Best way to heat the workshop.

I use a 30,000 btu, non-vented, propane heater in a 770 sq ft shop. It works fine for me.

-- David, Southern Indiana, http://www.freedhardwoods.com

I use a 150,000 btu kerosene torpedo heater that has a built in thermostat to heal my 22’x40’ workshop. It burns about 5-10 minutes an hour and I run a small fan in front of an electric heater to circulate the warm air.

-- Growing older but not up!

I moved to Malaysia and have an open-air shop with a predictable 85-90 degree humid atmosphere year round.

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

I wait for the sun to rise. Gives me all the heat I can handle. LOL, One of the benefits of living in Florida. What I really need is AC in my shop (garage)

-- Smile. Life can be FUN!

On a side note, the heat generated by the machinery in the shop will raise the temp about 15 or 20 degrees in about an hour.

-- David, Southern Indiana, http://www.freedhardwoods.com

I built an addition on the side of my 2 stall garage and installed a gas furnace in the addition. It is ducted into the garage and keeps it toasty warn in Northen Illinois winters. The furnace pulls air from out side and I don’t have an open flame in the shop so I don’t worry about spraying finishes

-- Bob, Rockford IL, http://www.woodandwax.net

I have a 2nd hand boiler on the second floor of my shop that is connected to about 200’ of plastic pipe inside the concrete floor. No flame anywhere near my woodwoking & roasty- toasty tootsies all winter. I love it!

-- http://www.grandprairiewoodworks.com

I have a 1000 sf shop and heat with a couple of Dayton 18,000 btu electric utility heaters hanging from the ceiling that do a good job. If your electric rates are high, I would look for another solution. I only run the heat when I am in the shop. I installed wall mounted thermostats to control them.

http://www.air-n-water.com/product/G73.html

-- Dave Herron, Boise, ID -- “That which does not crash the browser, makes it stronger”

I use a wood stove as I always have a bin or two of fuel each day, but my work area is on the small side roughly 460sf….I also do most of the work that generates alot of dust outside once it warms up….

-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.

the heat in my shop is really just me rubbin my hands back and forth, i usually last about an hour in the winter,i also live at 7000 above sea level.just kiddin i use a portable propane heater for a two car garage, i will start it and let it run for about 15 min. and i’m good for a couple hours.

-- Roper - master of sawdust-

You can run radiant InfraRed heaters very cheaply over your bench
area to keep your hands warm.

If you have the space a woodburning stove is great… Tiling a 4’x4’
area in a corner (and up the wall) is generally adequate (though
not necessarily to code) to keep it safe.

-- http://amherstcabinets.com - also a marketing consultant with expertise in direct response marketing for woodworking and online business building

I have a natural gas direct vent wall furnace, with a blower mounted inside to circulate the air…. it takes up no room to speak of.. and it draws it’s air from outside the shop, giving me piece of mind while using flammables..
It keeps my shop at 75 to 80 all winter long up here in Canada…

Doug

-- Master designer of precision sawdust and one of a kind slivers.

I installed a 30,000 btu direct vent “Hot Dawg” unit heater last winter. It’s a bit pricey, and perhaps overkill for my 700 sq ft shop – but very nice. Small, fits close enough to a 9’ ceiling to store plywood sheets on end under it. With the thermostat turned all the way down, keeps the shop at 45 – 48f, even in the Colorado winters, yet warms it up fast when I need to work.

I love my electric base board heaters in my 20×30 shop…...works great here in cold SD.

-- I'm not slowing down,everythings just going by faster!

DITTO to skydog!! I have a direct vent “Hot Dawg” unit heater. Google “Hot Dawg” and you will find plenty of information they are made by Modine. I love my heater and if I built a new shop I’d install one in it too. Make sure to to get the separated combustion HDS model it uses outside air for combustion so no problem with saw dust.
http://www3.modine.com/v2portal/page/portal/modine/modineMarketsDefault/modine_com/markets/building_HVAC/level_4_content_014.htm

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

I am going to use one of these infrared units next week.

