O/T do you guys heat your shop during the winter ?

[RacerX10]

I have a new shop, 40x40 with 16' high walls and steep pitch on the roof .. peaks at about 30'. I don't need to be "warm", but I'm just looking to knock the chill off during the 2 or 3 colder months in the winter here in central Arkansas.

It's pretty well insulated. Normal insulation that you see in metal buildings in the walls, R8 roll up door in front and double insulated glass in the small window. Entry doors are higher R value too.

Anyway .. Any suggestions for some affordable heat that won't asphyxiate me ?

Thanks !

http://www.rtach.com/pics/shop1.jpg
http://www.rtach.com/pics/shop2.jpg

[Lizardracing]

Infared heaters and get some ceiling fans to move the air from the peak to the floor.

[RacerX10]

Haven't even looked at infrared heaters .. why those ? Also I should mention I'm only in that shop for a few hours at a time, maybe 3 or 4 times a week.

[zeroracing]

I use a pellet stove to heat.

[fox1162002]

I have a 40 x 60 13ft tall ceilings and i use a double barrel stove and burn wood. I bought a thermal flu kit. I'm in Tn and i like to burn hickory wood. Usually takes about one hr to knock the chill off.

[keeks]

I agree with the pellet stove, or plain old wood stove. It'll be so cozy you won't want to leave.

[hammond motorsports]

Infared heaters because it heats the items in your shop not the air . I have a 60x100 with 16 tall cost less to heat this @ 72 all the time vs my other building that was a 30x60x14 @60 . The floor will even stay warm .

[RacerX10]

Infared heaters because it heats the items in your shop not the air . I have a 60x100 with 16 tall cost less to heat this @ 72 all the time vs my other building that was a 30x60x14 @60 . The floor will even stay warm .

What kind / make / model of IR heater do you use ? I wanna look up some pricing.

May be less of an pressing issue than I thought. 71 degrees where I am today :)

Thanks !

[Krooser]

I have a 30' IR heater and a pellet stove. I mostly heat with the pellet stove but the IR is great. In your location a small 12' unit would heat your space very nicely.

I followed the manufacturers specs and bought an 80K btu heater.... way too big for my shop. I could have been just as comfy with 40K btu's.

I just deleted all my pics from when I installed my heater but you can see iy installed in this pic. Mine is a Superior Radiant UX model. Just a generic deal. Mine is installed at a 45 degree angle since I only have a 9' ceiling. They work better if they are hung higher... wider angle of radiation.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/krooser/shop%20pictures/1stcoat.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/krooser/media/shop%20pictures/1stcoat.jpg.html)

http://superiorradiant.com/us/products/single-stage-infrared-tube-heaters/low-intensity/standard-high-efficiency-heater

[SuperEight]

I have a new shop, 40x40 with 16' high walls and steep pitch on the roof .. peaks at about 30'. I don't need to be "warm", but I'm just looking to knock the chill off during the 2 or 3 colder months in the winter here in central Arkansas.

It's pretty well insulated. Normal insulation that you see in metal buildings in the walls, R8 roll up door in front and double insulated glass in the small window. Entry doors are higher R value too.

Anyway .. Any suggestions for some affordable heat that won't asphyxiate me ?

Thanks !

http://www.rtach.com/pics/shop1.jpg
http://www.rtach.com/pics/shop2.jpg

Nice shop! What that set you back if you don't mind me asking? PM is fine if your inclined to share.

[RacerX10]

I have a 30' IR heater and a pellet stove. I mostly heat with the pellet stove but the IR is great. In your location a small 12' unit would heat your space very nicely.

Thanks for the info. I looked up the model IR heater you have and it appears to be NG or Propane. I don't have NG on site (yet .. but it's available at the street 500' away). I do have a 100# propane tank laying around, but I don't think that would run very long on a tank that small.

[RacerX10]

Nice shop! What that set you back if you don't mind me asking? PM is fine if your inclined to share.

