Radiant vs. Forced Air for garage
Hello everyone, I just wanted to see if there were any suggestions on heating a garage. I’ve just finished with the insulation and dry wall on a 24X24 garage with 8 ft. ceilings. I also have the natural gas line ready to go. I am now left with having to decide between a forced air or radiant heater and I seem to get many opposing opinions from suppliers.
Our winters get very harsh (bald prairies) and have a tendency to drop well below -15F during the winter. I don’t intend to keep the garage heated 24/7 but for the REALLY cold days I’ll probably try to keep things just warm enough for the vehicles in the garage, say 40F.
I also intend on using the garage as my workshop for various projects over the winter and will heat it slightly more during those times.
I was quoted $950 for a radiant heater and $750 for a forced air heater. According to the supplier, the big savings come from the radiant heater as they are about half as expensive to run ($60/mo for forced air, $30/mo for radiant).
If anyone has any advice or recommendations, I’d appreciate hearing them.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
Replies
what kind of radiant heater?
Hmm...gas, ceiling mounted, infrared tube heater. Hope that helps.
Radiant is by far the best way to go. Fuel savings will pay for the higher price the first year! But your ceilings are too low to use the overhead tube type. Go with a different type of radiant heater. Rinaii sp? makes the perfect one for you.
I am serious when I saw you don't want the tube type in 8" ceilings!
Edited 6/11/2003 12:36:16 AM ET by Wet Head Warrior
Funny you should mention that about the 8' ceilings as this was my original concern. Infact, I was told a while ago that gas codes had changed to reflect this (not so). I mentioned this to the sales rep. that I've been dealing with over the last year and whom I believe to be very credible and knowledgeable, and he told me that if installed improperly, you can expect to have the paint on your vehicles baked a little too well done. He told me that the heater is to be installed opposite the OH door and has to have certain clearances to avoid this problem. Bottom line - he told me that a radiant heater of this type would be suitable for my garage.
What do you think? I'll see if I can't get some specs. from the manufacturer.
I may be wrong. Last ones I installed had to be at least 8' off the floor where people were working. Go to http://www.heatinghelp.com and ask the question. Someone there will know and it will be worth your time.
Thanks for the link - will look into it.
Mike
I'm a big fan of in-floor radiant heating in snow country. Maybe it's too late for that now, but in your next garage. . .
I like RFH because you get completely uniform heat from top to bottom. No boxes freezing to the floor or to a cold wall. Car melt water evaporates quickly. The car gets thawed out in a few hours instead of still being frozen the next morning.
I'd go forced air at this point and set it up in a way that moves the air around a lot. Especially if the air intake can draw from the floor, than you'll eventually turn over all the air in the garage rather than leave cold air stagnant on the floor and in the corners.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Especially if the air intake can draw from the floor
Yeah, especially if there is any exposed flame in the heater, all those gasoline fumes collecting on the floor should help warm things up in a hurry...
You can use the radiant in Sask.with an 8' ceiling but often the clearances required don't allow for the best use of the space. It is ideal for a shop that has a door opening and closing all the time. The Lennox Hotshot is a good alternative.
I was speaking of the air intake for interior air - the stuff on the other side of the heat exchanger from the flame. Combustion ought to come from a code approved location. Like above 18" in a garage. Better yet, from outside the house, like a direct-vent unit.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska