Garage heater?

[Reidak]

Hey everyone,

I have a single car garage that's been converted into a home gym. I live in Toronto, it gets pretty cold in the winter. I wanted to know if it would be feasible to heat it enough to where it's warm enough to not freeZe my ass off.

Thanks in advance

[urbanlifter]

This is currently the same issue i'm having right now, freezing my @ss off in the garage in the winter. I have tried a couple different heaters (air circulating and convection) and neither have been able to even heat a small portion of the garage and I have dry walled and insulated it. I was looking into getting a 10,000 BTU kerosene heater that is supposed to be able to heat 1000sq feet and they advertise it being safe to use indoors. Not sure how practcal it would be though to constantly add kerosene to it and how long it would take to warm the area up. Then I considered juts buying an actual natural gas heater and mounting it to the wall.

Anyone else have any good ideas?

[one.lifter]

I insulated my garage door and bought a Dayton utility heater:

http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/garage-gym.html

[soccerx16]

i have a rather large garage as well, its a two car garage but it could be a three but the side space is used for tools and stuff.. i use a propane tank with an attachment.. looks like this and it works great

[boxertim]

this is what i do...and i live in winnipeg...which makes toronto seem like florida.

i run a 120V ceramic space heater (it is branded as a utility ceramic space heater). i keep it on full but it is plugged into an outlet that is controlled by a thermostat. I keep it at 10 celcius and whenever i walk into the garage (in the winter) it is 7 celcius.

30-45 min before my workout i turn the thermostat to full and i turn on a second heater (on the low setting so i don't blow a fuse). when i get into the garage it is 13-16 celcius depending on how cold it is outside.

hope that helps.

tim

[ira_est_a_donum]

I just was reading on lifehacker about some home made solar heaters... now this probably will not apply or make much of a difference in those areas where its snowing and cloudy all the time etc.... but it doesnt sound like too bad of a idea for basically free heat... also there was some other article about a scrap wood burning heater that is supposed to be really super efficient at heating a space

on a side note I time my laundry for a workout so that I use the dryer to dry my clothes 20-30 minutes before I workout like one or 2 times a week... and I have the dryer vent off and that excess heat and humidity pumps into the garage and adds a little heat... but I live in South Texas...so winter is awesome to workout in... layer and 10 minutes into the workout its a really nice temp....

but our summers are BRUTAL... hot and humid... I think next summer all my workouts will be in the living room with my new ironmaster bench, dip, pullup, leg and crunch attachments...powerblock dumbbells...Ill bring in my trap bar and some 45s for deadlifts and such... but man I dont think I can do another summer where in july and august its 110 outside... so the garage is like an oven...and the humidity is way way up... its brutal!!!!!!!

[daniel327]

What about a reverse cycle air conditioner?

They are allegedley the most energy effiecnt heating appliance available, and if necessary you can crank it on cool in the summer to make your workout space bearable.

My gym was 35 deg Celcius (~95 deg F) and 85% Humidity when I went to do a deadlift session earlier today.

However, within minutes I was comfortably (environment wise) busting my a$$ with my barbell.

[henry]

I have a converted single car garage that is attached to my house. I ran a 4" duct off my furnace from the house to this garage, this keeps my garage about 50F when the temp outside is 20F.

You could use any size duct or multiple ducts if needed usually you have to go through a block foundation to do this, but its fairly easy if you have a concrete drill bit.

I turn on a propane heater prior to using the room to bring the temp up to about 70F in 10 minutes time.Using some heaters will bring up the Carbon monoxide levels, sometimes I can feel this when doing cardio.

I plan on covering the concrete floor with 2" foam board and plywood, the cold concrete is the main source of the cold air.

[keeko]

I like the idea of having a propane heater; they installed something like that in a garage on this old house one episode and it seemed quite effective, although I believe it was installed into the wall and was hooked up to the house's propane system...

[urbanlifter]

I insulated my garage door and bought a Dayton utility heater:

http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/garage-gym.html

Thanks for this link! After looking at the options I think this looks like the best thing to do, and the reverse air conditioner mentioned above looks interesting also. After looknig at my garage I need to finish dry walling over the top of the garage door, buy two kits to insulate the door itself, and then figure out how to install a heater similair to the Dayton utility heater. I'm no electrician though, I wonder if Lowes has some type of install package for cheap, or do you think it is easy enough for a do-it-yourself type of person to figure out?

[cgc]

I insulated my garage door and bought a Dayton utility heater:

http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/garage-gym.html

I like the idea of insulating the garage door...but there has got to be a cheaper way than the $100 kit in that link.

And I'm going to half to break down and get a heater. My back was trying to cramp up on me Saturday while doing deadlifts....not a fun feeling.

[one.lifter]

Thanks for this link! After looking at the options I think this looks like the best thing to do, and the reverse air conditioner mentioned above looks interesting also. After looknig at my garage I need to finish dry walling over the top of the garage door, buy two kits to insulate the door itself, and then figure out how to install a heater similair to the Dayton utility heater. I'm no electrician though, I wonder if Lowes has some type of install package for cheap, or do you think it is easy enough for a do-it-yourself type of person to figure out?

