# Space heaters for garage



## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Does anyone here use a space heater in your garage or shop. If so what is the safest to use for leaving unattended . My garage is attached to my house but doesn't stay real warm in the winter. I just want something for the super cold nights. I know nothing about space heaters or what would be safe or which ones to stay away from. Any suggestions will help. Thank you


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

You could install one or more electric baseboard heaters and set the thermostat as low as you wanted. They are pretty safe and cheap.

If you have gas handy, you could stick one of those ventless wall mount units up. I've seen people using them in their actual house, so they must be reasonably safe. 

I wouldn't personally use a portable unit unattended, but I'm sure people do.


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## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

Electric heaters are your safest bet

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

The plugin electric oil-filled radiators are good for that. I believe they all have tip protection too.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Depending on how much space you have to heat and the level of insulation in the garage, electric baseboards or oil-filled electric radiator might be enough. Our new shop is 10000ft^3 with R28 walls and R60 ceiling. A 1600 watt heater keeps it comfortable down to about -15.

In our old shop, we used a 7500KW electric furnace, which we got for free. That was set up with a range plug, so we could take in onto NC jobs for temporary heat.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Gough said:


> Depending on how much space you have to heat and the level of insulation in the garage, electric baseboards or oil-filled electric radiator might be enough. Our new shop is 10000ft^3 with R28 walls and R60 ceiling. A 1600 watt heater keeps it comfortable down to about -15.
> 
> In our old shop, we used a 7500KW electric furnace, which we got for free. That was set up with a range plug, so we could take in onto NC jobs for temporary heat.


Its just a 2 car garage. I just need a little area in the middle to keep the chill off. A car stays is in there. It won't be out until spring time. I havn't had much trouble with the cold except one year my son got his ATV out and left the overhead door open. I lost some primer and some ceiling paint that time. Its going to be 2 degrees here tonight. I'm just wondering what January has in store for us. It seems to be getting colder this year sooner than most years.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

007 Dave said:


> Its just a 2 car garage. I just need a little area in the middle to keep the chill off. A car stays is in there. It won't be out until spring time. I havn't had much trouble with the cold except one year my son got his ATV out and left the overhead door open. I lost some primer and some ceiling paint that time. Its going to be 2 degrees here tonight. I'm just wondering what January has in store for us. It seems to be getting colder this year sooner than most years.


In our first shop, I put together a "hotbox" out of several sheets of foil-faced polyisocyanurate foam and a pair of light bulbs.


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## Repaint Florida (May 31, 2012)

journeymanPainter said:


> Electric heaters are your safest bet
> 
> Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk


or head to Florida :whistling2:

tomorrow 72 with low of 54


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Gough said:


> In our first shop, I put together a "hotbox" out of several sheets of foil-faced polyisocyanurate foam and a pair of light bulbs.


Thank you. That s a good idea. I need probably 5'x5' area. Two pressure washers and two sprayers and a few gallons of paint.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Repaint Florida said:


> or head to Florida :whistling2:
> 
> tomorrow 72 with low of 54


 Yea, I know. I have a couple of uncles that live in Florida. I just can't bring my self to leave here.


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## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

I run a 4800 watt shop heater in my garage. My garage is a double garage and is well insulated and I keep it around 60F in there and the heater is set only set on 2. Make sure you get a shop heater and not a construction heater. Construction heaters are made for temporary heat and will not be covered by insurance if something goes wrong.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Gracobucks said:


> I run a 4800 watt shop heater in my garage. My garage is a double garage and is well insulated and I keep it around 60F in there and the heater is set only set on 2. Make sure you get a shop heater and not a construction heater. Construction heaters are made for temporary heat and will not be covered by insurance if something goes wrong.


Thanks Gracobucks. I never thought of hanging one off the wall or ceiling. I might look into that option. When I woke up this morning the temperature was 3 degrees outside and 45 degrees in my garage.


