It is getting to be that time of the year, ugh, when cold weather will soon be here. I am looking for a portable heater to heat my two car garage where I have my detailing business. The garage is surrounded on 2 sides by living spaces and the 3rd wall is next to my (twin home) neighbors garage wall and the garage door is insulated. Ideally the temp needs to be around 50-60 for the polishes, etc to work properly. I used a 2 burner unit on top of a propane tank last year and it was ok but did not distribute the heat very well. A manager at Lowes recommended their Dyna-Glow kerosene heater which puts out 23,000 BTU's and can warm a 1000 Sq. Ft. space. It sells for $144. I googled it and found reviews to be "glowing" in terms of heat distribution, ease of use and run time. One reviewer lives in upstate NY and he commented it was adequate for his uninsulated 2 car garage. One tank on high lasts about 8 hours. Of course ventilation is necessary and that is no problem. K1 kerosene is recommended for burning. Are there other options anyone could recommend. Thanks.

 

I would be interested in this as well though my first thing will be to insulate my garage which I am working on. I assume that gas is more efficient than electric though it would be nice to just plug it in.

 

Google Barn Heaters and check those out.

fltsfshr

 

I use a propane fired torpedo heater that works great. One concern I do have is venting. Any open flame/non-vented heater is consuming the oxygen in the room and producing toxic fumes. Plus a small spill of most flammable fluids and you have a bigger problem on your hands.

I hope to go to a vented natural gas or propane heater soon.

 

I've had a 50k btu Reznor natural gas ceiling heater in my garage for 21 years and still love it as much as the day I put it in. The temps just went from 70s to 50s today and I will soon be using it.

 

During my final at home wrenching years I had an attached three car garage that was fully insulated. I was fortunate that it had a southern facing window that acted as a solar heater that kept the temperatures above forty degrees even during sub-freezing days. It could be warmed to a comfortable 65+ degrees by tapping into my homes forced air heating system. I was always afraid to use a free standing kerosene combustible heat source due to my use of solvents/cleaning fluids and carbon monoxide concerns.

If I were to install an auxiliary heating unit it would be something electrically powered or an outside mounted gas-fired combustible heating source. If an in-garage gas fired combustion unit is necessitated, I would assure that the heat exchanger was totally sealed with a draw from outside for combustible air sources and a vent to the outside for its spent gases. There several units with a vented exhaust systems but none with a outside air combustion supply (i.e. Mr. Heater, Reznor, Pro Com, Modine, and more...). A “tin man” may be required for the outside air draw and “gas plumber” for the heat source.

An overall power room vent is important, too, especially if you work with toxins.

Good luck.

gary

 

I have a kerosene torpedo heater in the storage space of my garage that I never use. Swing by and take a look the next time you are in Boston.

 

In the paddock I use an electric heater in the garage space at the track when it gets a bit colder. Otherwise it gets too cold to enjoy the down time. At home I just open the door into the house from the garage and let the air from inside the house warm the garage. And vice versa for the air conditioning when it is hot in TX . If I work with any noxious odors I have the garage door open.

 

I remember those days. Flame blasting with the garage door raised a few inches. Those were the days (I try to forget). Gave mine away.

 

That's what I'm trying to do, bro.