Garage Cold Weather Setup

i used a woodburning barrel stove for 20 years. a sotz, i think. replaced the chimney and barrel every 6 or 7 years. i really didn't need to, just wanted to be safe.
2 years ago, a friend offered me a cast iron stove, gl*** door, built in fan. stuck it in the garage. it takes a little longer to heat up, but the wood burns longer, it stores alot of heat in the cast iron and brick. it's a more even type of heat. plus the flat top is great for cooking. i can make 8 grilled cheese at a time on it.

 

I've used wood stoves and natural gas before, but now I'm total electric. Any suggestions for the most efficient electric setup to use? The heat pump idea sounds good, but pricey. What other options are there? 24 x 32 x 8 and well insulated.

.bjb

 

Build plans for Mothers automotive waste oil heater are here: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me4.html

 

One suggestion on the electrical front... stay away from the small (110V) Infared heaters. They do a good job heating up objects, but your feet will freeze. Last winter if I worked longer than a couple hours by feet would be numb....

Has anyone run a bigger 220V Infared with any success?

 

A shop I used to work for had banks of 220V Infared heaters. (ceiling mounted) Besides using an ungodly amount of electricity, I would cook - when the thermostate was turned up - before my feet got warm.

Their claim to fame is they only heat the area they are directed at; especially in very large spaces, but when it gets REALLY cold outside, stuff - paint for example - that's not in their coverage area can freeze!

 

I have a wood burner, in my 28 X 30, but have very little insulation, hopefully before winter I can get a ceiling up, to better control the heat.

I also bought an old mobile home furnace for $50, and placed it outside an office I have in the pole barn. I had to make a mount for it to sit on, because it pulls all it's return air and combustion air from under the furnace, it sets outside the office, in it's own enclosure. It works great, but no professional will hook these up to propane, because it is not to code, they will only try to sell you a new one. My dad was in HVAC all his life, and he checked my installation out, and gave it the go ahead, we even had to hook it into the propane tank, because the propane co. wouldn't, because it wasn't installed by a professional. I just inspect it often, and double check everything, before I light it.

 

Not Reccomending you try this at home, but back when I was racing and got Methanol for free I would fill a drain pan about halfway up and throw a match in it. Man it would heat the garage up quick and all you had to do to put it out was put a piece of sheet metal over the pan and smother it. Believe it or not in the old days Valvoline used to do this at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a 55 gallon drum too, all that would burn is the fumes off the top.

 

we heat 2000 sq ft with a "torpedo heater" or a forced air type. kicks ****. only problem is the cost of diesel right now...oh well, there is always carhart. the overalls work great

 

Here in Missouri, it gets pretty cold. My garage is just 600 sq. ft. ,but I've heated it for years with wood .I throw a little used motor oil on it to get her roaring, and it gets comfortable real quick.

 

Tip for anyone who plans ahead.

Heated Floor, can't beat it.

Mike

 

That's what I WISH I had done!
Laying on your floor is SO nice; even when -30 deg. outside!
(your buns don't freeze off! )