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## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

I mounted mine close to the ceiling above the compressor in the corner of the garage. Was -13F here today and was 60F in the garage. There is nothing like having a warm shop to do repairs when you need it. The heater came with the bracket and was roughly $200. Luckily for me I have 100 amp panel in the garage right beside the heater so wiring was too bad for me. If you don't have 240v coming to your garage that will be a extra expense to keep in mind


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## epretot (Dec 17, 2011)

Repaint Florida said:


> or head to Florida :whistling2:
> 
> tomorrow 72 with low of 54


My son was in Orlando this afternoon. He landed in cincy at 430 to a rude 15 degrees.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

My furnace is in the garage... I want to add a vent to it for the same reasons you're dealing with...though we never see the low temps you've been having. JEEZE! we're whining about (night) Temps in the mid-upper 20's...stay warm and safe!


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

Gracobucks said:


> I run a 4800 watt shop heater in my garage. My garage is a double garage and is well insulated and I keep it around 60F in there and the heater is set only set on 2. Make sure you get a shop heater and not a construction heater. Construction heaters are made for temporary heat and will not be covered by insurance if something goes wrong.


I just picked one of these up yesterday, going to install it in my trailer.


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## TrueColors (Jul 30, 2010)

Just had this 50,000btu furnace installed in my garage. It is gas and does require a gas line to garage, best thing I ever did though. I hooked up one of those nest thermostats and can control it with my phone so I can pump the heat before I head out to the garage. 

It was -40 here last night, ridiculously cold! I have to bring everything inside so it doesn't freeze it the van. Also when transporting paint to the job I have to put it in the cab on the floor boards with the vehicles heat pumping other wise it has ice crystals in it by the time I'm at the job site.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

TrueColors said:


> Just had this 50,000btu furnace installed in my garage. It is gas and does require a gas line to garage, best thing I ever did though. I hooked up one of those nest thermostats and can control it with my phone so I can pump the heat before I head out to the garage.
> 
> It was -40 here last night, ridiculously cold! I have to bring everything inside so it doesn't freeze it the van. Also when transporting paint to the job I have to put it in the cab on the floor boards with the vehicles heat pumping other wise it has ice crystals in it by the time I'm at the job site.
> 
> ...


But that is -40 C, right? How much is that in F? :jester:


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

TrueColors said:


> Just had this 50,000btu furnace installed in my garage. It is gas and does require a gas line to garage, best thing I ever did though. I hooked up one of those nest thermostats and can control it with my phone so I can pump the heat before I head out to the garage.
> 
> It was -40 here last night, ridiculously cold! I have to bring everything inside so it doesn't freeze it the van. Also when transporting paint to the job I have to put it in the cab on the floor boards with the vehicles heat pumping other wise it has ice crystals in it by the time I'm at the job site.
> 
> ...


Now thats Cold. At least here I can transport my paint in the bed of the truck and its ok until I get to the job site.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

lilpaintchic said:


> My furnace is in the garage... I want to add a vent to it for the same reasons you're dealing with...though we never see the low temps you've been having. JEEZE! we're whining about (night) Temps in the mid-upper 20's...stay warm and safe!


That is a good idea.Our laundry room is the first room you go threw coming out of the garage. We've talked about branching off that duct work to put a vent in the garage that way. But to do it right we'll have to cut a hole in the ceiling or make a bulk head for the vent.


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## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

gough said:


> but that is -40 c, right? How much is that in f? :jester:


-40c = -40f


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Gracobucks said:


> -40c = -40f


(Did you notice the _jester_ emoji??)

We really do need an *ironic * font.


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## TrueColors (Jul 30, 2010)

Gough said:


> But that is -40 C, right? How much is that in F? :jester:




I believe Celsius and Fahrenheit meet up at -40 haha but yes it's damn cold. Frozen brushes and rollers in the morning!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Allsurface (Aug 17, 2014)

Why don't you pump some plumbing anti-freeze through your pressure washers, then you don't have to worry about those.


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## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

Allsurface said:


> Why don't you pump some plumbing anti-freeze through your pressure washers, then you don't have to worry about those.


He still would have to worry about the paint.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Allsurface said:


> Why don't you pump some plumbing anti-freeze through your pressure washers, then you don't have to worry about those.


Winterizing the pressure washers would be the easiest thing to do But I have some latex paint in their too. Every one in the house is well aware of the fact we need to keep the door closed when its cold. If we need it open. Open it, get what you need and CLOSE THE DOOR. Last week the coldest it got outside was 0 degrees Fahrenheit and that morning the garage was 44 degrees Fahrenheit.


