shop heat

[wrndln]

What ever you do, DON'T install a ventless heater. I just about did, but a friend warned me that the water vapor created by the heater will condense on everything and rust steel parts. He did and had to remove it and install a vented heater. I have a Lennox Hot Shot 45K BTU ceiling hung natural gas furnace/heater that is thermostatically controlled and side wall vented. It works great. I only heat my shop when it is 20 degrees or above outside. Needless to say, I haven't worked out in the shop much this winter as it has been a real bad winter here in Minnesota. Maybe it will be better next year. I ready for some global warming!
Rusty Nelson

 

[silversink]

Silversink, you gotta hire some 'kids' or insulation co. to insulate/add your ceiling in your work area. Gotta go at least R22. Someone here already said it is all about insulation and he was right. If you are 70, I am not far behind you. We have many more good yrs ahead of us. You gonna let old man winter spoil that?? You can't take it with you. Do it and be happier in the winter when you can't do anything else anyway. Remember, you are dead a long time.

I want that heated too, bad enough to be alone in the old coffin---I think heat and a little light would be good

 

[Bob from Northport]

I have a shop that is 40x80. It is heated with a wood stove made from 2 - 55 gallon barrels. Puts out the equivalent of a 100,000btu furnace. Even with tempts outside at -10 and wind chills of -30, it is always 65 to 70 in the warehouse. Yes, it is an insulated building. I burn about 10 cords of wood a season from Nov. to April. We only heat when we work inside. Propane furnace is back up set at 40.

 

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Silver,

Per your reply #34, two (2) very major heating concerns:

1. You say you have roof ridge vents every five feet. If these vents remain open in winter, & are "not" sealed, they can allow more heat to leave the building than that of open wall openings because heat can rise up the sloping roof & cause a draft & negative pressure inside the building ...... then cold air is drawn into the building through every crack & crevice in walls, openings, & unsealed roof eaves & rakes. (Similar to having central heat in a house with an unlit fireplace with no damper -- the chimney it will suck out heat like an electric powered roof vent).

2. The metal roof has about the same insulation value as a canvas tent. Had several experiences with GP Medium Army "Warm-Up" tents in the winter of 1966, which were heated with two (2) diesel fuel type Army field stoves with smoke stacks. At minus 15 degrees outside, & a strong wind, medics measured the inside of the tent & found it to be plus 20 degrees with 30 soldiers standing in the "Warm-Up" tent ............. even with black chimney smoke that could be seen for miles.

If you decide to have insulation placed immediately under the metal roof, (thickness depending on rafter depth or purlin depth), it can be supported on poultry wire, followed by a metal building type vapor barrier stapled below if the above roof structure is wood.

If you omit the vapor barrier, warm moist interior air will definitely condensate on the underside of the very cold metal roof, but only in cooler outside weather.

With no vapor barrier, roof insulation will get wet in winter from above & drip water which will resemble roof leaks.

If wanting to insulate, please get a group of young guys & as you say, stay away from ladders ............. try calling several metal building companies to get several names of metal building insulators, & get estimates to provide same.

Energy consultants are just finding out what I learned & constantly practiced since over 40 years ago; i.e., it is much wiser to insulate roofs in lieu of ceilings -- e. g,, why have a 150 degree attic in summer & a 20 degree attic in winter with heating ducts & air conditioning ducts running through extreme high heat & frigid cold.

Sincerely hope this helps if you try to get estimates to insulate your shop.

If other questions or problems, lots of different opinions here.

 

[Fred K-OR]

Hi Silver,

I too have the problem of no heat in my shop. But here is western Oregon, I find the comfort of the front room in my easy chair much more rewarding than going to the shop and having my tools freeze to my hands. Reading up on new books on the old Model A telling me what I can do when spring gets here are much more rewarding right now at 21 degrees. Spring gets here before you know it in Western Oregon (in normal times). With the type of building you describe you have, it would seem like you are "kicking a dead horse" trying to heat it without a lot of work to rebuild it.