The effiecency is really good and the unit mount up out of the way plus I can use a zero clearance exhaust for it.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Since my “boiler” is already in the shop/garage, I tapped it for another zone and heat the area with hot water. It’s a Dayton ceiling hung unit with a forced air fan. Heats a 24×24 area real well. You can also use an outdoor wood-fired boiler and heat your house as well. Mother Earth News has been running many articles that use water, or air that is solar heated. Maybe you’ll want to look into that as well.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

I’ll ditto Skydog and John. I had a 45,000 btu Hot Dawg heater in my shop when I lived in Maine and I loved it. I would set a programmable thermostat for about 45 at night, to keep everything from freezing, then have it kick the heat up to about 70 at 6:30 in the morning and by time I went out to the shop about 40 minutes later, it was nice and toasty. I may eventually get another, but don’t require much for heat here in Texas. Check with the green house supply companies for the best deal. I bought mine from a place in NJ. Can’t remember the name, but they were great on customer service.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

One thing to consider is that a by product of liquid fuels like propane or kerosene without external venting (besides the carbon monoxide released) is that they raise the humidity considerably in the area. It is an unavoidable by-product of combustion. Likewise wood stoves will dry the air. This might cause problems with your joints moving when taking a project back into a more properly conditioned space like your living room. I would consider running a dehumidifier if using the former or putting a kettle on the stove for the latter.

I wholeheartedly agree with Loren and would also recommend radiant infrared. It’s what I use. Additionally there is something about the wavelength or something (which I am completely unqualified to explain) at which they operate that makes the area around them seem warmer than it actually is, kind of like being out in the sun on a winter day. Even when you know it is cold if feels warmer. Plus any kind of open flame in an area that produces tons of dust gives me the willies. Can’t help thinking grain silo explosion. I know that countless guys do it and that’s just fine with me as long as we’re not neighbors . . . ;-)

Hi,

I have a 20×12 small workshop, still very much in the dev stage but two small oil filled electric heaters do the job. The shop is very well insulated (including the roof space).

But as I’m still lugging great chuncks of lumber around it might be the excersise :)

-- Keep your tools sharp, your mind sharper and the coffee hot

The torpedo heaters or any other heater that is not venting it’s exhaust to the outside will generate water vapor in the atmosphere as it burns. This is common to all carbon based fuels. This is the same as the water that you see dripping out of the tailpipe of a car.

I highly recommend anything that vents it’s exhaust outside thereby leaving you with clean, safe, dry heat. This will be better to breathe and not cause condensation on your valuable tools.

I use a 75,000 BTU HotDawg heater that can run off of natural gas or propane. Upon installation the appropriate burner orifices are installed according to the fuel source. I sized the unit appropriately to my shop and it works wonderfully.

As a professional I have business insurance and NOBODY will insure me if I have a woodburner in the shop. That is a huge risk in their book. Also, if your homeowner’s insurance knew you were burning wood in a dusty shop I am sure they would have a fit over that. If you had a fire claim they would probably give you a really hard time.

I do regular cleaning and maintenance on my unit to avoid any problems. I also keep 3 big fire extinguishers in the shop to cover my butt. You can see my shop here.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Actually the shop photos do not show the heater as well as this shot.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

I have to admit that John Gray is running the most appropriate system that has an outside feed for combustion air. It is the safest and best way to go because of the potential to combust fumes or dust in the shop atmosphere.

My unit draws it’s combustion air from the shop and that is why I am so particular about cleaning it and being careful of combustible fumes.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

I have two systems. My shop is alittle over 1000 sqft. Main heat is a wood stove, this keeps the shop warm while I am in there and for awhile after I leave. My second system is a based board radiant heat. This hooked up to a 20 gallon water tanks and feed by propane. This mostly used when I am not going to be out there for a few days.

My problem is how to keep it cool. LOL

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Well, if I were building it from the ground up I would install radiant heating in the floor.

-- - Ray

When I built my 28’x30’ garage/shop I put floor heat in it. The heat is provided by a natural gas water heater and is circulated by a small Grunfos pump. I set it up with three zones with a manifold and have had no trouble with it. I leave it set at 60 during the winter. I shut it off usually around May 1 and turn it back on around September 15. It has worked great for me.

