I have tried VF heaters before and after i insulated my garage. Before insulation it wasted fuel and didn't ad any comfort. After insulating it caused serious moisture issues within hours as well as CO. Running with the doors and windows open lets most of the heat out. With what you waste in fuel you could pay for a vented heater.
I have a 45k Mr Heater in a 24x24 insulted building. I leave it set to 45deg or so when I'm not out there (it runs about 6 minutes per day to maintain this). If It's real cold out and I'm working out there it maintains 65 by running a few minutes an hour. (CHEAP)
2 interesting observations.
1) If I'm using solvents or running a vehicle I partially open a door and window to ventilate the work area. I also have opened the attic door at times for 15 minutes or so to carry parts up and down. When I do either my heater will run continuously. and the garage will cool right down.
2) I run my generator about once a month for maintenance purposes. Generator is running outside, cord run inside with a 1500w electric heater plugged in for a load, (Heater inside garage). The garage will actually warm up from 45 to 50-55 in less than an hour.
VF heaters are a poor option that cost more in fuel, provide CO and moisture and add very little comfort if you need to keep a door open to run them.
For occasional use in an insulated space, I would go electric. low cost to buy, no heat loss with doors open etc. I pay the ridiculous rate of .16 cents per Kwhr. Running one 1500 watt heater would cost .24 cents per hour. if you have 2 15 amp circuits you could run 2 to heat it up quicker for .48 cents per hour. Hopefully your rate per Kwhr is lower up there. 1 heater for 20 hours over a weekend is $2.40. Or get crazy and say 2 heaters for 20 hours $4.80 for a weekend. (your Rates per Kwhr may be lower than mine)
Now let's look at a 30k btu propane heater. 1 gal of propane contains 91600 btu, at say $3.50 per gal. Vent free heater is 100% efficient so it will cost about $1.15 per hour or $23 for the same 20 hours, to breath CO, work with the doors open, and soak your tools and insulation with moisture.
Your garage is attached? do you have hydronic heat in your house. You could run a loop out to the garage and install a heat exchanger with fan.
I have a 17,000 BTU NewAir G73 Garage Heater heater as well and I have had no issues at all with it. I keep the thermostat set at 50 degrees when I am not out there working and when I am working on a project I crank it up to 70 degrees.
I can't stand the smell from propane or Kerosene heaters so I use a 5000 watt electric heater to heat my two car garage. it is 26x26 with 10' ceilings. it is fairly well insulated and has insulated doors.
if it very cold, teens or single digits, I put the heater on an hour before i plan to go work in the garage. Once the garage is warmed up, it easily keeps the temperature comfortable. It just takes a little longer to get the temp up compared to the propane and Kerosene heaters I have for work.
i believe the heater was around $300. Plus i had to put a 240 volt outlet in my garage.
Dave
2017 Toyota Tundra
2013 M37S Infinity
2007 BMW 335i convertible
Currently using a Cadet, the Hot one, modelrcp502s. Runs off 220 with 30amp plug. Only use on weekends . I get the 2 car garage to 50F and just hold it there. Sits on top of an electric stove that we only use in the summer
I use an adjustable 30~50k for my single car garage and it works fine at the lowest setting, just need to set on high to melt the fenderwells behind the tires.
1st pic is of the heater in operation and the second is a picture of the indoor/outdoor thermometer showing ho cold it was outside that day
And pone when I pulled it outside in the setting Sun.
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