Garage Heating

[davidimurray]

Ok - I admit it - I'm getting soft. Last year I battled on through the winter - even having a few days in the garage where the toilet, kettle etc was frozen solid - in fact the fridge was keeping the milk warm so it was the only thing not frozen.

The weather reports are showing plunging temps the next few weeks so I'm thinking I might have to bite the bullet and buy a heater.

Anyone got any reccomendations ??? Looked at these -
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-Kw-Industrial-Heater-garage-workshop-electric-fan-/200538923031?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Hearing_Cooling_Air&hash=item2eb10d2017

Or there are some 3Kw versions around. Is electric the best to go for. The garage is a bigger than normal doubel, with full width steel roller shutter and tin roof.

[flyerncle]

You might find you will have to be close to it for any heat.

I run a commercial garage and its impossible to heat and usually warmer outside than in by 2/3 degrees.:eek:

[Davey]

Electric is an expensive way of heating any space and a large double garage with tin roof and double width metal door is going to be lousy at keeping the heat in. I'd put a ceiling in about four inches from the roof and insulate it, if you can manage to do something similar to your door you'll have a better chance of getting it warm and keeping it comfy.

Personally I'd opt for gas, either a radiant heater like this http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=6923&productdescription=gas%20heater&productcode=&category=0&catgroup=&catmicrogroup=&analysiscode=&requiredresults=16 or one of the Sealey type gas jet jobbys like this http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=6921&productdescription=&productcode=&category=18&catgroup=198&catmicrogroup=1355&analysiscode=&requiredresults=16.

The downside of the radiant one is it produces a very localised heat and might struggle to make the whole garage comfy, the other one is dearer but as it is basically a blown air heater it will distribute its heat better, obviously it is a lot dearer and they are quite noisy.

D.

[twinturbo]

I use a £10 3 bar halogen heater for localised warmth. Once I am moving about I generaly warm up and don't need much.

I was working in the garage a -5 outside last year...

TT

[davidimurray]

Cheers guys - looks like it might be better to invest in some more thermals :D

[Spikehaus]

I recommend a little devil propane heater, we had one of these in the workshop for the last two years, heats 1000 sq ft in about 1/2 hour if you use a large propane cylinder to get decent gas pressure. I think we paid about £50 in the preowned section in Machine Mart.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/little-devil-propane-fired-space-heater/path/space-heaters-workshop-heaters

This year we got fed up with the cold and the fume smell from the gas so we got a fixed powrmatic NV, but we are running a business from the premises!

[aerosam]

I use a cheap 2kw fan heater from argos, cost about a tenner. I put it on for an hour before I want to work in the garage and it makes a world of difference, especially when there is frost on the inside of the walls. If it's really cold I also use a 3 bar halogen heater aimed at where I'm working.

It works well, but last year i found that i had to turn them both off to use the welder, or it stays dark when i lift the mask up!

[mr henderson]

Fan heaters are great if you can insulate your working area. All you really need is a kind of tent, with no leaks, and it will be ok as it heats the air in which you are working.

[aerosam]

Yes Mr H quite right. I found my fan heater didn't do much until I hung curtains over the windows and put a draught excluder around the doorway, the difference that made was quite remarkable.

At least at the moment I have an extra blanket of snow on the roof to keep some more heat in :D