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Heating house for drywall.

lisakk | Posted in General Discussion on November 1, 2005 05:43am

Our drywall is starting on Thursday.  We don’t have gas hooked up for the furnace in the house yet, so I need to provide some kind of heat source.  Would electric space heaters be okay?  Our drywall installer recommended propane heaters, but I’ve never used them and they look like a giant fire hazard.  Could I turn them off at night?  It’s getting into the 40’s at night here.

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Replies

  1. Shoeman | Nov 01, 2005 06:03pm | #1

    Of course this is between you and your drywaller.

    As far as electric heat goes - several people prefer that.  You don't get the added humidity that you often get with unvented propane heaters.  Think the main thing would be to have enough of the electric heaters.

    Like I say, between you and your drywaller.

  2. RW | Nov 02, 2005 12:15am | #2

    Kerosene blowers work fine, and for $15 bucks you can buy a thermostat that you plug them in to. Set the thermostat and go home. You'll fill them once a day. They're only a fire hazard if you point them at something combustable. If they run out of fuel, they usually spit one little puff of smoke and shut down.

    "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain

  3. davidmeiland | Nov 02, 2005 12:35am | #3

    Burning a gallon of propane produces a gallon of water vapor as a byproduct, so I don't use the torpedo/salamander type heaters for heating indoors. My drywallers have small electric heaters that run on 240v circuits, and the electrician usually puts together one or two outlets for them when they're taping so they can heat the place. A small electric unit can easily make 1000SF toasty enough for mud to dry. I'd be surprised if your rockers don't already have something they want to use.

    The fire hazard is definitely there. I usually put electric heaters on a small piece of sheet metal over a scrap of rock so they're not sitting on the plywood. Don't use a bunch of undersized extension cords either.

  4. 5brown1 | Nov 02, 2005 02:24am | #4

    Find an old electric furnace. I was able to set it where the new furnace would go and run the heat through the new duct work.

  5. Mooney | Nov 02, 2005 02:58am | #5

    Lisa Im an old drywaller .

    I really dont understand why they are putting this on "you".

    Actually its up to them to bring their own if they want any at all. Really.

    They normally bill for the fuel of their choice and if they can get that , they are fortunate. Im afraid they are letting you baby them or they arent really drywall contractors. Every drywall contractor has his own heat source. In extreme circumstanses they get hired by a really good GC that takes care of them since he needs the heat too. Those are the great guys but it isnt expected.

    Tim

     

  6. stinger | Nov 02, 2005 04:09am | #6

    Can you rent one of these?

    View Image

     

    It is an electric salamander, made by Fostoria, called Heat Wave, and it can heat a 3000 sf house, with way below freezing temps outside, to a level that is just plain hot.  Just like the tapers want for fast drying mud.  See if your rental yards have them.

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