Replies

1. 
   JohnG | Nov 17, 2005 12:07am | #1

   I installed a propane hotdawg 3 years ago.  I love it.  Warms up quickly, easy to install.  I ran the vent thru the side wall since it is power vented.  I couldn't run natural gas to the shop so I opted for propane tanks.  I keep the lowest setting at 50* all winter and it warms up to 68-70 in 5 mins or less.  How often it runs depends on the outside temp.  My shop has R13 in the walls and R30 in the ceiling, so all in all I keep very comfortable working in the shop.  I would recommend the HotDawg to anyone.

    

   John

1. 
   bones | Nov 17, 2005 12:52am | #2

   Thanks.

1. 
   lawrie | Nov 18, 2005 11:20am | #3

   I did try an unvented propane heater, not realizing how much water vapor it would dump into the air. Once I found the deep rust patch on my new and yet-to-be used table saw, I went out and got a 60,000 BTU unit heater. My kids and I ran the gas line from the house, insulated the ceiling and hoisted the unit into the corner. Now it is perfect.I keep the temperature steady to avoid the condensation problems and can bring the level up a few degrees to comfort quickly. But don't ask how much it costs to run because I don't want to know.Lawrie

2. 
   Garry | Nov 18, 2005 07:30pm | #4

   Hey bones,

   I just posted my heat source on another post that I think would work well for you as well

   The following photo shows the heater I use for my shop which is 28x40 with 9 foot ceilings. It's hanging from the ceiling on the right side. Works very well and is inexpensive to operate. It is electric 220V. I ordered through my local Lumber Co when I built my shop. Thought I would only use it temporarly but turn out to be such a good value that I never replaced it.

   View Image

   Garry

   http://www.superwoodworks.com

1. 
   bones | Nov 18, 2005 09:01pm | #5

   Hey, thats a big shop with a small heater. What wass the brand, and how many btu's. I'm also curious if you noticed a big jump in elec bill. Nice shop by the way.

1. 
   Garry | Nov 18, 2005 09:27pm | #6

   Thanks bones,

   Can't tell you for sure but I think it's a GE. As far as BTU's I do not know.

   As far as the electric bill, it's amazingly inexpensive. The shop is on its own meter and the electric portion of the bill was less than $600.00 for the entire year( The power company only comes out once a year to read the meter.) This less than $600.00 includes the electric for the tools all year and last year I started heating the shop the first week in October and did not shut it off until the 2nd week in May. I keep the shop between 60 & 65 degrees when I am not applying finishes and 70 when I am finishing a project.I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where the winters are very cold and we get alot of wind in the winter. My shop is well insulated with 6 inch walls and 10 inches of insulation in the ceiling though.

   Hope this helpsGarryhttp://www.superwoodworks.com

1. 
   muleboy | Nov 30, 2005 05:49am | #7

   Hi Garry,

   We purchased a house and I have moved my shop from one garage to another.   Now that I own rather than rent I have been debating what to do about heat.   I did not want to install a heater in a garage that I would have to leave behind.  

   My present garage/shop is the same size but poorly insulated.   Now that I have finished the basement remodeling I can concentrate on the shop!!!

   the previous owner but 3/4" particle board over the stud walls but didn't insulate underneath.   I have been debating what to do, tear down the particle board, insulate and put it back up.   Or cut holes in the walls and use a blown in insulation.

   I am more convinced than ever that I should use electric heat now that the local natural gas prices are rising by over 40%.

   I have been also debating the electric issue.   I was going back and forth over a sub-panel or getting a separate meter for the garage.

   Not to be nosey, if you don't mind, can you tell me what you pay for a kilowatt/hour.  I mean $600 is not bad at all for a professional shop.

   The electric for the house is 8.25 cents per kilowatt hour plus fees.  I'm told I would pay a little more for a second meter but it might even out.   It's not as cold in Chicago as it is in the UP.

    

   thanks in advance!!

   Muleboy.

1. 
   Garry | Nov 30, 2005 04:06pm | #8

   I believe I am paying about 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour plus fees but the rate is likely to be more this year. I am only billed once a year by the electric company and I will receive that bill in August of 2006.

   Garryhttp://www.superwoodworks.com

2. 
   polarsea1 | Dec 01, 2005 09:46am | #9

   The most important thing you can do is insure that the ceiling is insulated and block as much air infiltration as you can. Insulating the walls won't get you as much return as the overhead. I recently bought a 5kw (21a at 240v) Oullette heater from Northern and it was ~190.00 delivered. I believe the BTU output is somewhere around 17,000.

3. 
   muleboy | Dec 02, 2005 06:38am | #10

   I have been giving myself headaches trying to figure out costs for heating my shop.   It seems that everyone has different ideas about what is cheaper.

   Please help!  I'm overwhelmed!

   The heater you have is 5kw.   so if I understand what that means at it's maximum output it uses 5kw/hr.   at 8.25 cents per kw/hr it would cost 41 cents per hour to run, or $9.90/day, or $297 a month.   The trick here is that it would rarely be running at it's peak output.  since I only get to work in the shop a max of about 30 hrs/week.  that is the only time it might be running at it's top output.   based on a 30 day month and 4.3 weeks in the month that's 129 hrs/month.  so the other 591 hrs it would just work to maintain say a even 50 or 55 f.   Or perhaps 2.5kw for the 50 to 55 f.

   If my numbers are right that heater would cost no more than $177/month to heat the shop.   Well insulated this number drops rapidly.

   Still so many people tell me "gas is the way to go".

   I'm still confused.

   I do know one thing though.  I am determined to get rid of my unvented kerosene heaters.

   Muleboy.

    

4. 
   polarsea1 | Dec 02, 2005 09:48pm | #11

   You can compare  fuel costs by using a calculator like this:

   http://hearth.com/fuelcalc/findoil.html

   Electric heaters are 100% efficient. To compare you will need to know the efficiency of whatever alternatives you are considering along with the cost of the fuel. I don't keep my shop heated unless I am working in it or while I am gluing up or finishing so startup cost was a bigger factor than  long term.  There is another program that will give you the approximate btus that you will need to heat an area based on sq footage, ambient temperature and insulation.

   http://www.slantfin.com/he2/

   Good luck! Bill

    

   Edited 12/2/2005 1:56 pm by polarsea1

2. 
   rpholland | Dec 06, 2005 03:13am | #12

   I too have been looking into a permanent form of heat for my shop, about 600 sq. ft., walls and ceiling are insulated. I am comparing elect & propane. At first I thought propane would be the answer. Now after looking at consumption cost I think elect. is the way to go. In Virginia, I am paying about 6 cents per kilowatt hour for elect. Propane cost around $2.50 per gallon. One KWH yields about 3412 BTU's and propane is about 91330 BTU per gal. If I am calculating correctly, 3412 btu's of propane heat will cost about 9 cents vs. 6 cents for elect. Plus I have to pay rental on a propane tank. I could install the electric unit myself vs. posibly contracting the installation of a gas unit. The cost of the units are close, $ 300 - $500. And I assume an electric unit is 100% efficient. Am I missing anything here ? Robert

1. 
   Garry | Dec 06, 2005 04:05pm | #13

   I can only tell you that the electric heater I use keeps me warm and is relitively inexpensive.

   Garryhttp://www.superwoodworks.com