Mart

I’m with Grumpy. It’s July….....in Texas…... how do I heat the shop? I just leave the garage door open, ha!

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

It’s July in TN to. But when comes November I would like to have some heating sourse. I like the HotDawg. Not sure I can afford it but we’ll see. Radiant or anything on the floor is out. Some great ideas here. I think I will have to do some shopping. I’ve been around the radiant InfraRed heaters when I worked for the airlines. These things worked great. There was one at the employee pickup outside where we were shuttled back and forth from the employee lot to the terminal. It was about 12 off the ground and 10 foot long. It warmed up very nice. I also like the idea of a hanging electric heater. The issue I see from that may be condensation it might put out.

So do any of the following have issues with condensation?

1. The radiant InfraRed heaters ?

2. Dayton or similiar 18,000 btu electric utility heaters hanging from the ceiling?

3. kerosene torpedo heater? It looks like this one will for sure put out condensation. But if it is ran say 15-20 minutes an hour what condensation levels if any would I be dealing with?

I am going to do all I can to stay away from any type of gas heater. I would love a HotDawg but I am not sure I can afford going through a tank of gas in the winter would it be more expensive than electric? But the kerosene torpedo heater might be efficint enough if it doesn’t put out condensation.

After doing a little research It seems the Modine Hot Dawg HD45 or the G73 Dayton Electric Shop & Garage will be my choices. Now I just need to do some more research on what will be the most effeciant in cost.

Any knowledge of your monthly cost of these would be great to see.

Thanks

-- Jerry, Measure 10 times cut once. Set in the foothills of the Smokey's

Does Anyone know who the manufacturer is of the Dayton Electric Heaters? Looks like grainger Electric but I cannot verify this for sure.

-- Jerry, Measure 10 times cut once. Set in the foothills of the Smokey's

Even after the current increase in prices, gas is still cheaper than electric for generating heat. And, electric prices will probably rise, too. About 20% of electricity in the U.S. is generated from natural gas and petroleum. So an increase in those prices will tend to raise electric costs, too.

BOB

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I have a 30,000 btu propane Mr. Heater hung from the ceiling. Works great.

-- Bruce from Central New York

I live in Florida all I need is A/C in the summer…. :)

-- Chris

I use 2 30-80k propane convection heaters this past winter. First winter in shop (no insulation). About a 20# tank for a full day in the shop when its really cold out (Maine). Heated area is about 1,400 sqft.

I picked up a 3rd convection heater 75-150k. Wondering if 1 is more effecient than 2??

-- Ben, Living the good life in Maine now (almost, just need to retire in 2 decades time)

I live in Nebraska, have a 14×22, well insulated shop. I use an oil filled electric radiator heater, 1500 watt and a 14 inch fan hanging from the ceiling. I have the heater set on 500 watt and leave it on all the time. Most of the winter it kept the shop at least 50 degrees during the night. When I go into the shop in the morning, I usually turn it up to 1000 watt. That has kept me toasty all last winter. Very seldom did I have to turn it full on to 1500 watt.

I also installed a 5000 BTU window A/C through the wall and that easily keeps me cool during the 90 degree weather.

Both ways, very inexpensive. Thanks.

Russ

-- Getting to be an antique - been there, done that, can't remember!

the size of my workshop two electric rads are fine

andy

-- cut it saw it scrap it

radiant tube heater. uses exterior air for combustion and vents outside too. less chance of booooooom

-- making sawdust....

Hey Jerry-

I don’t know what is the “best” way to heat a shop but here is how I do it. I have an outdoor stove that heats water that circulates through the shop, my wife’s studio the house and the garage, 6,000 square feet in all. It heats the buildings and hot water in the house and the shop. I am well satisfied with the system BUT it takes a lot of wood!

My best advice is “don’t cut the firewood bigger than your wife can handle”.

-- Denny, Upper Michigan

Solar, it works well as long as I knock down the snow and the sun is out.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3