Hi all. Like most hobby woodworkers I am finding it tough working in my double garage workshop this time of year due to low temps. Have just tried a 3kw electric fan heater from Wickes, which even after 2 hours on full has not changed the temp 1 degree, the grill on the front wasn't even heated up. Others must have found solutions to this problem, suggestions welcomed. Thanks.
Double garage heating
- Thread starter gazt42
- Start date
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thetyreman
Established Member
oil filled radiators are my favourite, it heats up the air in the room quite well.
If your garage is joined to your house then a radiator or 2 could be added to heating system. It won’t add much to the running cost of heating your home .
Doug71
Established Member
I got one of those quartz patio type heaters off Amazon a couple of years ago and it has been great. It only really heats what it's pointing at but the heat is instant and it can easily be moved around. It has really improved my mood in the workshop during the colder months.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Standing-E...and&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736090766&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Standing-E...and&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736090766&sr=8-3
A garage is often poorly insulated and requires a lot of heat to get it warm. Options are 1) Woodburner and a good place for your offcuts 2) Propane space heater but can be issues with damp
https://www.sgs-engineering.com/sip-09287-fireball-342-propane-space-heater
3) another option but a higher initial outlay would be a Radiant tube gas heater , no damp issues
4) Run an extra zone from your central heating system providing the garage is close or as I did in my last big workshop just get a gas boiler fitted with radiators and you get hot water as a bonus.
https://www.sgs-engineering.com/sip-09287-fireball-342-propane-space-heater
3) another option but a higher initial outlay would be a Radiant tube gas heater , no damp issues
4) Run an extra zone from your central heating system providing the garage is close or as I did in my last big workshop just get a gas boiler fitted with radiators and you get hot water as a bonus.
bp122
Expert at Jibber-Jabber
Or a low cost option is to heat your workshop jacket (I used an old coat) sleeves with a hair dryer just the second before you wear it. Do 20 odd skip rope jumps and then have some spicy crisps 
should keep you going for hours!
should keep you going for hours!
Jamesc
Established Member
In a garage whilst insulation will be poor it is most likely the majority of heat is lost to draughts.
A quick and simple solution would be to stop up any draughts, especially around the doors. Even something like masking tape will have a very noticable effect. After that insulate all you can, be aware though that if you heat intermittently you are ver likely ot get condensation. especially on things like metal up and over doors, insulation, like the rockwoool and carboard mentioned above will defiantely help.
A quick and simple solution would be to stop up any draughts, especially around the doors. Even something like masking tape will have a very noticable effect. After that insulate all you can, be aware though that if you heat intermittently you are ver likely ot get condensation. especially on things like metal up and over doors, insulation, like the rockwoool and carboard mentioned above will defiantely help.
Insulation makes it much more tolerable but can be hard to fit without dragging everything around.
Rubber matting where you stand to help keep your feet warmer and then a usb heated gilet under a work jacket will keep you warm.
A heated mat can then be handy on the workbench to rest metal tools on and warm hands for detail work.
Fan heaters are less than ideal for a workshop, an infra red heater (think pub beer garden) works well to heat you rather than the air so is going to be more effective at warming you and not blowing dust around.
Rubber matting where you stand to help keep your feet warmer and then a usb heated gilet under a work jacket will keep you warm.
A heated mat can then be handy on the workbench to rest metal tools on and warm hands for detail work.
Fan heaters are less than ideal for a workshop, an infra red heater (think pub beer garden) works well to heat you rather than the air so is going to be more effective at warming you and not blowing dust around.
Deadeye
Established Member
Crikey. There's something seriously wrong with either your heater, your insulation or your thermometer!
6m x 6m x 2m garage = 72m3 air
Air weighs 1.22Kg/m3 so 88Kg
Heat capacity of air is 1005 J/Kg/oC
So a one degree rise would require 88 x 1005 = 88,440 J
Your heater is putting out 3000 J/s so should take just under half a minute to go up 1oC.
If the front grille isn't warm, the heating element is broken and it's just a fan.
To the original point about how to make the garage warmer - Insulate ceiling, walls and (if you can, floor); and stop drafts. And if your dust extraction goes outside you'll never win!
What @Deadeye said.
If you can stop the draughts with brush strip on the garage door, etc the next step for me would be to get a larger dessicant dehumidified and run that a couple of hours a day.
Those make about 600 to 700W of heat as a byproduct of drying the air and make a workshop a whole lot more comfortable even without extra heating.
If you can stop the draughts with brush strip on the garage door, etc the next step for me would be to get a larger dessicant dehumidified and run that a couple of hours a day.
Those make about 600 to 700W of heat as a byproduct of drying the air and make a workshop a whole lot more comfortable even without extra heating.
