Summer of the garage

[Fuzz]

I am loving having heat, I've been working on a project all weekend. The sprints from the house to the garage aren't so nice though, I've been back and forth constantly! I need a heated tunnel. If you get a Mr Heater from Princess Auto it comes with a low temp thermostat, though it isn't fancy. The heater is great.

[Shin Pad]

I put in radiant heat (gas fired). The garage is 50 feet long, so the pipe and shroud are about 40 feet long (I left if 5 feet short on either end). Anyway, the heater is 100,000 BTU and works just great. I keep my garage warmer (about 15 deg C), as I have my treadmill and exercise equipment in it, and I'm using it all the time. I would highly recommend this type of system.


I agree with Fuzz though, the sprint from the garage to the house isn't great in this type of weather especially after you have been working out for an hour and you are soaked with sweat.

[sa226]

Heating my garage was a game changer for me.

I put it in myself. Hardest parts was hoisting it up to the ceiling. I had a stubbed out line already running to the garage. So I just had a gas guy come hook it up for me. Though whoever put the line in the ground wasn't really thinking because it had to be tapped off the house line quite a ways down the line. I think its always best to tap right off the meter. There's some wasted water columns in there.

Availability of parts it a big thing. These furnaces are pretty simple. Just a couple weeks ago the control board on mine fried. Literally. One corner of it was charred black and melted through. Was a bit jarring. But I ordered a new one and after receiving it, I was up and running again in a couple hours.

Tl;dr: Heat your garage, its amazing. But try not to burn it down.

[BsFaninCGY]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I re-did my back/side yard a couple of years back and didn't have the foresight (or budget) to run the gas lines back then. I hate the idea of digging it back up even if it is only a trench. And unfortunately our gas meter is in an area that has nothing but concrete pads down everywhere around it. Sounds like it may be a bit of a job to go with gas.

I've considered upgrading the electrical to accommodate a big enough electric heater and I'm feeling this will be what I eventually have to do. My father in law has a heated garage and it's such a pleasure to visit his shop. So jealous...

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by BsFaninCGY

And unfortunately our gas meter is in an area that has nothing but concrete pads down everywhere around it.

Poured concrete or pre formed slabs? If it's the latter, it's easier to lift em up and replace than you think.

I think I calculated the payback on gas vs heat at 3-4 years.... electric heat is woefully inefficient (what Greta won't tell you...)

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Poured concrete or pre formed slabs? If it's the latter, it's easier to lift em up and replace than you think.

I think I calculated the payback on gas vs heat at 3-4 years.... electric heat is woefully inefficient (what Greta won't tell you...)

Very true on the electric heat. I have two baseboard heaters in my garage that are about 12 to 16 feet each. The first winter when we moved in the January was ridiculously cold. There was about three weeks where is was -15 and most of the time it was -20 or colder. I had cranked the heat and left it on all month at around 15 degrees. My utilitu bill for the month was an eye opening $1000. I learned my lesson quickly and now I use the heat much more sparingly.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by BsFaninCGY

Thanks for the responses everyone. I re-did my back/side yard a couple of years back and didn't have the foresight (or budget) to run the gas lines back then. I hate the idea of digging it back up even if it is only a trench. And unfortunately our gas meter is in an area that has nothing but concrete pads down everywhere around it. Sounds like it may be a bit of a job to go with gas.

I've considered upgrading the electrical to accommodate a big enough electric heater and I'm feeling this will be what I eventually have to do. My father in law has a heated garage and it's such a pleasure to visit his shop. So jealous...

If you really want gas and have no other route for the gas line, directional drilling under the concrete pads is possible.

[CroFlames]

What are some features I should look for in a gas garage heater? Is bigger always better?

[Fuzz]

For a regular size garage 50 000 btu's is more than enough. Mine is from Princess Auto, it's been great so far. I'm not sure what features it could have. It turns gas into heat and blows it. That's about all I would expect them to do.

[timun]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I think I calculated the payback on gas vs heat at 3-4 years.... electric heat is woefully inefficient (what Greta won't tell you...)

Nah, electric heat is very efficient. It's just not worth it because electricity is so much more expensive than natural gas.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

What are some features I should look for in a gas garage heater? Is bigger always better?

You might want to watch out for distance to your cars with if you go with Radiant heat style heaters.... you can cook the paint / plastic trim if you're not careful.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

For a regular size garage 50 000 btu's is more than enough. Mine is from Princess Auto, it's been great so far. I'm not sure what features it could have. It turns gas into heat and blows it. That's about all I would expect them to do.

What model did you get so I can begin my research? I'm getting a gas line, so time to start thinking of these things.

[Ahuch]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

What model did you get so I can begin my research? I'm getting a gas line, so time to start thinking of these things.

If you're staying there for a long time, I highly recommend the Reznor 45k BTU. I considered getting a princess auto one (if it dies you can just buy a new one and still be less expensive than the name brand heater), but I like the idea of parts availability down the line and the Reznor is super quiet so you don't hear it in the room above my attached garage (maybe doesn't matter as much for detached!)

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

What model did you get so I can begin my research? I'm getting a gas line, so time to start thinking of these things.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/5000...t/PA0008944951

It looks like they changed the branding, but the manual link still shows it's a Mr Heater, so just a label change. It was on sale for $100 off when I got it.

I used this vent kit:
https://www.princessauto.com/en/4-in...t/PA0008945180

If you go sideways, you need this, which is hella expensive, for some reason I can't really figure out.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/4-in...t/PA0008945198


EDIT: Ah, it's because side venting requires stainless vents.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

electric heat is woefully inefficient (what Greta won't tell you...)

Electric heat is 100% efficient....

[Ahuch]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

https://www.princessauto.com/en/5000...t/PA0008944951

It looks like they changed the branding, but the manual link still shows it's a Mr Heater, so just a label change. It was on sale for $100 off when I got it.

I used this vent kit:
https://www.princessauto.com/en/4-in...t/PA0008945180

If you go sideways, you need this, which is hella expensive, for some reason I can't really figure out.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/4-in...t/PA0008945198


EDIT: Ah, it's because side venting requires stainless vents.

Yeah, you can buy the stainless venting cheaper at a place like Ecco or Sinclair but it's still pretty pricy stuff.

[Northendzone]

so after about 15 years of having unpainted drywall in my garage, I decided this weekend that sometime over the next few weeks I am going to paint the inside of my garage. I am thinking a medium grey tone with either black or red trim

some parts of this job will be easy, while others will make me cry, and there will be some spots I can't get into.

I hope I don't regret taking on this task; however, months of watching guys reno their garage on Youtube have made me want to do this.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

so after about 15 years of having unpainted drywall in my garage, I decided this weekend that sometime over the next few weeks I am going to paint the inside of my garage. I am thinking a medium grey tone with either black or red trim

some parts of this job will be easy, while others will make me cry, and there will be some spots I can't get into.

I hope I don't regret taking on this task; however, months of watching guys reno their garage on Youtube have made me want to do this.

wrong thread

https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=183296

[Fuzz]

Painting makes such a huge difference, particularly if your walls are old and yellow. Was the mudding and taping done well, or is it a clumpy disaster?

[Ducay]

I'd suggest going as light as you can to help brighten up the workspace and feeling. Most of my walls are covered in white slatwall, but I did a light grey where it is drywall and looks great. Same thing with a white ceiling, real gamechanger from yellowed out unpainted drywall. Reflects a lot more light and is a huge improvement for like $50 in paint.