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We are getting cooler weather now,,,the shop is pretty cold in the mornings....I haven't worked out how I'm going to heat it yet.
We only have electricity out here on the Peninsula (I'm used to natural gas in CA)
We picked up a small woodstove, needs the pipe and the whatevers to get it hooked up.
Have to find someone who knows how these things go so we can have that installed.
I was thinking it might not be a bad idea to have a secondary heat source in case the stove doesn't work out, or to take off the chill while I'm getting it going.
The shop is 24x24...ceiling is yet to be insulated (will get blown-in insulation soon), I have a small office area off the side (10x7) which will be separated from the big room (I have an oil-filled radiator for that)
Jackson has 2 fan-circulating electric heaters up near the ceiling, think he said they cost a lot to run tho. He didn't like messing with a woodstove.
I used to have one of those big karosene jet-engine type heaters, very good for heating up a shop fast, but the smell!
Saw a propane shop heater at Walmart...don't know anything about those...
posted
A few years ago I got a through the wall propane heater. It's safe to use in a shop, as the pilot light and combustion air is plumbed to the outside. It does not take up much space, actually hangs on the wall, and is about 3'x3'x1' deep. Installation only requires a round hole in the wall for the vent/exhaust. Hook up must be done by a professional though. I opted for the electric fan on it to help circulate the heat better. Does require you to either buy or rent a propane bottle of a decent size, I think mine is about 60 gallons. Total cost for everything was about 1200 Canadian. I'm very happy with it.
-------------------- "Are we having fun yet?" Peter Schuttinga DZines Sign Studio 1617 Millstream rd Victoria BC V9B-6G4 Posts: 521 | From: Victoria BC | Registered: Mar 2002
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...I know it's not totally "environmental" but I use a woodstove to heat my house. I burn about two cords of wood a season. When it is delivered, they dump it by the curb, and then I have to schlepp it and stack it on the porch. I then have to carry pieces inside to burn, then (later on) shovel the ashes out of the stove.
...All this is dirty and laborous, but I can heat my place for $200 a winter. If you are "up to it' you will LOVE how the stove warmth feels. Over time you will refine your routine of starting and maintaining a fire.
...Be sure that the wood you use is seasoned (dry) hardwood. (Not pine.)
We just finished remodeling and insulating our shop. I had taken the advice of seasoned pros and put R22 bat insulation in the roof/ceiling. We covered it all with a layer of pink 1.5" foam insulation too. Then to "finish" the look we covered with 35 sheets of white coro. It was cheap and actually brightens up the place. I had to add a few windows, but we've already had 50 degree mornings and it's stayed warm without any heat source. We installed an LP furnace, it wasn't too much since it was from a house.
I couldn't use a wood burning stove, like I use to have a few years ago since code prevents open flames with paints. Make sure to check this out before you mess with it. I agree tho that nothing beats the crackle and smell of your own fire......
Stay warm through the winter everyone!
-------------------- Matthew Rolli AdCraft Sign&Design Hudson, WI Posts: 280 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Aug 2003
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We just finished remodeling and insulating our shop. I had taken the advice of seasoned pros and put R22 bat insulation in the roof/ceiling. We covered it all with a layer of pink 1.5" foam insulation too. Then to "finish" the look we covered with 35 sheets of white coro. It was cheap and actually brightens up the place. I had to add a few windows, but we've already had 50 degree mornings and it's stayed warm without any heat source. We installed an LP furnace, it wasn't too much since it was from a house.
I couldn't use a wood burning stove, like I use to have a few years ago since code prevents open flames with paints. Make sure to check this out before you mess with it. I agree tho that nothing beats the crackle and smell of your own fire......
Stay warm through the winter everyone!
-------------------- Matthew Rolli AdCraft Sign&Design Hudson, WI Posts: 280 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Aug 2003
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Adrienne....I have what I believe is the same unit as Peter. Mine is made by Hunter Enterprises. Propane fired, wall hung and vented with sealed combustion chamber, thermostat and circulating fan.
It is totally safe even for spray painting. No odors at all. I can heat my shop to 80 degrees with it, if needed, even in the dead of winter here in Ontario.
I can't say enough about how great it is.
You might not be able to get one of that brand since they are a Canadian company, but your local propane seller should sure be able to give you some similar options.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
A, I have been using a Miller hot air furnace (the kind used in a mobile home).
I picked it up for $200 used. I put in a new nozzle, cleaned it thouroughly, made sure it had no cracks in the "fire box".
It blows hot air out of the bottom. It sits up off of the floor about 8". I run it off of kerosene with a small tank off in the corner of the shop.
It is hooked to a thermostat, and heats a 26 x 26 shop with nice fresh hot air just great.