When I was in the process of rebuilding my Huckster a few years back, I put in an old pellet stove that did help to warm things a bit. But whatever you use, make sure you don't have any gas fumes floating around with open flame the heaters.

 

[silversink]

Hi Silver,

I too have the problem of no heat in my shop. But here is western Oregon, I find the comfort of the front room in my easy chair much more rewarding than going to the shop and having my tools freeze to my hands. Reading up on new books on the old Model A telling me what I can do when spring gets here are much more rewarding right now at 21 degrees. Spring gets here before you know it in Western Oregon (in normal times). With the type of building you describe you have, it would seem like you are "kicking a dead horse" trying to heat it without a lot of work to rebuild it.

When I was in the process of rebuilding my Huckster a few years back, I put in an old pellet stove that did help to warm things a bit. But whatever you use, make sure you don't have any gas fumes floating around with open flame the heaters.

I use the real cold times to order new parts and hunt Ebay. The only advantage with a shop like mine is the wife stays in the warm house. me and the shop cat will sit by the fire in the shop and read.
I did hang a ceiling fan over the stove and it made one heck of a difference

 

[karasmer]

I bough a direct vent (no chimney) propane house furnace off Craigslist for $100 and have a 100 gal. tank out back. In no time at all I can get it up to 65 degrees in my 28x42 shop with 10 ft. ceiling, I go through about a tank and a half per year. Furnace is only run when I am out there about twice a week, usually work in the cold now with the big propane shortage going on up here and it's been extremely cold this year in Northern MN.

 

[Fred K-OR]

I use the real cold times to order new parts and hunt Ebay. The only advantage with a shop like mine is the wife stays in the warm house. me and the shop cat will sit by the fire in the shop and read.
I did hang a ceiling fan over the stove and it made one heck of a difference

You do have some great ideas as to how to use your shop when it is cold!

 

[CarlG]

I keep my attached garage at a minimum of 50 degrees, bump it up to 65 if I'm going to be out there all day. I did hang 6 - 4' (4 tubes each) light fixtures in the garage just so I could see what I am working on.

 

[brum1]

24'x24' finished garage (exterior wall not insulated) below freezing the interior runs about 40 deg. Two infrared ceiling mounted heaters(15A) get the temp up to 50 deg. Need to dress for it but its resonable to work in the dead of winter heaters are mounted over the front of each car

 

[1967 Ford]

My 30 X 48 shop has no heat. So if something really has to get done I move the car to the much smaller (and warmer) garage that is attached to my house.
Here in Western Washington there are only about 4 months a year that are to cold to work in the big shop in comfort.

 

[BruceUpstate NY]

24x36 insulated. Using 24' radiant propane heat tube on the ceiling set at 40 - 45 degrees to keep the concrete floor from getting too cold. Start a wood fire to bring temp up during day using a ceiling fan to circulate. I think ideal might be hot water in the floor (Using anti freeze)

 

[Merc Cruzer]

Doesn't daily heating and melting salt ladden snow really rust out the body quickly?

I leave my modern car outside year round because I have 2 A's in the garage. I give the Olds a good desalting after all the snow melts. This year we've had so many snowfalls that the roads are almost always wet with liquid salt slush, so it's going to be tough on the cars. I try to pick only days with dry roads to make my shopping trips, but it isn't possible this winter.

Tom:

I grew up in Michigan, so I do remember the salt. That was the first thing I noticed when I moved here over 30 years ago....the older cars were not all rusted out. They use magcloride and sand. The big issue is a new windshield every other year but other than that melt it off and a quarter wash will keep it in good shape for years. A rusted out car is so unusual here that if you see one you can bet it is from out of state. That is another thing, when you go to the salvage yards the cars aren't all rusted out if you need sheet metal parts. The roads here melt off quickley and so I can take the car out quite a few times during the winter months. I dont miss the dirty snow in the gutter all winter, then chipping off the ice from the drive way. We are lucky enough to have a driveway that if you blow off the snow in the morning, by afternoon it is bone dry.