Heating uninsulated 2 car

[b_hill_86]

Just wondering if anyone has any advice or experience to offer. I have a small 2 car garage, 462 sq ft I’d like to get am some sort of heater for. It’s not insulated at all. I know insulating would be ideal but I have some challenges hindering that for the time being noted in my other garage post about rafter ties.

So in the meantime I’m looking for a fairly inexpensive alternative. I have a single head propane-top heater that will take the chill off a little bit it takes a while.

I’m considering a torpedo style which should heat quickly I think but there’s the drawback of needing to vent.

Also considered a 1500W electric infrared mounted over or near my workbench. I know that won’t heat the garage but the instant heat would be nice if I am doing work at the bench for a short time. I also thought that might warm the floor, workbench and other things within fits range a little which would be supplemented with another heat source maybe. Not sure which route to go for the time being until I can insulate.

I will say, I was cutting tile for a kitchen backsplash today in the garage. It probably got up in the middle to upper 30s today and was sunny which I’m sure helped but I ran my propane top heater along with my dads kerosene heater and even with having to open an overhead door each time I went in or out (don’t have a man door yet) it was warm enough that I didn’t wear a coat and even turned the propane one off for a little bit so I know it can be heated sufficiently just wondered if you guys had any success (or not) stories.

Thanks

[FormTA]

See if you can find a used house furnace. I picked mine up for free. No matter what source of heat you use you should at least put up some plastic on the ceiling or walls to help keep the heat in.

[b_hill_86]

Used house furnace isn’t a bad idea but where would one find on in working order? I also may have a solution to my lack of insulation so that will help.

[Updated71]

I've been in my garage a lot for a few hours each day in the past couple of weeks.  I have a propane heater, which people always say burns clean, but I still hate the fumes.  I rarely use it unless I'm desperate.
 It does a nice job hating it.  My garage is the same as yours size and insulation wise.

[roadking77]

I had a wall mounted vent free heater in my shop, I think it was around 30k btu. Shop is 16 x 30 with 10' high walls, cathedreal ceiling, but well insulated. That heater would run you out of the shop it worked so well. It broke and I have yet to replace. I use a portable propane fired pot heater. It will heat the area up in hurry as well. I also use it on the occasional jobsite when no heat is present. A portable type like that would be great for your garage to knock the cold down. At one time I had a dozen kerosene torpedo heaters. They work pretty good but I would not buy one today, probably go with propane. The torpedoes do put a tremendous amount of moisture in the air and are very noxious compared to the propane pot heater.

[b_hill_86]

Road kong, would you mind posting a link of something like that pot heater you’re talking about? I can’t picture one.

Updated, what kinda propane heater do you use?

My hope with a propane torpedo type would be that it’ll put enough heat out to heat quickly even with my windows open for ventilation.

[Updated71]

This is the one I have along with a large propane tank:

https://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Glo-Delux-RMC-FA125DGD-70-000/dp/B077ZRKY98/ref=sr_1_14?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAi_D_BRApEiwASslbJ5GwZAhpVrGL-OVawMmVmaTjnUOpQ7ONtX8vkfkN7N6l_xHMz0vbshoCwo4QAvD_BwE&hvadid=490225668135&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9021737&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1037876345428824905&hvtargid=kwd-1612294121&hydadcr=24631_13446750&keywords=dyna-glo+propane+heater&qid=1610406844&sr=8-14&tag=googhydr-20

[b_hill_86]

Thanks I appreciate it.

[Updated71]

You're welcome. Good luck on your quest.

[roadking77]

2021-01-12_12-20-19 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr
This is the pot heater I am using right now, kinda temp. until I get a real heater hooked up. This will roast you out of the space on full blast. I will run it at half for a bit then turn it off. Got it at HD for around $100.

2021-01-12_12-20-09 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr
This is the permanent mount wall heater that went bad. I used this for at least 10 yrs. I bought this from a local store for prob. close to $200 and had my gas guy hook it up.

