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Garage heater?

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:12 pm
by chodjinn
Winter is here and I've finally decided to get myself a heater for the garage, can anyone recommend me one? Not massively expensive if possible!

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:53 pm
by Ian Anderson
Probably need to give us an idea of Size, available energy sources etc.

A friend has a big workshop and fitted a wood burner - works great Downside is you have naked flame and potential fire risk

Next would be a gas boiler and a couple of radiators or preferably under floor heating

If going electric Infra Red warms you but not the surrounding but misses you when under a car or not in direct line of sight - also electric consumption is high

Or an aircon system - supposedly the most efficient way of heatin air after gas fired radiators

Ian

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:02 pm
by r2d2hp
I have just bought a paraffin space heater. Heats my small garage in about 2 minutes. It also has a thermostat so cuts in and out but would not want to leave it running unattended. 800 degrees C from its nozzle

http://www.trueshopping.co.uk/product/T ... 88087.html

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:14 pm
by chodjinn
Yeah sorry a bit more info might have helped. I have a large garage/workshop about the size of two large single garages. I have had crappy fan heaters in there before but was looking for something a bit better. I only have normal power sockets out there, and there is no ventilation really (apart from the hole in the bottom of the door ....). I'm looking for something portable, not permanent.


And that heater is way too big! And expensive!

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 4:05 pm
by v8250
chodjinn, the best way the heat a garage is to insulate it. i've used thermal foil on battoned walls and also lined the rear of the garage door; it works superbly. garage is a large double with 1st floor too. on cold days i switch on one of these to take any chill out of the air...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-st-02 ... 000w/82001

on really cold days i wear thermals under the overalls and find this the most comfortable way of keeping warm during the winter. have two sets of thermals for garage use, both over 23 years old now and still going strong. try blacks camping shop for these...cheap as chips...

http://www.blacks.co.uk/s:thermals/mens/br:peter-storm/

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:13 pm
by DaveEFI
If it's the normal poorly insulated garage, space heating is just throwing money away.

An infra red heater to heat just yourself is the best way.

Information gleaned from a lifetime of location filming. :D

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:51 pm
by r2d2hp
Well being the space heater was only £90 and we have an oil burner it is a cheap option to me. I am getting on a bit now and suffer from the cold so the space heater can add 10 degrees to the temp in a matter of minutes so ideal in my case.

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:45 pm
by katanaman
Infrared is what I use in the small garage and a home made waste oil burner in the big garage. Don't get a propane heater, there is far too much water comes from them leaving everything soaking wet with condensation. Not good on metal parts

Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:59 pm
by stevieturbo
Dont get mixed up with what some list as IR, and the likes of the red light quartz halogen types.

I bought a Sealey Infra Red heater a year or so ago, not a bad heater, but really only effective at close range.

I got this one, mainly for the remote control lol

http://www.carlex.co.uk/sealey-iwmh2003 ... -230v.html

I ended up mounting on a pole so I could move it near where I was working as anything over a few feet away it was useless. Although a lot of that would depend how big the area is you're trying to heat, and how well or poorly insulated it is.

maybe something like this ready made, comes under patio heaters

http://www.gardenchic.co.uk/la-hacienda ... table-p664

The red light quartz halogen lamps will heat you over a distance, the type of thing you see outside some pubs etc, electric patio heater type thing
Some some differ when they all claim IR etc, not sure. But my Sealey IR one is crap over distance, a friend has a proper red light type, and it's great over distance.

Other options ?

http://www.pinnaclewholesalers.com.au/i ... eater.html

http://www.plantsplus.co.uk/outdoor-liv ... ight-p1345

http://www.gardenfurnitureworld.com/p/O ... alogen.htm


If you can install a wood burning stove with external flue, long term it would be cost effective, as you can get fuel cheap, or make DIY paper logs from junk mail etc.

but any heater that burns fuel, must have adequate ventilation or an external flue

Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:17 am
by chodjinn
My garage is like from the 30s and very poorly insulated. It's basically a single brickwall with corrugated concrete for a roof (which leaks). Insulating it is not an option, if I was to do anything I should fit a new roof, but I'm not going to do that!

I think the patio style light things might be the way to go, they're not ridiculously expensive.

Stevie I saw a couple of decent portable quartx bar heaters on ebay recently, similar to the lights just a bit more substantial?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272029598831? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:37 am
by v8250
If the roof is leaking why not replace with a pre-insulated Kingspan type roofing material. It's a little pricey new but can be readily picked up at a good price second hand.

Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:37 am
by v8250
If the roof is leaking why not replace with a pre-insulated Kingspan type roofing material. It's a little pricey new but can be readily picked up at a good price second hand.

Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:52 pm
by chodjinn
v8250 wrote:If the roof is leaking why not replace with a pre-insulated Kingspan type roofing material. It's a little pricey new but can be readily picked up at a good price second hand.
For that exact reason, cost. The roof area is quite large. And I'd have to get someone to do it.

If I was gonna reroof it, I'd just strip the panels, fit a load of boarding (I can get it cheap) and put some roofing felt down. I've been meaning to do it for years but other things always get in the way!

Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:14 pm
by stevieturbo
chodjinn wrote:My garage is like from the 30s and very poorly insulated. It's basically a single brickwall with corrugated concrete for a roof (which leaks). Insulating it is not an option, if I was to do anything I should fit a new roof, but I'm not going to do that!

I think the patio style light things might be the way to go, they're not ridiculously expensive.

Stevie I saw a couple of decent portable quartx bar heaters on ebay recently, similar to the lights just a bit more substantial?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272029598831? ... EBIDX%3AIT
Something like that will defo give you good heat and quickly.

As others have said, the likes if insulated kingspan would be a quick fix for the roof and also help the heat situation

Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 3:32 pm
by v8250
stevieturbo wrote:As others have said, the likes if insulated kingspan would be a quick fix for the roof and also help the heat situation
Have a friend who has a workshop at home, huge timber framed structure and fully clad and sealed with Kingspan walls and roof. It is the most practical garage one could ask for...controls humidity superbly, totally watertight and is the most comfortable place in which to work.