Choosing the right permanent heater for your garage or small shop can be a daunting task, given the fact that there are so many options now available. So How do I choose just the right garage heater for my space? To help narrow down the choices, ask yourself the following questions. 1) Do I have a gas line available or easily accessible? What about adequate gas pressure?2) If there is no gas, do I have 240V electrical power available or easily accessible?3) What are the energy costs of gas versus electric in my area?4) Do I want forced air or radiant?5) Is my garage insulated?6) What is the ceiling height?7) Is there adequate clearance at the ceiling or on the wall to mount the heater?8) What is my budget?9) How big is my garage? 10) Will the heater I choose require installation by a heating professional or can I do it myself?11) Will I set the thermostat to keep the garage comfortable 24/7 or will I use the heater for only short periods?First, if no gas line is available or there is no practical way to get gas to the garage space, your selection process just became a lot easier. That's because your only choice is an electric heater and there are only a few good options. There are several electric heater manufacturers to choose from including Chromalox, Qmark and Fostoria (TPI). These brands offer reliable forced air models suitable for residential and commercial heating. These eletcric space heaters are normally suspended from the ceiling or side wall with optional mounting brackets.Most two or three car garages require between 25,000 and 35,000 BTU's. An electric heater with a rating of 10.0 KW is about right (Note: to convert watts into BTU's, multiply the total watts - in this case 10,000 watts, by 3.413). Remember, electric heaters draw a lot of amps and usally require a dedicated circuit from the electrical panel. Older, smaller homes sometimes have panels that are too small to expand and are unable to accomodate the power requirements of a high amp heater. Check with your electrician to help determine if your panel is adequate. A panel upgrade may be necessary.In most areas of the united states, the cost of electricity is higher than the cost of gas. Even so, electric heaters do offer advantages. First, Electric heaters require no flue. If you are concerned about running a new flue through your roof or side wall, an electric heater suspended from the wall or ceiling may be the answer. Second, electric heaters are quieter than gas forced air heaters and produce little vibration. A common concern with forced air is that they are noisier and can transfer vibration through the structure of the house.Gas forced air heaters do require 120V power, in addition to the gas line, yet the electrical draw is much, much less than with an all electric heater. What about energy consumption? Costs of gas verus electric varies all across North America. Your local utilities can help you figure out cost differences. That said, natural gas heaters have always been much cheaper to operate. Propane fired heaters can cost a bit more to run.If a gas heater is what you're after, you have a bunch of options. Forced air heaters, or "unit" heaters, are very common. They heat up quickly and are generally more energy efficient than electric unit heaters (comparing BTU for BTU). Choose from brands such as Enerco, Modine and Reznor. For gas radiant heat, Enerco and Superior Radiant are two excellent brands that offer residential approved gas infra-red radiant tube heaters. Unlike forced air heaters, radiant tube heaters offer the benefit of increased creature comfort, a lot less noise and higher energy efficiency. They are a bit more expensive initially, but they can pay themselves back in a very short time. For the budget minded, Enerco offers the HeatStar H25N (Nat. Gas) or H22L (LP Gas) vent free high intensity infra-red heater. This heater is designed to heat 550 sq. feet or more, depending on insulation. It comes with wall mounting bracket, thermostat and thermostat wire and operates on a millivolt control, so it requires no electricty. Just hang the heater, connect the thermostat, run the gas line and you're done. Total installation cost can be as little as 0.00. The H25N/H22L is one of the most popular garage heaters in North America.Other options for heating the garage include wall mounted infra-red radiant and forced air heaters. For options, consider Rinnai, a manufacturer of residential vent free radiant heaters, forced air vent free heaters and vented wall heaters. While designed primarily for the dwelling space of the home, these heaters are excellent for garages, small shops, greenhouses, out butildings, cabins and more. When installed in garages, we recommend mounting them at least 2 feet off the floor, which should meet or exceed local codes in most areas of the U.S.As for heater sizing, keep in mind that it can cost 80 to 90 percent more to heat an uninsulated garage compared to one that is well insulated. If you intend on maintaing a comfortable termperature inside the garage during the cold months, insulating is a must. Some homeowners may simply want to take the chill off when tooling around for short periods of time near a workbench or other spat within the garage. In such cases, insulation is not as critical. If insulation is poor, we recommend choosing a heater that is not forced air. In other words, choose an infra-red radiant heater, which produces no drafts and standing beneath it feels just like standing in the sun.Whatever you do, DO NOT skiimp on safety. The above mentioned heaters are designed to mount safely from the ceiling or high up on the wall. Many homeowners choose to use portable propane or kerosene heaters located at the floor level to heat their garages. These heaters are unsafe around children and pets. In addition, gasoline and other flammables stored at ground level could be easily ignited in the presence of a spill. Spending a few dollars more for a permanent heater that is high and out of reach is worth that extra cost. Always use a residential garage approved heating appliance, especially for attached garages. Check local codes and use a qualified licensed heating professional for installation. Doing it the right way will add value to your home and give you peace of mind.
