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Re: garage heaters

To: mgb.roadster@juno.com (Larry A Hoy)
Subject: Re: garage heaters
From: mmcewen@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca (John McEwen)
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 02:18:19 -0500
Larry:

The best I found and am subsequently using is a natural gas-fired radiant
heater.  This consists of a burner/blower unit and a doubled, black, 6"
tube.  The tube is approximately twice the width of my garage but is
doubled back on itself.  One end of it is attached to the blower/burner
unit, the other is vented to the outside.  The inlet to the blower/burner
is vented to the outside by another vent.  It is electrically ignited and
controlled by a line voltage thermostat.

The unit is backed by a stainless steel reflector which is formed at an
angle behind the tube.  It is mounted by suspension in the angle formed by
the front wall and ceiling of my garage, facing the main door, and is thus
completely out of the way.

This is probably the best setup you can buy as it is more than 95%
efficient and heats the objects in the space not the air - which
subsequently must heat the objects.  It is very effective and due to the
small burner not expensive to operate.  I don't know what pricing would be
like out your way but it was competitively priced compared to a forced air
unit and certainly works better and takes up less space.

Another major advantage is that the unit is completely independent of
garage atmosphere and is thus quite safe in the presence of flammables.
Let me know what you decide or if you have further questions.

Running a vent to your garage will prove impossible to control.  When the
furnace is on to heat the house it will heat the garage when you may not
want to waste the heat.  When you want to work, you'll have to raise the
temp in the  house to get heat in the garage.  Everyone will be too hot or
too cold.  With the heater in the garage you can set the temperature at a
low level then raise it when you want to work in the garage.  The reaction
time is very fast.

I am not a big fan of open flame heaters for indoor use.  The usual dangers
all apply and then some.  Propane is a dangerous gas which by being heavier
than air can cause real problems in case of leaks.  It is also a problem if
the tank overheats and vents.  Propane-powered vehicles are prohibited from
indoor spaces.  The same probably should apply to propane heaters in
garages.

John


>This brings up a good question.  I will have heat in my garage by next
>winter (he says with resolve).  Does anyone out there have an opinion on
>a "best" method to heat a garage.  Yeah, like no one on this list has an
>opinion.
>
>I have natural gas available as a fuel source.
>
>It would even be possible to run a vent from my gas forced air furnace to
>the garage.  Has anyone done this?
>
>Larry Hoy (MGB.Roadster@juno.com)
>Denver, CO USA
>1969 MGB Roadster
>1987 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas
>===============================
>On Sun, 25 Jan 1998 11:45:36 -0500 Bud Krueger <bkrueger@ici.net> writes:
>>Art,
>>      You aren't using this around a car that contains gasoline, are
>you?
>>
>>Bud Krueger
>>52TD
>>
>>Art Pfenninger wrote:
>>
>>> Yesterday I had a chance to try out my propane heater, the verdict is
>IT
>>> WORKS GREAT!  I didn't want to run a gas line 100 feet to my
>>> garage, so instead I bought a $39 dollar portable propane heater that
>>> mounts to the top of 20 lb cylinder. I was working is a close confine
>with
>>> only about 2 feet between cars in the garage. I first set the valve to
>>> high but within 5 minutes turned it down to low. I was so warm that ll
>I
>>> had on was a sweat shirt (and pants). I also was using a 500 watt work
>>> light that produces a lot of heat by it's self. You can get the
>heaters at
>>> Home Depot and they run for about 40 on a tank of gas.Harbor Freight
>has
>>> one on sale for $42 that puts out about 1000 or 2000 more BTU's.
>>> ...Art



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