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...

P @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...

P @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]

P @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!

[Spikedog08]

I was fortunate to get this beauty already installed when I bought my current house as a foreclosure.  2 1/2 car attached garage fits the 2 cudas pretty well . . Although in the winter, wife gets cranky that she has to park outside.  I do clean and start her car though to try to keep the peace. Can see it in the background of the attached pic.

[johnshotrods]

I went with a Classic out door wood boiler . When I built my 30X60X14 pole barn i put in floor heat in it that runs off my wood boiler , my boiler unit is duel fuel so it can run off wood or nat gas , it also heats the floor in my house . I'm in MN and its -14 below today and it keeps up really good , i keep the shop at 65 degrees all year round .
realize it wouldn't work for those who already have a cement floor but id put this system in again in a heartbeat .

[RJChallenger]

My 20x27 garage sits under a couple of bedrooms, cinderblock walls and R20 insulation in the ceiling . I just install a Dyna-Glo X-Series 7500 watt heater that I'm very pleased with. I've always had a detached garage  and never worried about open flames, but with this shop under the bedrooms i felt electric was the way to go. This particular heater has a option of external thermostat witch would allow modern gadgets to control it from my phone, so the shop can be warm when I get home

[RayL]

I purchased the DR. INFRARED DR-975 7500-Watt 240-Volt Hardwired Shop Garage Electric Heater off Amazon. Should be delivered this week. I'll post my experience once it gets wired up and tested.

Thanks everyone!

[RayL]

Finally got the heater installed. Heats my partially insulated 20ft by 20ft garage from 38F to 60F in about an hour when the outside temp is around 32F. The garage has an 11ft ceiling, so also using a fan to get the heat down to where it's needed. I'll be doing more electrical work in the Spring and plan to install ceiling fans at that time.

Self-installed all-in cost was $480 which includes the heater, optional thermostat, #8 wire, 40amp breaker and 3/4" pvc conduit, etc...

All in all, I'm satisfied with the project.

Time to get back to work on the Challenger!

RayL