Two-car Garage Heater?

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C6H12O6

C6H12O6

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Anybody have recommendations for a small-ish space heater that will handle a two-car garage? I don't want to spend a ton and don't want it to be permanent, but I need something that will heat about 700 square feet.

I live in Oregon and I'm a bit of a pussy, so if it gets too cold, I won't even be out there. I'd just like to be able to keep it warm enough to wrench in a sweatshirt and jeans.
 
I am in the same boat and thought about a reznor natural gas heater hanging in the corner of the garage.

Thoughts??
 
There are a lot of choices here. YOu can go with a portable unit, electric or kerosene. Generally these will be floor units and there are tons of them on craigslist this time of year. With a Kerosene unit, you will need to open a window or door to vent a bit....you don't want to spend a lot of time breathing that effluent.

I ended up going with a ceiling mounted electric unit, one purchased from a mudder here. It runs on 220. Electric was more expensive than gas to operate, but it would have cost me hundreds more to run a natural gas line to the garage. I was able to run the 10 gauge wire myself and save a lot of cash. For the amount I will use it, electric made sense. There are also liquid propane heaters, which can be wall mounted with a tank outside.

Think about installation costs if you are going with larger and more fixed units.

A small kerosene heater might meet your needs quite well.

HTH
 
I was kind of hoping to hear the praises of the "Lil Buddy" heater or the satellite dish heater from Costco for around $50. :(

Yes, it gets cold here. My most immediate need is to make the garage bearable for our halloween party. Our guest list has grown larger than our living room. The garage would be great overflow, but it's just a bit too cold to hang out in there. After the party, there are always a handful of days/nights a year when I need to work out there when it is just too damn cold for it to be any fun at all.

Installing gas lines, running 220, etc. are not an option, as I don't think we're going to be in this house for too much longer. I'm really hoping to find a small portable system that will take the edge off. Am I totally dreaming when it comes to a <$100 portable unit doing the job?
 
I think that little satellite dish will work fine. They are toasty....my kids stand in front of them at Costco all the time. If you are going to have little kids in the garage, I would try and put the heater up somehow. Those things are notorious for falling over and starting fires.

Go get one and use it.....if it isn't up to the task then you can return it no problem.
 
Japan4X4 said:
13B-T with the turbo wired full open.
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I totally agree with that....haha. I know what will keep you warm while working in the oregon weather. Its called alcohol! haha works good for me:D
 
I have what amounts to a 6' portable baseboard heater with an oil filled heating element. The electricity heats a coil that, in turn, heats the oil. I bought it at Grainger. Good unit and heats the shop/2-car garage well here in Washington State.
 
WES1977 said:
my dad has one of these http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_21340_21340

He has a very large 4 stall metal building and it keeps it ok in the SC winter.

He doesn't run kerosene that often anymore.
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I can vouch for this one, it's probably the most kickass 110 volt heater you can buy. Most are around 5,000 watts. I used one of them for the first couple of years and then put this one in hardwired:http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200316377_200316377
 
I got a vent less propane heater at Lowe's a few years back and a 100 pound propane bottle. It will keep it pretty nice in my 30x50 shop while I am working in the Winter in Oklahoma. Plus it is somewhat portable and requires no electricity to operate. I did get the little electric fan to mount on the back and move air through it but it can run without it.

I have been very happy with this setup.
 
AATLAS1X said:
I am in the same boat and thought about a reznor natural gas heater hanging in the corner of the garage.

Thoughts??
Click to expand...

I have a Rezor 60K BTU in my garage and love it. It keeps the garage "shorts and a t-shirt" warm in -30 winters up here. I was border line between the 45 and 60K BTU units so I went with the bigger one for my garage (3 car).

http://www.rezspec.com/catalog-udap.html

3.jpg
 
Someone posted about using the infared propane heaters. It is a no-no to use those in enclosed spaces. Cracking a door is not going to ellimnate the risk of carbon monoxide toxicity. Those are best for areas with lots of ventilation (like a duck blind).
 
I put a pellet stove in my 24 x 47 garage and it heated up the place to where you could work on the coldest days. On days were it was not so cold, it make it nice.

No insulation and high ceilings. With a smaller garage and insulation with low ceilings it would run you out with heat.

Cost $700 at tractor supply and unlike a wood stove, it was super easy to install in just about two hours. Simple cut a hole in the wall. It came with the chimney.

Any wood stove or pellet stove or anything else that burns should be 18" of the ground.

-Stumbaugh
 
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