About the Author:
Scott Workman is owner president of Infra-Red Products Supply, Inc., located in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, visit http://heatersunlimited.com or http://infraredinfo.com
Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-Do-I-Choose-The-Right-Garage-Heater-/181158
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
GAS vs. ELECTRIC water heater differences?
Today, I changed my gas water heater with an electric model because the gas unit was leaking! =:-o
This electric 40 gallon home water heater is seemingly keeping up with my current hot water needs.
Aside from the expected cost savings (with the price of natural gas staying on it's record-high pace) what "differences" should I expect with an Electric unit in my house? %Does an electric unit take longer to heat up than a natural gas water heater? - Does the electric heated water seem HOTTER than gas-heated? - and is an electric water heater easier to maintain or is more maintenance and upkeep required to keep an electric unit up and running?
I use fresh well water in my home tapped almost directly nearby the Canadian River which runs through the Texas panhandle.
Thanks for feedback.-
ANSWER:
You will see an increase in costs. It takes allot more energy to heat water with electric.You will see a slower recovery time. Electric units take longer to heat
Heat should be the same as the thermostat controls that.
Maintenance should not be an issue
Even with the rising gas prices electric is not a wise economic choice unless your electricity is very cheap. I would guess that is no the case because you owned a gas unit in the past.
Call your power provider and the should have a comparison for gas v electric.
If you bought it a box store I.E. Home Depot or Lowes I would return it and replace it with a gas unit
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QUESTION:
electric Vs. gas hot water heaters?
I live in rural Illinois. We now have a propane gas fired water which is going bad. Would it be cheaper in operational costs to go to an electric heater or stay with gas,(propane)?Thanks
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ANSWER:
The ONLY time electric is cheaper to RUN is when you get a good deal from the local electric company due to having an ALL electric house. -- VERY rare. Electric is *almost* always cheaper to buy and install, and more expensive to use.
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QUESTION:
Help! Think we need to replace electric water heater - tankless vs. regular? Brands you recommend?
We are trying to pick a water heater to replace our old one. Our hot water currently smells/tastes metallic, the heater we have is 12 yrs old, & the problem has been going on for almost a yr, so I'm thinking the prob. is more than just the anode rod at this point. Any thoughts on the contrary?Our cold water also sometimes smells metallic. Most of the time it's just when the hot water's "warming up" & coming out cold at 1st, but I'm worried there may be rust or metal buildup in our pipes now. What to do? How to tell? We tested our h2o, it came back ok - maybe test was bad?
If we do need to replace it, got any input on tankless vs. regular electric? We have no access to gas. Have heard tankless can get buildup faster. I know w/tankless, w/out electricity we'd have no hot water, but that is ok. We like the space & electric conservation. I've been researching & think we could afford one, prices have dropped.
What brands - tankless or regular - would you recommend?
Thanks!
We'd also be taking out the old one and installing the new one ourselves, so any advice on that would also be appreciated!
We do have enough amps, that I do know. I think it's 200, but whatever the case it is something my husband checked before we started shopping for one, in case we needed to rule the tankless out.
Luc, thank you so much, that is very sweet, and I may be emailing u!
As far as how it tastes ... I should clarify - we aren't drinking the hot water from the tap, but you can sort of 'taste' it in the steam from the shower, and, our dishes out of the dishwasher have a metallic taste to them, because of the residue or something I'm guessing. Also, our cold water also has a weird flavor. Like I said, we tested it, but got normal results. So that's even more confusing.-
ANSWER:
Tank style would prolly be your best bet.The primary differences in hot water heaters/heater warranties is a 'self cleaning' feature,
the equivalent of an insurance policy,
number (and material) for anodes,
heat recovery rate and
for electrics, upper heating element sheath material (copper v. SS ).As long as there IS a cold water inlet dip tube, AFAICT,
a dip tube is a dip tube.Brand name doesn't seem to make much difference when viewing longevity.