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## Allsurface (Aug 17, 2014)

How do you heat your house?


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Allsurface said:


> How do you heat your house?


Gas furnace.


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## Allsurface (Aug 17, 2014)

And where is the furnace room in relation to the garage?


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Up stairs hall way. The master bedroom is above the garage and the furnace room is out side the master bedroom


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## Allsurface (Aug 17, 2014)

What's the chance of adding a duct into garage?


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

Allsurface said:


> What's the chance of adding a duct into garage?


Yes I have thought of that. But if I did I would branch it off the laundry room duct work which is what you come into out of the garage.


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## Allsurface (Aug 17, 2014)

I think that would be the easiest, and have it blow on the gallons of paint. I think you should antifreeze the pumps either way. 
A baseboard heater with shelves above with holes in them may be a cost effective idea too for the paint. 
Our last house my wife let me put a shelf in our entry closet and I put the gallons on the floor and the shelf right above it for shoes. I was able to keep about 10 gallons in it.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Allsurface said:


> my wife let me


Lol. I know that feeling. I'm 'allowed' to keep primer, filler, etc. in our laundry room just inside the front door. Meanwhile, her stuff's everywhere.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I don't know how you people do it in those extreme climates. burrr! I'm afraid I'll end up like Jack Nicholson in the Shinning when it gets to a blizzardy 52 degrees F.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

CApainter said:


> I don't know how you people do it in those extreme climates. burrr! I'm afraid I'll end up like Jack Nicholson in the Shinning when it gets to a blizzardy 52 degrees F.


It can be a challenge. At least once a year I destroy my windshield wipers on my van because I let them freeze to the glass and get impatient and try to peel them off separating the rubber from the frame.

Ladder management is a serious pain. All my ladders with the exception of my little four and six footers are mounted on the fence in my backyard. When you realize you're gonna need something different and try figuring out how to thaw it out and get all the snow and ice off... Sometimes there's no clear answer! If I was smarter, I'd wrap them in tarps. Why, after all this time did I just come up with that answer now...


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

Wildbill7145 said:


> It can be a challenge. At least once a year I destroy my windshield wipers on my van because I let them freeze to the glass and get impatient and try to peel them off separating the rubber from the frame.
> 
> Ladder management is a serious pain. All my ladders with the exception of my little four and six footers are mounted on the fence in my backyard. When you realize you're gonna need something different and try figuring out how to thaw it out and get all the snow and ice off... Sometimes there's no clear answer! If I was smarter, I'd wrap them in tarps. Why, after all this time did I just come up with that answer now...


I have 4 stacks of ladders, 8 ladders in each stack. Biggest problem I have this time of year is the only place to put them is about 175' from my back door. I try to cover the stacks with tarps but they always blow off and into the woods. Add feet of snow and I hate it.

A few years ago I took a candle and rubbed the edges of the ladders to prevent freezing or sticking, It didn't work well at all.

We keep all ladders 20' and smaller in our office. Same with expandable planks.

Next time someone offers us free ladders I have to pass. We have more now than we will ever use at one time.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

Wildbill7145 said:


> It can be a challenge. At least once a year I destroy my windshield wipers on my van because I let them freeze to the glass and get impatient and try to peel them off separating the rubber from the frame.
> 
> Ladder management is a serious pain. All my ladders with the exception of my little four and six footers are mounted on the fence in my backyard. When you realize you're gonna need something different and try figuring out how to thaw it out and get all the snow and ice off... Sometimes there's no clear answer! If I was smarter, I'd wrap them in tarps. Why, after all this time did I just come up with that answer now...


You could use tarps or you could use one of these http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200584783_200584783?hotline=false


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

I stash everything inside. You can put a whole Lotta ladders on an 8ft tall wall. I believe I have 12 big ones on the garage wall.


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

32s down to 24s


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

PRC said:


> The plugin electric oil-filled radiators are good for that. I believe they all have tip protection too.


This. I bought one about 10 years ago at the home depot for about $40 or so. I have a 10x30 attached garage. Fire up the radiator when temps fall into the 20's. Keeps it above freezing in there, and hardly even notice it on my electric bill.


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