How do you heat your garage come winter time?

[Lefty]

The heat is in the tools!

I don’t have a garage that’s useable yet. But it will probably have a propane heater and something else, maybe electric, maybe a wood stove, we’ll see when I get to that point what makes the most sense. Working on stuff outside, mostly I just deal with it, but I have used a kerosene wick type heater for something to warm my hands by or sometimes built a tent and used a torpedo heater. My buddy uses natural gas heater, but you can’t fit anything in his garage (good place to hang out though and sometimes we build a tent off the garage door and work there) but natural gas isn’t an option here

Understood. It gets pretty cold here in Minnesota. After a certain point I just lose all will to work.

 

[Lefty]

Actually I bring a lot of my tools inside to keep them warm.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Understood. It gets pretty cold here in Minnesota. After a certain point I just lose all will to work.

I have Carhartt gear and worked concrete construction for over 11 years. Breaking ice in the wheelbarrow to wash tools that freeze and thawing them in front of a torpedo heater was an experience everyone should have. And basements fogging so bad you can barely see the front edge of the wheelbarrow you’re pushing.

If it’s way miserable out, not an easy fix, and has to be done, I’ll go through the trouble of rigging up a tarp tent and run a heater. I’m getting older and the mileage is taking it’s toll so I’m looking forward to a garage

 

[Lefty]

You're a better man than me!

 

[Uncle Gump]

I actually like the cool fall Temps for working in the garage. Even into winter. I just wear a hoodie and my carhart bibs. It's a nice change to sweating all summer long. When I can see my breath... I have a propane torpedo heater... and it's hungry. I run it long enough to take the chill out and shut it down. Repeat if I see my breath.

 

[Shran]

I did plenty of wrenching in the snow, below zero at night with insulated everything. If I'm working in the shop in the winter these days, it's gonna be 70+ degrees in there.

For those of you considering a wood stove, check with your homeowners insurance first. Most companies will drop you if you install one in an attached garage or outbuilding.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I did plenty of wrenching in the snow, below zero at night with insulated everything. If I'm working in the shop in the winter these days, it's gonna be 70+ degrees in there.

For those of you considering a wood stove, check with your homeowners insurance first. Most companies will drop you if you install one in an attached garage or outbuilding.

We don't even keep the house at 70 degrees.

 

[Ranger850]

I don't have a garage

 

[Ranger850]

Or winters . . .

 

[rumblecloud]

Mine is 20x40. Insulated the ceiling with 3-inch hard foam. Walls have 2-inch hard foam sheet on the inside. Outside had Tyvok and vinyl siding when built. Then added the wood barrel burner this past spring. Haven't had a chance to use in real winter sub-zero or teen temps yet, but am hoping to hold about 60. Also have two 50,000 btu bullet heaters to warm it.
Still a little messy ...sorry.

 

[superj]

sweater shirt or cover alls and if its colder than that, wait till the weather is warmer.

i hate working in cold weather. you slip and hit something, and it really really hurts your hands.

 

[2drxploder]

1200 sq ft. R19 in walls and 30 in ceiling. 14' to 16' ceilings (scissored trusses). I use combination of a natural gas heater and multi-fuel torpedo heater. I use torpedo to bring it up to a comfortable temp, then the 100k btu, nat gas heater. I use the torpedo heater simply because it heats faster, im impatient, and do not leave heat on all the time. Also have a very large ceiling fan centered in shop on 2' drop pole. The natural gas heater will bring the shop up to temp on its own, just takes longer. As others have said insulation goes a long way, even partially insulated will make a big difference.

 

[sgtsandman]

One thing to keep in mind if you don’t heat the garage on a regular basis. That concrete pad your garage and vehicle is sitting on is going to be cold a long time. So expect it. You can feel the cold sucking the heat out of the air when you are at ground level. But taking most of the bite out of the cold is better than working in the full blown cold.

 

[Roert42]

I was running a kero wick heater and a propane micky mouse heater. Had a hard time getting good clean kero for the heater, always had water in it.
I had a kero torpedo last year that was great, relay in the control board took a shit and it’s been sitting outside all summer. I think I’ll just trash it.

I’ll probably get a propane torpedo for this year just to keep the fuels all the same.

I just run the torpedo for a few minutes to get it warm and then leave the micky mouse heater on. The torpedos are loud.

 

[Shran]

When I had a torpedo heater, I ran off-road diesel fuel in it. Difference in smell was negligible vs kerosene and about 1/4 the cost... It was about 2 bucks a gallon then vs $6-8/gallon for clear kerosene. Torpedo heaters don't care about the fuel, wick style kero heaters do though! Red dye will ruin the wick.