Shop heat....

[Uncle Gump]

How long do those bottles last? A 25 gallon bottle here cost $75 to fill. This is the first year I didn't use wood, and between the propane and the electricity it's not only much colder, it's expensive as hell

I can exchange a 25lb tank here at the local gas station for less then $20.

 

[Everlearn]

How long do those bottles last? A 25 gallon bottle here cost $75 to fill. This is the first year I didn't use wood, and between the propane and the electricity it's not only much colder, it's expensive as hell

That’s about what I pay, delivered. I’m on the second year with two bottles. I’m not in my shop every day normally but I was about 6 hrs a day all thru Dec & Jan. Based on a SWAG, I’d say it’s about 150 hrs of burn time per bottle on the high setting. The thing I like about the HF heaters is that they have low-med-high settings. My alternative is to use the two brand new natural gas dump heaters that are hanging from the ceiling.......only ran those once for about 10 days when I moved in, got a $400 gas bill......If I’m gonna be in the shop for more than a few hours I start with the one that heats up the sheet of steel. I’m happy with how they work here in Kentucky. Not consistently cold here. Last week it was in the 20’s. Today the high is 56......

 

[Everlearn]

Don’t confuse gallons w lbs. Propane weighs 4 lbs per gallon.......small tanks are measured by the pound, large (over 120 lb capacity) are by the gallon. Price delivered is between $2.25-$2.50/gallon right now. BBQ tanks typically only have 4 gallons of propane to allow for tank age and thermal expansion.

 

[Josh B]

Trouble is they weigh it by the pound and sell it by the gallon. @ $3 gal., 5 gallon bottles cost $15. Maybe I better start looking at that scale

 

[Everlearn]

If you’re buying BBQ tanks exchange at the grocery or hardware store around here it’s $20 for a standard exchange. You get 4 gallons (actually less, 15 lbs is the average). At $2.50 a gallon retail, that’s $10 in fuel cost, and $10 gross profit. You’re paying for convenience. I used to lug the tanks to a fill station, but since my current shop is literally across the street, they just make me 1st stop. Way cheaper. Find a welding supply or distributor. Don’t waste your money on bbq tanks. I bought my 125 lb cylinders at Sams Club for around $100 a pop.

 

[Josh B]

I stop at a supplier on the way to town. It's $3 gallon whether 5 gallon or 25 gallon. They charge by gallon but fill by the pound, just wonder if there's anything lost in translation

Their charge station is right in front, just as if you pulled into a gas station, he's usually out there before I get the bottle out the truck

 

[91stranger]

I personally fill propane at work and it's always cheaper to have it filled compared to doing an exchange. As for the weight/price issue it is probably a loss at the consumer and not the store. We charge $3/gallon but our tank has a meter that goes by 1/10ths so you pay for only what you get. If you only get .5 gallons then that is all you are charged. From my experience an 20# tank holds 4.2-4.5 gallons, a 30# tank holds 7.2-7.4 gallons. Be sure you are watching them fill it because you could easily get shorts a gallon or two and still pay top dollar.

And there's no way in hell you are getting 25 gallon tanks exchanged for $20. You are confused.... You are probably getting the 20 POUND grill tanks exchanged for $20..... a 25 gallon tank is a 100 pounder... I'm THE Hank Hill when it comes to PROPANE AND PROPANE ACCESSORIES. Just ask, they'll tell YA!

 

[19Walt93]

I have a 500 gallon propane tank to feed my house and a smaller (120? gallon) tank beside the garage. After nagging the gas company they fill both when they come here. They used to send a truck, fill one tank and leave, then send the truck back a week or so later to fill the other one. Inefficiency and waste drive me nuts.

 

[stmitch]

If this is a long term house, I'd definitely spend a few bucks to insulate it while it's empty. It will pay you back a little bit everytime you turn on the heat. Check local craigslist type sites for rigid foam insulation panels. You can usually get a decent deal on them. The foam does a much better job at stopping airflow than fiberglass or other types of insulation. I put 1.5" panels in my pole barn walls and it made a huge difference in draftiness. I'll do cellulose in the ceiling as it's the cheapest/inch of thickness.

As for heat sources, I think most have nailed down the basics. Wood works, but can complicate insurance and it's work. Plus there's a big, hot stove sitting in the way that you'd need to avoid getting anything on or near. That turns a 1500ft shop into a 1400ft shop really fast.
Anything with exposed flame and no exhaust vent will add moisture to the air and lead to condensation on cold surfaces. A vented gas heater will not, and they'll exhaust the bad stuff to the outdoors instead of your lungs, but they're a bit more expensive upfront. You can still find good deals on CL though. If I ever get around to heating my shop, it will likely be a mini split so that I get some cooling/dehumidification in the warmer months too.

 

[19Walt93]

If you find a mobile home approved wood stove like I did it's easier. My old box stove was a rectangle of iron that I had to stay away from, the mobile home stove is encased in a sheet metal box with louvers in it so I can touch it while it's burning- just not on the top.

 

[JohnnyO]

Most folks I know here with a building separate from the house use propane or oil fired forced air. That's probably the best if you're not going to run it all the time and just when you're there because it will warm the space the fastest.

That said.....

Bud of mine is a retired engineer and thinks up goofy shit just to see if it can be done. He renovated a garage that he keeps his collector cars in (all Fords plus a Lincoln) and it works this way. Geothermal radiant heat. Has about a 350 gallon plastic tank buried under the floor and plastic pipes run under the floor before he poured the concrete. System is filled with straight ethylene glycol and the thermostat runs a standard boiler pump. It isn't super warm in the winter but he said it never gets below 50* either and the only cost is a teeny bit of electric to run the pump. He did a similar thing when he was the project manager for a local elementary school renovation, ran pipes under the steps and sidewalks. Cost more initially but the school 1) doesn't have to buy salt for the sidewalks and 2) doesn't have to spend extra time cleaning up after kids tracking salt into the school.

He also rigged up a small elevator to lift tools and tires and whatnot up to the garage attic using a garage door opener.