The chimmney is "metal bestos", which is a stainless steel solid pack chimmney, and they are great. The one I put up was about $300. Did it myself. As a matter of fact, it is the 3rd one I have installed at different locations, and I swear by them.
So for about $500-600, you will have nice heat to last a long time.
PS: stay away from the "torpedo" space heaters in an enclosed area. A nasty thing in kerosene is benzine, and you don't want to breath that!
Questions?
Bob
-------------------- "The 3-4 minute mark of "Freewill" by Rush.
Bob Kaschak Artisan Sign And Design Peru New York Posts: 1875 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Jul 2002
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I have had nothing but wood stove for heat for 6 years in the same place in CA, here we have a nice woodstove in the house....always preferred wood over electric or gas anyway.
And with 5+ acres of wooded property, we have plenty of old wood to burn.
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I use 250 watt halogen heat bulbs to take the chill off my shop. They really brighten up the place too as well as provide radiant heat which is much more efficient than heat carried by moving air. No dust gets kicked up by fans either. Look for the bulbs where they sell livestock supplies.
-------------------- Happy Signing...... Marty
M.F. (Marty) Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4 306-789-9567 happyad@sasktel.net www.happyad.ca
Get Happy & Get Noticed! Posts: 773 | From: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: Jan 1999
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Yep, stay away from open flames since you're a painter unless you do all your painting in another part of the building.
I know this doesn't help your pradicament but I have a gas run 'wood' stove to warm my shop upstairs (so I can see the flame) and a gas wall heater downstairs in the garage area. Both safe around paints and fumes, that's the moral of my story.
posted
Another vote for the mobile home furnace.. I got mine from a neighbor who was scrapping a mobile that was being replaced with a modular. They even gave me the tank and 100 gallons of oil with it for $200. I had to make an angle iron frame to get it about a foot off the floor, and also put a sheet of metal at a 45 degree angle to direct the warm air to the middle of the shop. I use it all winter long, and it goes through about a 5 gallon pail of kero/heating oil/diesel in one 10 degree day. This is in a 20 by 30 shop with insulated walls, uninsulated roof, and light peeping in the cracks of the swinging front door. If I was to actually finish the shop it would do a lot better.
I have used propane "high hat" heaters also, they put off so much moisture everything in the shop got rusty. Kero salamanders make me sick, and also put off a ton of moisture. Wood stoves are neat, but need attention and dry wood. Normally around here it snows and the pile of wood never seems to get dry.
No problems with flammables in the shop, the burner chamber is enclosed.I could set it up for outside air but half the air in the shop is outside air, especially if I need to open the door and get a car inside..:-)
-------------------- Bill Foshay Stephentown, NY ------------------------ "That's not a junkyard, It's my museum!" Posts: 40 | From: Stephentown, NY | Registered: Mar 2004
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My daughter just installed a furnace into her new home that takes fuel oil, wood, or corn cobs. Being that we are in farm country, corn cobs are plentiful. Supposedly they put out more btu's than some wood. I don't know if they make small ones. But than again Mike Meyers has a stove in his place that burns corn.
[ September 18, 2004, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: Laura Butler ]
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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We have gas radiant heat in the big shop and love it. It's like working in the sunshine.
In my studio I opted for electric baseboards under my desk. So far I love it as it keeps me nice and warm without over heating the room.
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Annnmddddd, along with good insulation and heat, don't forget about your dainty feet. Bare cement floors are always very cold. Ya might try a flooring system for your floors. Most local hardware stores can help you. Cold feet sucks!!!
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3819 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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hi I agree with the "comfort" of wood-been ther burnt that along with goood insulation ( a builder told me you loose 60% thru the ceiling/roof), but we have a 30 by 24 workbay we heat, when needed ,with a Q-Mark electric ceiling hung unit. It's a 20 by 18 inch unit, has fins to direct air flow for effecieny,needs a dedicated 220 line, and is fairly quiet. Oh yeah, i had a customer install a house thermostat on the wall to keep it @ a reasonable temp....so the "heat up time " to work in the shop is minimal. i think you can go online to Granier to check the "spec". mark ! or.......put a really really nice espresso machine in the corner ? nahhhh.
-------------------- mark zilliox mark z signs 8425 pushaw station rd. owings md. 20736 301-855-5407 thezs@earthlink.net http://www.markzsigns.com Posts: 348 | From: maryland | Registered: May 2003
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Have an overhead Reznor that is older than me that I got FREE from a very flamboyant hairdresser years ago. Maybe that's why it's so hot! Psssst! (licking finger and placing on butt cheek) Uses natural gas & has a thermostat. Love.....Jill
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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A, as you know, we use wood also. If I was looking into alternatives, I'd go for a Monitor. They run on kerosene or diesel oil and don't have any smell. They are one of the most efficient heaters I've seen. We've lived with one for seven years at home. Far more efficient than propane or forced air or wall heaters.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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