The components (tanks, etc) are prolly the same regardless of model/warranty.If one anode is good, two just has to be better? *L*
Review the heat recovery rates. For the most part, let your wallet be your guide as electrics are way slower than gas.
A SS sheath theoretically lasts longer than copper.
Have yall had your water analyzed for the metallic taste problem?
Edit-
Tried a second lab?
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QUESTION:
Water heater vs. tankless system?
Our gas water heater is going out and needs to be replaced. Our insurance will cover the water heater and installation, but not the additional costs to bring it up to code, about 0. We can take the cash out and make our own arrangements to get it fixed instead of having it replaced with an equivalent unit. We are thinking about a tankless system.I presume we would put it in the water heater closet, and we do want gas, not electric. Most of our plumbing is in the "core" of the house, so none of the hot water lines are more than 20 feet, and only the kitchen sink/dishwasher line is that long. If it matters, our house was built in the early seventies, and the current water heater is about 14 years old.
If you have replaced yours this way, what do you think? How do the costs of the two systems compare? Is there a difference in your gas bill now? What about maintenance/repair/reliability? Would it still have the same code requirements, or would most of that stuff not apply? Would it still need the new thingamajig to cut off the water if there were a leak? Would it still need a pan installed? (Either way, we're going to have to change out a couple of gas lines.) Are there any brands much better/worse than others? What else do we need to know?
All words of wisdom appreciated! Thanks!
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ANSWER:
I only know what my plumber told me about these when we were building our house and considering the tankless heaters. He said the gas was the best/fastest/most reliable and that we would would need one for each bathroom that had a shower/bath and one for the kitchen/laundry. We opted for a large electric hot water tank and do not run out of water, and are very happy with it. (I don't mean a huge tank, just one capable of handling our needs). You might want to check to be sure your needs can be met when you want hot water, and not have to stagger what you wish to do to ensure enough hot water.
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QUESTION:
Need advice for tankless hot water heater?
Personal experience would be greatly appreciated!Our hot water heater is on the fritz and I've started researching a tankless replacement. I didn't realize that there are so many things to consider and I'm starting to get confused by it all.
Does anyone have a recommendation for brand, size, gas vs electric, etc?
We have 2 full bathrooms, a dishwasher and sink in the kitchen, and a wash sink and washing machine in the basement. We currently have a gas hot water tank in the basement. The only time we would have hot water running in two places is if we are running a bath while the dishwasher is going. The washer could be going as well (we wash with cold but not sure if that affects the pressure for hot water).
We're thinking about putting a small one in the upstairs bathroom since I've read they don't work very well if they're too far away.
Should we get 2 more smallish ones for the first floor/basement or can they run off of one just fine? I'm not sure where we could fit one on the first floor.
Can't wait to hear from everyone
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ANSWER:
We live in a log cabin in TN, 2 1/2 baths, dishwasher, washer & dryer etc..... We have an electric tank less water heater. the brand name TEMPRA and the model Stiebel Eltron. It works really well. It takes 150 amps by itself so you might need to add another circuit breaker panel. Check with an electrician.
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QUESTION:
Oil Heat vs Gas Heat W/ Existing Gas Line In Place?
Hi there, so, I have a 30 year old furnace with a leak (not the oil tank). One of the "chambers" is acting as a barrier and not allowing the heat to get through. That means the other 4 chambers are putting out the heat. I was told that due to the leak in the furnace, I'm using too much oil. I am paying .65 per gallon for a 275 tank in NJ. With this "leak" I think I'm going to convert to gas. I already have a gas line to the house for my fireplaces. Will this reduce the cost of the whole conversion process or not? My electric bill is approx. 0 per month and then gas for the hot water heater is per month. I may not recognize savings right away (in total paying over 00 per month to heat gas) but I think when I sell my home in a few years, gas heat will be more attractive. Please contribute your thoughts on the gas conversion. Thanks!-
ANSWER:
I have lived in areas of the county, some of which had natural gas heat, and some with oil as gas was not available. I hated the oil and I prefer Natural gas.Having Natural gas already installed to your home will save a little money compared to changing over to gas without, as a plumber would have to install all the necessary interior lines. However, you will still need to have a plumber or gas appliance tech install a line from your existing gas piping system to the location for your new gas furnace. Therefore, the savings will be small, but I think a natural gas fired, forced air furnace system will be a great improvement over the oil system.
Also, I agree with you that gas heat will be more attractive when you decide to sell your home.
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