Juuuuuuuust about the same as a Club 29 roller chassis complete with motor and a fresh set of tires :)

http://www.rtach.com/pics/shop3.jpg

Still planning to add a covered entry and some exterior lighting but it's getting close to done. Have a good sized pad out back to park the enclosed trailer and a lean-to on the back of the building to park the hauler under.

[billetbirdcage]

If you have access to a lot of used oil, oil burners these days are quite reliable and cheap to run. Been using one for over 10 years now and haven't paid for heat except for the office area that I don't use the oil burner for heat in.

Down sides: Getting and storing oil, people will bring you half oil and half water/anti-freeze and it's tuff to get rid of that crap. Cleaning isn't bad, really only have to do once a year and takes about an hour to hour and half.

My unit paid for itself in 2 years from using NG in a 5000 sq foot shop.

[RacerX10]

If you have access to a lot of used oil, oil burners these days are quite reliable and cheap to run.

I've never lived anywhere they use them (north) .. I probably do have access to a lot of used oil. Are they "clean" ? I don't want any sooty air in the shop.

Where's a good place to look for one for sale ? Do they install kind of like a wood stove would ?

[billetbirdcage]

I've never lived anywhere they use them (north) .. I probably do have access to a lot of used oil. Are they "clean" ? I don't want any sooty air in the shop.

Where's a good place to look for one for sale ? Do they install kind of like a wood stove would ?

Look at http://www.reznorheaters.com/en/na/used-oil-fired-heaters-boilers to get an idea of what they look like. They are pretty similar to a regular furnace and can be duct-ed just like a normal furnace, you don't get any fumes inside building unless it plugs up and one of the safety vent doors has to open to relieve pressure cause it's plugged with ash. Just need a vent going to roof like a wood stove, but it works with a thermostat and I leave mine on all the time just like a NG furnace.

I have a 235,000 BTU unit and go thru around 800 to maybe as high as 1000 gals of oil per winter, less on light winters. They are controlled so no adjusting for different weights of used oil, like the old ones where you have to adjust it all the time. I just fill with oil and set thermo and forget about it, beside filling the tank when needed with is about every month or so (240 gallon tank).

I gave around 6500.00 to have it complete and installed because I just didn't want to mess with it. It can be done way cheaper cause I bought everything new, oil burner unit, oil tank, etc and there are some models out there free standing that really need no install besides the vent out the roof.

I works so well for me and is reliable, I had the gas disconnected cause I only used NG for heating before and got tired of paying almost 70.00 a month (min monthly charge with all the BS taxes) just to be connected for the other 7 to 9 months when I used no NG at all. That saved 500.00 to 600.00 a year.

The problem is getting oil, but if you have a source for it, I highly recommend it


Found a picture of one that is more self contained like I talked about, also a good brand from what I'm told but no personal experience with one http://www.lanair.com/lanairproducts/value-slider.php

[hammond motorsports]

What kind / make / model of IR heater do you use ? I wanna look up some pricing. May be less of an pressing issue than I thought. 71 degrees where I am today :) Thanks ! Schwank heaters ,I have 2 of them 175,000 btu

[stockcar5]

I have a 30ft infrared heater. Only thing better is floor heat. I use a wall ac unit in the summer mostly just to get rid of humidity.

I would stay away from oil burners. To much hassle.

[hipower17]

HEAT? i have race parts to buy.

[RacerX10]

I have a 30ft infrared heater. Only thing better is floor heat. I use a wall ac unit in the summer mostly just to get rid of humidity.

I would stay away from oil burners. To much hassle.

Is yours LP / NG ? Electric ?

[stockcar5]

Ours is LP. Reznor brand.

[Lizardracing]

Infrared heaters are good for smaller enclosed areas because the have no open flame. That's usually a benefit for smaller shops when parts cleaner and aerosol cans and paint fumes etc...

I have to agree with floor heat comment. The only downside is you can't just flip the switch for instant heat at a gas furnace. It's takes a little while to warm the concrete but it's very efficient.

Almost all the major automotive dealerships around here are using waste oil. Oil changes and 900 cars on the lot provide all they need plus some probably.


It is just me or do you really hate when the shop air is warm and cozy but the tools are so cold you cant hang on them without your fingers sticking!