heating a garage workshop

I too would be interested in a 110v, 15a capable electric to pre-heat the garage before firing up propane while the machines are running (can’t do both simultaneously).

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

At 110, you’re probably looking at a space heater. Most space heaters are 1500 watt, which works out to 12.5 amps (we call it 110, but I’m told it’s really 120). Cadet makes some of their in-wall heaters in 110.

You might want to look at radiant space heaters which are supposed to heat the objects in the shop, not just the air. Once the objects are warm, they will warm the air around them.

Another option might be heat lamps, which screw into a regular bulb socket. We used to use them for the calves and chicks during the winter, and they put out a surprising amount of heat.

-- What exactly is "The Move" and who are you calling a "Quirky Jerk"? -- http://www.north40custom.com

One of the things that I’ve noticed in my new house is that while I do have insulated walls and ceilings in my garage, the garage doors themselves are nothing but a sheet of metal without any insulation. I’m thinking about buying some foam to put on the backside of the doors and then cover it with a thin sheet metal or something light weight. Perhaps there are kits out there. I look at what I can do to prevent heat loss first before adding heat, otherwise, it all goes out the leaks anyway.

hammer – I used to work in garage doors, and the company that installed the door should have a kit for insulating it. But it might be cheaper to buy rigid foam insulation and metal flashing. Even insulated, the garage door is a weak spot in containing heat.

-- What exactly is "The Move" and who are you calling a "Quirky Jerk"? -- http://www.north40custom.com

Thanks, Peter (glad you added your last name to your account but it threw me at first). Never thought of heat lamps.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Radiant heating panels

might be great in your climate. I’ve looked at these over the years.

In my cold climate they wouldn’t be so good.

-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I had natural gas plumbed into my shop space during a remodel, and now use a small, wall-mounted gas radiant heater. In this relatively moderate climate (Seattle area), I find that in the winter I can pretty quickly warm up the space, then I turn it off… often for a number of hours. I like the shop to be around 60 degrees, this time of year, and have never felt the need to have the heater on while I’ve been generating dust, so haven’t been too concerned about igniting the dust. I’ve also used a small electric radiant heater in the garage, when building my nearby front porch railings, and I would think that electric radiant heat panels should work well where you are.

-- GregS, Snohomish, WA