked in the garage all day in a T-shirt with the furnace stat set at 65. Don't go too small on a furnace. Better to have a bigger furnace that doesn't have to run very long to heat things up. I keep my back garage at 45 deg. when I'm not out there. I got my furnace used from a furnace service guy. Check with a furnace service company. Many people upgrade home furnaces and these companies service and sell the used ones to guys like me that want some heat in the garage.
I have 2 garage areas connected by a 12' x 7' opening.
Front garage is 24 x 24 x 14 and has 3 1/2" insul. in walls covered by 1/2" sheetrock. Ceiling has no insul. just a black tarp stapled to bottom of rafters. When I get a-round-tuit I'll insulate my rafters and add some sheathing to help stop the upper heat loss.
Back of garage (shop area) is 18 x 32 x 10 and has 6" rolled insul. in walls and ceiling plus is covered by 17/32" sheathing.
In the back shop area is an 80,000 BTU oil fired mobile home furnace. I can easily heat that area to 60-65. The front stays cooler at about 50-55 with this set up due to poor insul. plus door being opened to get different vehicles in or out. If I set a box fan on the floor blowing heat from back to front I can maintain the 2 areas withing 5 deg. of each other. It stays warm enough for me. If I need more heat in the front I have a 135K BTU salamander with built in T stat.
It was 30 deg. outside this morning and I worked in the garage all day in a T-shirt with the furnace stat set at 65. Don't go too small on a furnace. Better to have a bigger furnace that doesn't have to run very long to heat things up. I keep my back garage at 45 deg. when I'm not out there. I got my furnace used from a furnace service guy. Check with a furnace service company. Many people upgrade home furnaces and these companies service and sell the used ones to guys like me that want some heat in the garage.
ovrszd
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- May 27, 2006
- Messages
- 32,246
- Location
- Missouri
- Tractor
- Kubota M9540, Ford 3910FWD, Ford 555A, JD2210
For an idea of what's going on in a person's shop, get one of those battery powered heat laser gadgets. Pull the trigger and point the red laser at whatever you want to diagnose for heat.
In George's case it would have been interesting today to go outside and point it at his roof in the section not insulated. I think it would be an awakening.
In George's case it would have been interesting today to go outside and point it at his roof in the section not insulated. I think it would be an awakening.
George2615
Super Member
For an idea of what's going on in a person's shop, get one of those battery powered heat laser gadgets. Pull the trigger and point the red laser at whatever you want to diagnose for heat.
In George's case it would have been interesting today to go outside and point it at his roof in the section not insulated. I think it would be an awakening.
I know I'm losing a lot of heat in the front garage area. Now that I've retired I'm trying to find time to get it done.
George2615
Super Member
I totally understand that George!!! Being retired also, I have no spare time!!!! Life is good.
My retired friends warned me before I retired that I wouldn't have enough time in a day to get things done. I laughed and said I'd have nothing but time. Little did I know they were right.
George2615
Super Member
Congrats on your retirement George!!!
If you insulate your shop start a thread and post pics. We'll all be glad to tell you "what we would have done".....
It will be 8 months the end of the month since I retired. I now wonder how I had time to work for someone else 8 1/2 hours a day.
When I do it I'll add 6" rolled insul. in the rafters and maybe blow in more on top of that then install 17/32" sheathing to the rafter bottom like I did the back. Going to trash the sheet rock walls and replace with sheathing also. I use the garage daily working on cars, trucks, tractors etc.
