Heating Garage /Semi Insulated

So I am trying to find a way to heat my garage most efficiently - I have a 2 car garage that I park the wife’s 4Runner in during cold months - but I have a workshop area out there that I like to work in throughout the winter - The issue is that of course it gets cold - I have 220 wired up out there and have an old Harbor Freight heater with blower that is super loud and doesn’t seem to heat things up very quickly - I also have one of those electric Amish Fireplaces that warms up area around it well but not for the greater good. Just looking for some good ideas to keep the garage warm - and quieter - and efficiently thru this Colorado winter.

Thanks!

 

how big of space? Can you put a wood stove in?

 

Define Semi-Insulated?

 

Oil drum wood heater, easy to make n great heater. Just 2 old drums some welding and piping. Works great, just keep oil rags far awsy.

 

insulated garage door - walls are plastered to masonary to outside - on two walls - kitchen on third side - insulated there obviously

 

Ceiling?

 

I picked up a second hand pellet stove for my uninsulated workshop. Works well. A wood burning heater would probably be less hassle, tho.

 

Ceiling insulated

 

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MI94vljZqp2AIVlrXACh1SfQQREAQYASABEgIHufD_BwE

 

Interesting, I was just about to search this forum for the same question.

While I'm not trying to achieve "comfort" warmth in my garage, although it's a nice bonus, what I'm trying to accomplish is solving the moisture issue I have.

I have a small true single car garage. Fully insulated except the garage door (the two exterior walls are R-19 fiberglass bats, the third wall that shares the interior is blown in cellulose and the ceiling is R-30 bats). When I pull the car or truck in with snow all packed on the underside/wheel wells, or covered in snow or rain, the runoff pools on my concrete floor for a couple of days until it eventually evaporates (Colorado is an arid climate).

However that moisture is wreaking havoc on anything metallic in my garage. My floor jack is rusted, my tool chest is getting rust spots on any area where the finish is compromised, hell some of my tools are starting to get surface rust on them.

So I was looking to either install a ceiling fan and constantly leave it on or heat the garage somehow.

Radiant floor heating seems completely inefficient... wouldn't all the heat get sucked down into the foundation/ground? I've looked at some of those air exchanges and that tube linked above seems interesting.

Electric is preferred as I have a PV solar system on the house. Efficiency is obviously preferred.

Any suggestions for my issue?

Thanks in advance.

 

Put a floor drain in tie it into your septic. Make sure nobody is watching. Properly done infloor hear is one of the best way too heat a space. But most expensive on existing structures.

 

I don't have a septic. Just city sewer. And I remember reading a post on another forum that also said "make sure nobody is watching"

There is a chance that I will be demo'ing this garage and building a 2+ with a master suit over it. I am still unsure of how efficient infloor radiant heating would be in the concrete slab.

 

New garage go infloor heat. Existing go gas heater. Infloor keeps the floor warm which keeps your feet from getting cold after being there for a while while radiating to the air to heat the room. You insulate all around it including underneath and it is very efficient as it takes a while to heat but the loss is low. You open the garage and lose all of the warm air but the floor stays warm so you close it up and the heat radiates quickly back into the air while the floor stays warm the whole time.

Since my garage was existing I went with the gas heater. I keep it on all winter because I work in there year round. If I am cutting long lengths of metal I shut it off and make my cuts then close the garage door again. It heats back up fast and compared to wood or pellet stoves it wins hands down in convenience. When it gets really cold the room may be warm but the floor can still be cool.

 

Does it freeze inside the garage? if not maybe get a dehumidifier and just add a wall heater for such a space

 

Great idea. Something I am looking to do myself as we are 100 yards off the lake and summer humidity can be an issue in the garage. I think in the OP’s case he needs to address the standing water first. (Edit - it wasn’t the OP who had the standing water from snow melt - my bad.).

 

Definitely

 

Neighbor recommended if you ever build a shop to put a floor drain in for this reason...at least up here where it snows most winters.

 

Father-in-law has the in-floor heat - AMAZING!!! Thought it was a joke initially, but after being in his shop in all weather over the years it is awesome. I think his only other heat is a small gas, radiant heater towards the ceiling (has at least 12' walls).

I'm a believer!!!

 

It doesn't freeze. It melts pretty readily.

A dehumidifier sounds like a good idea.

 

Kind of a pain but maybe get one of those large broom handle floor squeegie and once the snow melts drive the car(s) out and squeegie out the water then drive back in. My neighbor did this