What to heat the garage with????

[PP1RT]

I like the idea of these but everybody I talk to says because they blow threw a tube then exhaust they aren't as effecient as a unit heater. Doesn't mean they'r not great but my primary concern is fuel usage, I'm looking at units that are 93% effecient.

Arent the unit heaters somewhat the same? Flame is blown into a tube and exhausted to the outdoors. Instead of radiating air is blown across the tubes that is curled up inside the heating unit?


The exhaust temp needs to be a certain temp level to eliminate condensation.

Radiant tubes have a much larger surface area to absorb heat.

Just thinking out loud. Seems to be no cut and dry perfect answer...

 

[747mopar]

I have been doing more reading and think no matter which route i go i am going to put 2" pink styrofoam and poly under the concrete to keep the slab at inside temp and dry. As long as i am doing that might as well run the pex too whether i use it or not right away.

Not a bad idea if you've got the doe to do so. I didn't spend the money because I'm well below grade on most of my walls and have a 3ft deep foundation which does wonders for preventing the cold from creeping in. I've wondered if gravel improves keeping the slab warm? R values come from being able to trap air just like running your water line inside of a 4" pipe prevents it from freezing. Foam and fiberglass do the same so wouldn't 6" of #57 trap a lot of air? Or am I stupid lol... I do know that my slab even without heat is noticeably warmer than our pole barn floor was.

 

[PP1RT]

Not a bad idea if you've got the doe to do so. I didn't spend the money because I'm well below grade on most of my walls and have a 3ft deep foundation which does wonders for preventing the cold from creeping in. I've wondered if gravel improves keeping the slab warm? R values come from being able to trap air just like running your water line inside of a 4" pipe prevents it from freezing. Foam and fiberglass do the same so wouldn't 6" of #57 trap a lot of air? Or am I stupid lol... I do know that my slab even without heat is noticeably warmer than our pole barn floor was.

The way i am understanding it is the earth is a fairly stable temp. When the air temp is lower than that the slab will work as a radiant heat source. If the air temp is above the soil and slab temp the earth will absorb the heat being applied to the slab. Any radiant heat source will have to work much harder to overcome the heat drain on the floor.

 

[EARLY B]

If you want to add a lift of some sort or anything else that you need to sink anchors in the floor how do you know you wont hit a line?
That is my concern.

A heat gun or infred camera will show the locations of the tubes

 

[Don selleck]

decisions, decisions,

 

[Glenwood]

I like the idea of these but everybody I talk to says because they blow threw a tube then exhaust they aren't as effecient as a unit heater. Doesn't mean they'r not great but my primary concern is fuel usage, I'm looking at units that are 93% effecient.

The thing is they heat more evenly compared to unit heaters. Mine is on LP and heats the 28x36 shop quickly and evenly. It is not as good as the in slab radiant heating, but works well for me.

 

[mopar 3 B]

I live in a place where it actually gets REALLY cold. For many months on end. I have a 24x40x12h garage that I heat with a radiant tube heater. It's the way to go.
My previous garage was smaller and had a boiler with in floor heating pipes. It was not as good.

It is real hard to thaw perma frost with in floor radiant heat isn't it. Got to put more insulation under that floor. Not everyone knows hot water freezes faster than cold.
In your environment you got to keep the water running all the time.

 

[philcollins]

It is real hard to thaw perma frost with in floor radiant heat isn't it. Got to put more insulation under that floor. Not everyone knows hot water freezes faster than cold.
In your environment you got to keep the water running all the time.

Frost goes down, not sideways. We had a major power shortage last winter, 10 days without power, temps as low as 10 F. Didn't have any problem at all. You could use glycol instead of water if you want to be safe. The company who manufacture my unit told me not to worry about freezing pipe and glycol.

I use this to insulate the floor. Was well worth the expense.

http://www.polyform.com/hydrofoam-en

 

[skicker]

All of the different methods to heat have advantages and disadvantages...What you want to do in the space dictates what will work the best...I wanted heat with no dust...no fan blowing dust around along with no exposed flame.
I plan on doing my own painting from now on since painters are so unpredictable and expensive...I needed heat that would allow me to do that...I won't paint a lot but I know I can when needed...
I know everyone thinks pex in the floor is the most expensive but for me it was the best solution for what I wanted.
The overhead radiant would work well in certain situations but for me with a cathedral ceiling and a lift I felt it would be too close to the cars on the lift.
I used 1 1/2" Foil faced insulation under the slab on grade portion...the elevated slab I hope does allow some heat to go down to partially heat the basement.
When I get everything finished I'll know if I made the right decision...
Just figure out what you want the space for Devin...

