Garage Heater

[4ohSick]

Long story long, we had our boiler replaced with a high efficiency furnace and central air in the house, so the attached garage is no longer heated. Looking at all the available options, I realize I’m wholly unqualified to make this decision, so might as well engage the HT faithful.

House was built in ‘73, garage is fully insulated (but overall insulation in the house is only decent), and is 20x20 with 8’4” ceilings and a 16’x7’ insulated door. There’s natural gas available, but I feel much more comfortable DIY-ing electrical than gas.

The Hot Dawg type LNG overhead heaters all require 8’ clearance from the bottom of the unit, I assume to make sure it isn’t hit by a vehicle? Would I pay out the ears to keep my garage at 50° in Helena with an electric ceiling-mounted heater? A Rinnai direct vent wall furnace would be an option too, but I’d rather be in the hundreds rather than thousands for this thing.

Bonus points for anyone in Montana with our climate and utility rates (Nothwestern Energy), but I’m grateful for any input!

 

[ccc23454]

I have hotdawgs in both of mine with low temp thermostats and couldnt be happier

 

[BrentD]

Long story long, we had our boiler replaced with a high efficiency furnace and central air in the house, so the attached garage is no longer heated. Looking at all the available options, I realize I’m wholly unqualified to make this decision, so might as well engage the HT faithful.

House was built in ‘73, garage is fully insulated (but overall insulation in the house is only decent), and is 20x20 with 8’4” ceilings and a 16’x7’ insulated door. There’s natural gas available, but I feel much more comfortable DIY-ing electrical than gas.

The Hot Dawg type LNG overhead heaters all require 8’ clearance from the bottom of the unit, I assume to make sure it isn’t hit by a vehicle? Would I pay out the ears to keep my garage at 50° in Helena with an electric ceiling-mounted heater? A Rinnai direct vent wall furnace would be an option too, but I’d rather be in the hundreds rather than thousands for this thing.

Bonus points for anyone in Montana with our climate and utility rates (Nothwestern Energy), but I’m grateful for any input!

I had a Hot Dawg in my Iowa woodshop. I did not like it and eventually threw it out for a Reznor. I do not recommend it. Mine ran on propane.

But I would never do electric. Nope. Way too much $$$

 

[Hem]

I have a Berko in my insulated garage, and one in insulated shop.
Two different sizes.
I keep the shop ( 24' x 40') at 45 degrees through the winter. The garage ( 22' x 25') I keep at 50 during cold winter days cuz the dogs have a kennel they can access from outside.
I made a point of insulating well. I think my power bill through Vigilante Coop goes up about $35- $40 max each month when I run the heaters via stat.

 

[Nick_CO]

I installed this King electric heater and have been really happy with it. You would need a 240 Volt outlet for it and it's like running a dryer so not terribly energy efficient but I can get my 2 car garage toasty warm pretty fast even when it's below zero outside. I tend to only use it when I will be working in the garage so it may not be the heater you want if you need constant around the clock heat. I think it cost me about $375 back in 2019.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Idk if you can swing it as far as room area - but i think its hard to beat a thermostat controlled pellet stove.

 

[Hem]

 

[cgasner1]

Mini split so you have ac also and be lucky your not paying co op prices

 

[Hem]

Mini split so you have ac also and be lucky your not paying co op prices

A/C in the garage?

 

[Wildabeest]

My place in UT came with this natural gas heater already installed. It’s thermostatically controlled, but I’ve never turned it on.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Mini split so you have ac also and be lucky your not paying co op prices

Hey now YVEC is cheaper than Northwestern

 

[cgasner1]

A/C in the garage?

To go with the squat rack and deadlift platform ow ya im a cold weather creature. Before you guys make jokes it’s my wife’s she “wanted nice shit” since I was going to kodiak

 

[cgasner1]

Hey now YVEC is cheaper than Northwestern

Orange man bad is actually about them

 

[Elktrack]

 

[Hem]

To go with the squat rack and deadlift platform ow ya im a cold weather creature. Before you guys make jokes it’s my wife’s she “wanted nice shit” since I was going to kodiak

I have a workout portion in my shop. I shut the heat off by mid March. This gives the slab a chance to cool down. Once cool, it keeps the shop cooler than outside for better part of the summer.
Strategy doesn't work for garage.
Vigilante Co op Is significantly cheaper than NorthWestern.

 

[brockel]

Pellet stove for me

 

[buckbull]

View attachment 338365

We heated are 1000 sq ft cabin with that exact one. Only complaint was it was pretty noisy when it kicked off and on.

 

[grizzly_]

I've got a hanging garage heater and it works well. My next house will be a pellet stove with thermostat since it's so easy to control the spend and I'll know exactly how much fuel it's consuming. There's something good about that heat too

 

[Elktrack]

We heated are 1000 sq ft cabin with that exact one. Only complaint was it was pretty noisy when it kicked off and on.

It is a little noisy but in the garage I don’t mind it.

 

[4ohSick]

You had me all excited with this one.

I have a Berko in my insulated garage, and one in insulated shop.
Two different sizes.
I keep the shop ( 24' x 40') at 45 degrees through the winter. The garage ( 22' x 25') I keep at 50 during cold winter days cuz the dogs have a kennel they can access from outside.
I made a point of insulating well. I think my power bill through Vigilante Coop goes up about $35- $40 max each month when I run the heaters via stat.

And then crushed me with this one.

Vigilante Co op Is significantly cheaper than NorthWestern.

What is your $/KwH? Mine comes out to ~ $0.13/KwH for delivery and service, although I'm sure that there will be another double digit percentage increase soon. I would imagine with only one heater and less square footage to heat, my monthly increase for an electric heater would be in the same ballpark as yours even with higher rates and a little lower R-value.