Hiya
Garage heating
I use a single garage, so here is what I do and what I plan to do
Fan heater,,,, ug no way it blows air that cools before you feel the benefit. I use a three stage oil filled heater
Reason
There is a lot of dust when I work and wood shaving so open heat source is a fire risk
To stop the drafts I hang a old thick wool blanket over the garage doors half way down I hang netting and have the heater in the have I am working in
I use a hazmat type white body suit that keeps me clean and keeps heat in
I use an old body warmer that I have on over my hazmat suit
Last I have a flask of drink, when that’s gone it’s time for a break
TO DO.
I plan to get that cheep recycled plastic insulation from b&q to do the roof over which I will put hard board to keep heat in
Later I plan to do the walls
At the moment it’s a choice
Insulate the garage... or get the tools, wood blanks, jaws, chucks for my wood turning
Wish you the best
Garage heating
I use a single garage, so here is what I do and what I plan to do
Fan heater,,,, ug no way it blows air that cools before you feel the benefit. I use a three stage oil filled heater
Reason
There is a lot of dust when I work and wood shaving so open heat source is a fire risk
To stop the drafts I hang a old thick wool blanket over the garage doors half way down I hang netting and have the heater in the have I am working in
I use a hazmat type white body suit that keeps me clean and keeps heat in
I use an old body warmer that I have on over my hazmat suit
Last I have a flask of drink, when that’s gone it’s time for a break
TO DO.
I plan to get that cheep recycled plastic insulation from b&q to do the roof over which I will put hard board to keep heat in
Later I plan to do the walls
At the moment it’s a choice
Insulate the garage... or get the tools, wood blanks, jaws, chucks for my wood turning
Wish you the best
Amplidyne
Established Member
I've been thinking about getting a new roller shutter type fitted for mine.
And a (bit) lower suspended and insulated ceiling.
That's amongst the million other jobs that want doing of course!
I only generally manage a couple of hours a day out there though, so TBH, most of the time, just wrapping up warmly does the trick. I've just given it a miss the last few days. Too cold!
And a (bit) lower suspended and insulated ceiling.
That's amongst the million other jobs that want doing of course!
I only generally manage a couple of hours a day out there though, so TBH, most of the time, just wrapping up warmly does the trick. I've just given it a miss the last few days. Too cold!
Mike Fletcher
Established Member
I have a double brick garage. I installed celotex to the lower side of the ceiling. I installed these with angled hooks that allow me to quickly remove one to access the storage space. I took the plunge and installed insulated roll up garage doors. I put one inch Styrofoam sheets to the walls. This also helps keep the noise down and the neighbours are happy. I use two 2000 watt infrared heaters hanging above where I work most of the time. If my smart meter is correct they cost about a pound an hour to run, but with the thermostat they don't run constantly. And I have a really good paraffin combustion heater for the colder days. Not cheap, but I can stay comfortable most of the time.
I have a tandem garage around 12x3M. I run a diesel heater on kerosene right next to my lathe where I spend most of my time. It does struggle to get the workshop up to temperature which for me at the moment needs to be over 13C. I can put a propane blow heater on which quickly raises the temperature (about five minutes) then let the diesel heater take over. I rarely find I need to do this though. I also have a battery-powered heated jacket which lasts most of the day while I and the shop warm up. I wear this under my Turner's smock or apron.
paulm
IG paulm_outdoors
If the heater grill isn't warm after two hours then it sounds like either the heater is faulty or you have switched the fan on but not the heating elements ?!!
My well insulated workshop warms up nicely with a ten to fifteen minute blast from the 3kw fan heater. Used to leave an oil filled rad on low all the time in winter to reduce damp and rust but energy price rises put paid to that luxury !
I find on some cheap fan heaters that the thermostat switches off the heat when running on 2 or 3kW even though the room is nowhere near the set temperature. It is measuring the temperature inside the heater, not outside so the best solution is wind up the thermostat well above what you actually want.
Depends on your heater of course.
Depends on your heater of course.
pip1954
Established Member
Hi i have a double garage i have insulated with rockwool lagging then plaster boarded the walls and ceiling also i went across the garage door by making a panel that can be taken out if you want this sops a lot of draughts then I use an electric 2k heater stays lovely and warm.
Newbie_Neil
Established Member
I recently moved into a new build and my double garage is adjoined to the bungalow. There was no insulation in the garage loft, but now it is the same standard as the rest of the house. I've also put insulation on the walls and they were then covered with OSB. The floor is also insulated and covered with construction ply. The crowning glory was having a two-metre radiator fitted, from the main central heating, and now it is the same temperature as the rest of the bungalow. Also, we haven't noticed any real change in our heating bills.
chestnut
Member
A woodburner ! Heats up fast and, above all, uses the offcuts that otherwise clutter up the shop because you cant bear to throw them away. A small stove with a double wall flue straight up though the roof would be simple to install. Finding a little stove second hand on ebay should be simple and inexpensive.