 

[mopar 3 B]

Frost goes down, not sideways. We had a major power shortage last winter, 10 days without power, temps as low as 10 F. Didn't have any problem at all. You could use glycol instead of water if you want to be safe. The company who manufacture my unit told me not to worry about freezing pipe and glycol.

I use this to insulate the floor. Was well worth the expense.

http://www.polyform.com/hydrofoam-en

You are right to a point but were the canadian po lives before winter is over 10 degress will feel like a 70 degree heat wave were most of us live.

 

[oldbee]

Gotta tell a funny story about yrs ago working in a tractor/trailer shop.30+ guys on any one shift, anyway when the floors started getting too bad we brought out the soap/diesel mix to cover the floor & then hose it down. We had the old fanforced Reznor htrs hanging off ceiling, I was walking down hallway to trailer shop & saw a fine mist floating upward. Yup, it got close to one htr & “whump “ big ball of fire. We turned off the htrs after that!

 

[mopar 3 B]

Gotta tell a funny story about yrs ago working in a tractor/trailer shop.30+ guys on any one shift, anyway when the floors started getting too bad we brought out the soap/diesel mix to cover the floor & then hose it down. We had the old fanforced Reznor htrs hanging off ceiling, I was walking down hallway to trailer shop & saw a fine mist floating upward. Yup, it got close to one htr & “whump “ big ball of fire. We turned off the htrs after that!

Some one said them fumes stayed less than 30 inches off the floor. Maybe just maybe is thats for natural gas and propane only?

 

[oldbee]

Some one said them fumes stayed less than 30 inches off the floor. Maybe just maybe is thats for natural gas and propane only?

I think the soap mix started the 10’ rise toward the heater.

 

[Hemirunner]

I think I used $900 worth of pex and related pieces and had it in there 3 years before ever hooking it up. There’s 2” of foam under that and gravel under the foam. Radiant in floor heat is by far the most comfortable, most versatile and least expensive heat long term. The only forwarning is have that foam and related area treated with some type of carpenter ant/termite repellent. Damn ants love that stuff!

Forgot to mention that I also have 3’+ frost footings. The floor was poured after the building was a finished shell. If I can afford in floor radiant, anyone can lol.

 

[malex]

I've got in-floor heat in my garage and it is very nice heat. I keep it at about 70 degrees all winter and work in my shirt sleeves. Recovery time is fast after driving in or out. Snow, ice melts off of vehicles fast. I find that in February / March it gets too warm though, have doors open a bit some days. Reason being that the nights get cold, boiler fires up to maintain the temp. Come morning the slab is toasty warm and when the sun gets cooking It gets warm inside. I also have an in floor drain and wash vehicles all winter long inside. Some days it's pretty humid in there with the wet warm slab.

 

[493 Mike]

The difference between in floor radiant and "scorched air" is like night and day. I keep my main shop at 60*-2 hydronic unit heaters and my wood shop at the same 60*-in floor radiant. No one that walks through the door believes the t-stats are set the same.
I also have in floor radiant in my 3 stall parking garage. I have in set at 45-50*. It's really nice to find a warm, dry vehicle in the morning when it is snowy and cold outside!
Mike

 

[B-mine]

Hey, I have a friend who has a shop, block walls, twin Tee roof, no insulation, 40' x 60', he has the radiant hanging heat. In winter, 20 to 30 degree's, takes about an hour to take the chill off, another hour to get to temp, that's not running it overnight. Its configured in an EL shape, about 10' off the back wall, and splits the shop in half, runs on propane. See the links, hope this will help.
http://www.infraredinfo.com/Article_1.html
http://www.spaceray.com/

 

[jason79]

A heat gun or infred camera will show the locations of the tubes

Really easy to find the tubes. Get the floor wet with the heat running. In about 10 minutes you will know where every line is.

 

[747mopar]

The difference between in floor radiant and "scorched air" is like night and day. I keep my main shop at 60*-2 hydronic unit heaters and my wood shop at the same 60*-in floor radiant. No one that walks through the door believes the t-stats are set the same.
I also have in floor radiant in my 3 stall parking garage. I have in set at 45-50*. It's really nice to find a warm, dry vehicle in the morning when it is snowy and cold outside!
Mike

Lol, scorched air can be a good thing when you've got bodywork going on. I've had plenty of issues dealing with humidity here in Ohio, scorched air is my friend.

 

[bm02tj]

Humidity is only removed by ventilation
Old natural draft units caused ventilation