2021-01-12_12-19-58 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr
I have this in my garage. Put it there about 3 yrs ago, bought it from Northern I think, not cheap it was probably $300 or so. I have yet to get it hooked up  , so no idea how it works. It needs a gas guy to make the connections, also needs a high ceiling. My garage is right at 10' which I think was the minimum. Garage is a 30' x 30'. I have been thinking about taking this one down and putting it in my shop instead. At the time I wanted heat in the garage because I was doing a bit of car work in there. I have since built a new shop.

[FormTA]

An all of the except the wall heater make sure you have adequate oxygen. The wall heater is the only one with a lo oxygen depletion sensor (shuts off the heater if the oxygen level gets too low). These are all ventless heaters and burn up the oxygen in the room. Most garages have enough natural vents (gaps and cracks) but just be mindful.

As for the furnace, I knew a guy who was just upgrading to a high efficiency unit.

[roadking77]

The wall heater I had was supposed to be safe for indoor use, just not a bedroom. The ceiling mount is also vent free and supposed to be safe. The pot heater.........................

[roadking77]

Luke, I have an oil furnace sitting idle in my attic. I swapped out with a gas unit a few years ago. Nothing wrong with it, just havent gotten around to carrying it down 2 flights and getting it hooked up in the new shop.

If I were looking for one, contact a couple of HVAC companies and have them be on the lookout for you. Like Luke mentioned, they may have an upgrade, or a customer like myself that switches fuel.

[b_hill_86]

Thanks for your responses. For the time being I ordered a torpedo style heater I got on sale and plan to use a plug in CO meter/detector for the reasons like and Kerry mentioned. That should get me by the rest of this winter (and maybe next depending how much garage progress I make). Once I have the garage better insulated I’m considering an oil filled radiant heater of some sort just to maintain above freezing and will supplement with another heat source if needed.

[roadking77]

I have one of the oil filled electric heaters we use in the family room just to knock off the chill. You would be surprised at how well they work.

[b_hill_86]

I have one of the oil filled electric heaters we use in the family room just to knock off the chill. You would be surprised at how well they work.

Good to know. I feel like once I insulate, even at 462 sq ft and outside temps below freezing an oil filled might be enough to keep the space above freezing. Only way to know will be to try someday.

[Jack]

Only problem with the oil filled heaters is that they radiate heat very slowly and you will need to keep it on all the time. Gas is more efficient but the key is insulation, you'll be surprised how little heat you need with good insulation. If you are not insulating this year poly sheets helps a lot to cut on air infiltrating and helps to maintain the heat.

[b_hill_86]

I actually planned on and hoped to run an oil filled all winter to keep above freezing. I thought that might be the easiest and most efficient way without running a gas line.

Hoping to start insulating this summer/fall but what do you mean when you say poly sheets?

[Jack]

https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Sheeting-Multiple-Transparent-Incredibly/dp/B087Z99R8C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=58613836040&dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiArvX_BRCyARIsAKsnTxNZEAjXc6T-HTeNheaTRn_YqM8faiwixpDCiHRPZKM6OAFJjUWjwmkaAk3TEALw_wcB&hvadid=274897713115&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9002061&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=18229126426579915856&hvtargid=kwd-297273272365&hydadcr=12163_10197799&keywords=poly+plastic+sheeting&qid=1610502563&sr=8-1-spons&tag=hydsma-20&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWkwwTDUxSk5XOFZBJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjAyMjM5MUdRVUU0NjZKRERaQSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDgzNzQyQUlOR0syVkI0T0FJJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Not sure if the link works but any large plastic sheeting works great, I would do something thick and make sure you tape the joints.

[b_hill_86]

Ah ok like Luke was saying. Maybe if I can’t get the ceiling insulated at least I will try some plastic next winter.

[FormTA]

Kerry,  my furnace is in my attic too,  but my garage attic. It was easy to vent out the roof that way and didn't take up valuable shop space. I  ran that flexible ductwork to 8 locations in the ceiling (24×50 shop). I shut off the front ones as that is now where my car sleeps separated by a wall now.