How are you heating your garage this Winter?

[JH27N0B]

When I built my garage, I thought I could get by with a 220v electric heater.
I insulated my 674 sq ft garage well and installed a 220 ceiling mounted heater.
I hoped to keep the garage 45-50 degrees full time over the winter.
It didn't work out well trying to use the heater full time.  However if I go out to the garage and turn up the heater, it heats the garage up pretty well in not much time.
I don't go out there when it's single digits out, but if it's 30-40 degrees outside, I'll crank up the heater and it will be 60 in about 45 minutes.
If I had it to do over, I would have looked into heating the floor.  Someday when I move and build a new dream garage I'll put mini splits in it.

[bbs]

I went this route: https://www.homedepot.com/p/MRCOOL-DIY-36-000-BTU-3-Ton-1-Zone-18-SEER-Ductless-Mini-Split-AC-and-Heat-Pump-with-36K-25ft-Line-DIY-36-HP-230C25/314675753

36000btu heat pump because of gasoline, carburetor cleaner, starter fluid, metal powder from grinding and sanding, spray cans, etc..

Shop is 42'x20'x20' tall metal post with no insulation (pics are just after it was enclosed).  The inside unit is mounted in the center of the back wall and blows down but it's comfortable enough when the outside is down to the 40s.  Plus it's an AC as well.

[torredcuda]

Single digits at night to upper teens-low `20`s during the day all week here. 

[RayL]

...make sure you check your fire regulations so you are covered in case anything happens...

@torredcuda - Thanks for that tip - I live in NJ where EVERYTHING is regulated.

[RayL]

...Its a Dr. Heater $125.00 Amazon purchase.  I wired my air compressor with a NEMA 6-30 plug...

@PLUM72 can you share details on the Dr. Heater you have? I've been looking at heating system sizing calculators on the web and find ranges between 4000 and 75000 (!) BTU for my garage. Welcome to the web ;-) It would be helpful to know your real world use case for a garage similar to mine.

[RayL]

Thanks for all the posts! Gmail decided notifications were spam so I'm seeing them a bit delayed.

If I had the money, I'd go for the MRCOOL Ductless Heat Pump. The wife wants a new kitchen, so...

I'm hesitant to consider options that bring a flame into the space and I'd like to accomplish this as a DIY project (aka no permits). Heat pumps, electric radiant heaters or installing a Diesel heater outside the garage and piping the heated and return air through the wall are good options.

Just now looking into NJ regulations on using a Diesel heater - thanks for the tip @torredcuda

More to follow

[PLUM72]

...Its a Dr. Heater $125.00 Amazon purchase.  I wired my air compressor with a NEMA 6-30 plug...

@PLUM72 can you share details on the Dr. Heater you have? I've been looking at heating system sizing calculators on the web and find ranges between 4000 and 75000 (!) BTU for my garage. Welcome to the web ;-) It would be helpful to know your real world use case for a garage similar to mine.

What I have is the DR-988A.  It's okay and takes the chill off.  If I had more amperage available, I would have went with a higher wattage heater.  There are alot of good you tube reviews on higher wattage Dyna-Glo and King electric garage heaters.  You learn to make do with what you have...
https://www.amazon.com/Infrared-Heater-DR-988-Garage-5600W/dp/B003XOZN7A/ref=sr_1_1_pp?crid=1IR0VTVB1L5XK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3ke4V1awTlvkBlx3iThWiK-xXqRIO8R0aezlj7JGlpqR8BsPb9WOyM1khPFol-bmVjEJkYzcIXTv4BaV0wQxTlhfbXPlfWKrtQnP5v7gzL7Pz2TuXjGzJPI3kfuLOuipVHlVh9Vo7hw-bRz03tUyKOcznHK--SpPgoKIZxNHNywULWWjkiVAkwb_i_dvVD-2kgrtHiW3HMDlsEhV4t8EyxEcrlopHE6kvDqAcFtClTypRucWZcWdaO1DY7xrU1PKtlrXa6ywwM0tHn4wqly1jEEyoKUjob_Fl22uQnSze3AYzoZLUCfqaXO7w7t5NfOVkXPt3IoC1qYjdjZ0OgR6Y5brNylwWYx2bx_TXR_ZA9I.DpXsXGOOcrljz68mJlbWqSMqgs-J_WdX-Sz4uVHBpgU&dib_tag=se&keywords=dr+heater&qid=1736453661&s=hi&sprefix=dr+heater%2Ctools%2C92&sr=1-1

[RayL]

@PLUM72 - Thanks for the info. I have a 100Amp sub-panel in the garage and was looking at their 7500 and 10000 Watt models. The 7500 model should be enough for my application.

Still haven't made a final decision, but the choices are getting clearer.

Thanks!