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Garage Heater
I am not sure where this post belongs but hope someone can help. I am building a new house with an attached garage. I live in Minnesota where the winters are cold. I am going to insulate my garage and try to keep it heated to a around 40 degrees all winter. Does anybody have any advice on what to use. I was thinking about mounting a heater on the wall. I am not sure if I should go electric or propane? Or what kind of heater to use?
Thaks for the help.
Lakeman
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Garage Heater
If you have not yet already poured the garage slab have them lay PEX (cross-linked PolyEthylene) tubing in the floor and heat that way.
It is not only one of the most efficient ways to do it, it puts the heat uniformly into the room where you want it most, at the floor.
The hot water can be supplied by a huge variety of sources from the household water heater on up.
One of the big advantages of this type of heat in a situation like a garage is that when the door opens you dont lose all the heat, a good portion of it is in the thermal mass of the floor which stays warm even though the door is open. It also keeps the underside of your vehicles dry by burning off moisture before it can begin to rust. It's also really nice to have a warm floor if you're going to do any work out there in the winter.
Best of luck.
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Garage Heater
Even if you don't see yourself heating your garage above 40 deg. now, you WILL find many things to do in there and someday you'll want 60 deg. or more. Whatever you decide to use for heat I would make sure you can get it to room temperature. It's surprising how fast a garage can turn into a "shop."
Dave
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Garage Heater
What type of heat are you putting in the house?Radiant floor in the slab for cold climate is a good way to go. It's becoming quite popular around here. I know several that have and like it.
I talked to a Solar guy here in Maine and he said he
can keep a (slab) 80 degrees with a solar panel in winter?
I called him to late on this house( slab was in) Went with a kerosene heater for occ. use. Without using the heater, the garage will stay above freezing, just from being connected to the house, if it is well insulated.There is a wealth of info on "buiding science" and cold weather houses on the web. Laying down some foam board before you pour is worth considering.
I used a 18x8 "Garaga" garage door 2" thick R-16, made in
Canada, supposed to be the best,well worth it!
I'm not sure how big you are going? But I have found a 2" pitch in a 28x28
garage works ideal to keep the puddles away. Thats 2' from all edges to the center.
Don't forget the drain with sand trap(5 gal bucket)min.
I used a thirty gal. concrete well tile.
I assume they sand the roads there?
if you are going to heat it in snow country you will have water.
I get into building sorry if it's info overkill, It's what I do full time,and you need to do the research before the cement!
good luck
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Garage Heater
Thanks Everyone. This is a tremendous website. I am heating my house with a heat pump. This uses outside air and will double as an air conditioner. I also have a electrical plenum heater with a propane backup system. I also have a very efficient fireplace that I will try to use as much as possible. I have already poured the cement in the garage. It has a drain but my options are limited at this point. Thanks
Lakeman
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Don't assume that you can put in a garage drain without checking with your building department. Where we live they wouldn't let us put in a garage drain without having a waste water treatment system to filter what goes down it. That makes no sense since I hose the garage floor out to the yard anyway, but bureaucracy often makes no sense.
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Since you have the LP what about a Monitor? are you familiar
with them? You can direct vent them.(no chimmney reguired.
very dependable low maint. heat.
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Garage Heater
Not familiar with a "Monitor" Is that a stand alone propane unit?
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Garage Heater
Yes,it is.RINNAI,+ TOYO are two others. I'm sure there are more.
I have seen a LP model that does not need elec. and some with a exhaust pipe through the wall using PVC pipe.
Do you have an Agway or trustworthy store? They advertise
them here.
Link:  
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Garage Heater
KWSCHUMM
You are right about the drains. WE are not suppose to do it either. Possible oil and gas in the ground I guess. But as
of now, Maine has no building code, but it's coming!
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