Off topic - Garage Heaters?

[demon]

Sorry if this is off the VW topic a little, but its getting to be that time of the year when old man winter grips his freezing hands into our garages and VW toolboxes.

I've been looking into buying one of those Master 175,000 btu torpedo diesel/kero heaters from TSC to heat my garage quicker than relying on my little kero convection heater. I've used them before in the past with good results for different applications. From starting diesel trucks and heavy equipment thats parked outside, to drying out basements.

Does anyone on here use them to heat their garage? What are your results/thoughts on them?

Thanks everyone!

The moderators might wanna move this to another section, or sticky it.

[rdezsofi]

I used to use a kerosene heater in an unheated and unattached garage...never again. Obviously you have to leave enough ventilation, but the worst thing was the way it makes metal rust. Bare metal will rust very fast from the use of a kerosene or diesel heater. (Ruined a lot of antique tools that weren't chrome as a result!)

More importantly, you're vehicle will suffer as a result.......I'm not sure what it is, whether the moisture that condenses or what.....when I commented to another mechanic about it, he confirmed it is common knowledge those heaters will cause rust issues in equipment nearby.

I now have a heated garage, as well as a wood stove in there......total comfort and no rust happening.

[coke]

My father recently cleaned his garage so we can put vehicles in there to work on (What a concept not working on a dirt driveway anymore) Pulled an old crawford woodstove out of the 2nd level of the house thats been in there 30+ years when he decided he wanted wood heat. Can't wait to get that thing hooked up. I might have to move into his garage.

[82vdub]

You want to be very careful using heaters out in a garage. Residential garages are exempt from the National Electric Code (NEC) that defines what a repair and service area is. However, common sense applies. Commercial repair garages that service oil and fuel systems will have the service space around the work area, and the area that is 18" above the floor and lower classified as a hazardous area defined by the NEC. In short, it means that the gas and fuel vapors are heavier than air, and that they can combust under the right conditions. Any floor mounted bullet type heater is sitting in that zone where all the vapors are present.

I installed a ceiling mount natural gas garage heater that's similar in shape and look to this one here: http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=50&id=180 I purchased the largest BTU one that they made (I think 90 or 100k BTU) and it cost me about $900 by the time I was done with the gas line, vent, tstat and mounting hardware. I even insulated the walls in the garage and (now) never let the garage get down below freezing. Honestly, it was one of the smartest things I've done. Turn the heater on, go out 45 minutes later, and the garage is warm (floor and everything else in the garage is still cold). If I know I'm going to be working for a long time over a weekend, I'll turn it on, turn the tstat to 60 or so and let it run all night the night before my work. Concrete is much nicer to lay on the following day.

If you're going to stay in your house for any length of time, I'd recommend one. It's on the ceiling so it's always out of the way, and I don't have to store it or get special fuel for it.

[texcl]

I use a john Deere multi fuel torpedo heater, have for years in my quansit which is large enough to park 6 or 7the f-250's end to end. It is the best option for me since it would take hours to heat it with other methods. If you spend alot of time out there you might want to find a more efficient method I burn through diesel pretty quick, but I have a big area to heat. Also works great to heat frozen tractors and such.

[DanHoug]

i get headaches from the space heaters... i put an old fuel oil forced air furnace in my garage and i love it. 80-100,000 BTU output and no smell or carbon monoxide. don't need any ductwork, just let the fan push out the warm air.

i don't keep my garage heated year round but in the winter, i can go out in -20F weather and in 15 minutes work in my shirt sleeves. since the nozzle is a 1.0GPH orfice, i burn 1 gallon of fuel oil per hour when it is running. if i work in the garage 6 hours, maybe burn 3 gallons.

fuel oil furnaces are given away now that heating oil is so high. but they are perfect for a garage application where you want large amounts of heat quickly but not over a real long period.

-dan

[Diesel Dean]

I bought a used pellet stove for 500.00 last summer. I have a 24x24 insulated garage and It heats it great. I would look for a good used if I were you. I have used kerosene heaters the fumes are bad for you and they are loud.