The heater runs on 240v, so I hired a retired electrician who ran the line and installed the 40amp breaker. I think he charged me $100.

[one.lifter]

I like the idea of insulating the garage door...but there has got to be a cheaper way than the $100 kit in that link.

And I'm going to half to break down and get a heater. My back was trying to cramp up on me Saturday while doing deadlifts....not a fun feeling.

Cheaper way: Home depot-loews-menards have pink styrofoam insulation that you can cut to fit the panels in your door. The "R" value of the garage door insulation kit is higher though...

[cgc]

Cheaper way: Home depot-loews-menards have pink styrofoam insulation that you can cut to fit the panels in your door. The "R" value of the garage door insulation kit is higher though...

Dur....use R-board in stead. I'm betting you can get R-board rated about the same and then put the alum tape over it as well. Should work just as well....might have to do this as it has gotten pretty cold the past week...lol.


**Edit - FYI
I did find the kit at Home Depot cheaper than $100
http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Ma...atalogId=10053

[jfindon]

I just use a propane heater *shrugs* Mine is 38000BTU and heats up my basement in about 15 minutes.

[cgc]

I just use a propane heater *shrugs* Mine is 38000BTU and heats up my basement in about 15 minutes.

You don't have an issue with fumes?

[henry]

If your house is heated with propane, you can add almost any type of propane heater to your main supply.

The regulator for the house brings the pressure down to the correct range, if the heater comes with a regulator you remove it, or the gas pressure will be so low, it wont light.

The heater you buy should have the pressure requirements in the spec sheet ,you can double check to see if the pressures match your home.

I would always have a carbon monoxide alarm in any room that uses a vent free propane heater ,some heaters now come with a low oxygen sensor built in .

[McJimmie]

Hey everyone,

I have a single car garage that's been converted into a home gym. I live in Toronto, it gets pretty cold in the winter. I wanted to know if it would be feasible to heat it enough to where it's warm enough to not freeZe my ass off.

Thanks in advance

What sort of heating do you have in the house ?

[urbanlifter]

Dur....use R-board in stead. I'm betting you can get R-board rated about the same and then put the alum tape over it as well. Should work just as well....might have to do this as it has gotten pretty cold the past week...lol.


**Edit - FYI
I did find the kit at Home Depot cheaper than $100
http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Ma...atalogId=10053

Excellent, that kits looks exactly like the same thing selling for over $100 on amazon! I think i'm going to do my best to better the insulation first, then see if a couple smaller electric heaters will help get the job done. I'm not looking to have it 70 degrees and sunny in there, just warm enough so i'm not shivering in between sets. Then if that fails i'll look into getting an electrician to help install a larger more permanent solution. I had been eyeballing the propane and kerosene heaters because of simplicity, but I'm just not excited about the long term effects of inhaling the carbon monoxide. Even if its within so called "Safe" levels, with my asthma the ole lungs arent the strongest to begin with.

[Bluerex]

I use a heater that looks similar to the Dayton one posted, but it is run on propane. From my experience electric heaters can cost a ton to run. Propane is cheap and very efficient.

Another option not mentioned is a wood stove, it will be free to heat, as long as you have access to wood you can cut. Only down sides are it takes a bit to heat up and dries the air out. That is what I had prior to propane.

[rockboyz]

I found a used ventless natural gas heater. Keeps my three stall garage 50 degrees on low. Cant beat it when it's 15 outside!

[jfindon]

You don't have an issue with fumes?

The only time it smells is if I turn it down or off completely. My basement is divided in half, so when I'm too hot I shut it off and carry it to the other side.

[Qusha]

I realize this is an old thread, but I keep running across these old discussions and finding I have suggestions or better info to offer.

I have to say that the use of ventless heaters won't get much support around here.
A lot of folks who are connected with the heating industry take a very dim view of these types of heaters.

In Canada and some parts of the US they are not allowed to be used because of the potential of poisoning by carbon monoxide.
I know Minnesota doesn't allow them but I'm unsure of other states.

How these things work is that under ideal conditions the flame burns with over 99% efficiency where the carbon monoxide that is emmited is within the allowable amount.
The type of safety they use measures the amount of oxygen in the air and when the oxygen begins to be depleted they shut the heater off.
In many peoples eyes this is thought to place to much empasis on people's safety with a single mechanical device.

I have a two car garage I do a lot of work in. 22x22 The walls are insulated but the door is not. When it's 30 to 40 outside, it's in the 50's inside. I was looking for a propane heater but took a electric heater we got at Costco. It's one of the Parabolic dish types and it will get garage up to the mid 60's to 70 degree's.

This isn't the exact one we have but something like it.Costco - Presto HeatDish Parabolic Heater Plus Footlight.
I also have 1300 watt halogen lights and if I'm polishing I have them on anyway and they put out quite a bit of heat.

[Denis12341]

Your garage is a part of your house, and it is the first area that you see when you enter your home. It is also one of the most difficult places to keep clean. Dirt and debris from the garage floor can get tracked into your home. A garage floor mat can help to solve some common problems associated with garage floors. There are a number of reasons why you should consider a garage floor mat for your home. This guide will help you to choose the best mat for you

[christin101]

you can try Fahrenheat FUH54 240-volt ..