Electric Fan Heater for Very Cold Workshop

[rjb]

My workshop is a brick built garage with no insulation. I've been using a 2kw convector heater, but it is not very effective unless I stand on top of it. I want to get something more effective and I was thinking about a fan heater - I'm only in there for a few hours now and then so I don't want the inconvenience of a woodburner or gas heater. I was looking at Screwfix and Machinemart who have 3kw fan heaters for £89 - £99 which I was thinking about getting, but I've also seen much cheaper domestic fan heaters at B&Q etc so I wasn't sure what to go for. Not sure if the more expensive ones work any better than the cheaper alternatives..

I was wondering if anyone had any experience of these heaters. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

RJB.

 

[Woodmagnet]

I prefer an oil filled radiator myself. :wink:

 

[Corset]

I have the same problem and bought a delongi oil filled radiator with a built in fan. Best of both worlds think it was £50.00 from b and q.
Owe

 

[wizer]

Yep same here, I use an oil filled radiator and am surprised at how well it warms the place up. Much safer for the WS too.

 

[paulm]

I leave an oil filled rad on all the time as background heat to keep frost free and then top up with a couple of fan heaters for as long as necessary when I'm working.

The combination works well and the tools don't seem to suffer during the winter.

Cheers, Paul.

 

[Digit]

I use a fan heater, but be warned! Wood dust gets everywhere and with exposed, (red heat) elements there is a risk of fire, and the smell of smouldering wood dust isn't pleasant either.
I have a compressor in my shop and blow the heater out at regular intervals, with that in mind there should be no problem.

Roy.

 

[Rich]

Hi RJB, I use a lpg portable gas heater, I turn it on to full about 1 hour before I want to be in the workshop and then when I go in there I turn it down to low, today it was +3 outside and in my workshop it was 21c, the 12kg bottle cost me £19.00 and lasts me about 6 months.
Regards Rich.

 

[seanybaby]

Hi RJB, I use a lpg portable gas heater, I turn it on to full about 1 hour before I want to be in the workshop and then when I go in there I turn it down to low, today it was +3 outside and in my workshop it was 21c, the 12kg bottle cost me £19.00 and lasts me about 6 months.
Regards Rich.

Wow, that seems really cheap. Is your workshop also a garage with no insulation?

 

[Digit]

Rich! Do me a favour and shut up will you?!
I was out in my nearly completed workshop today at about the same temperature. Happiness is having windows and a door in place! :lol:

Roy.

 

[Gordon T]

Hello all, I keep two electric sun bars on all night in this cold weather, in addition to an oil filled radiator when I am in the garage/workshop. Following advice from forum members I am currently attempting to fully insulate everywhere I can. despite this yesterday, with all heaters on , draughts plugged, many many layers of clothing I spent 3 hours turning and managed to get the temperature up to a whole 6 degrees C.
I am booked in at my local forge to have mine welded back on, ready for another session.

GT

 

[martlewis]

Insulate! Insulate! INSULATE!!!

I used to have a wooden uninsulated workshop. When I needed to work I would put on a couple of fan heaters before I started. Only problem was condensation and the dreaded rust! Save some cash on heaters and running costs, invest in a few rolls of insulation (mine were from B&Q BOGOF offer) and some ply or plasterboard for the walls. Now all I have is a single delonghi dragon oil rad set to just over frost setting and turn it up slightly while I'm working. No more rust and comfortable to work in there after an hour with the heater turned up slightly. It also has a built in fan for instant heat.

Martin.

 

[rjb]

Thanks everyone for the great advice ...I think I'm now more undecided than before. I hadn't thought about oil filled radiators, but it sounds like they are well worth considering and if it's still not warm enough I should probably try to fit more insulation.

Thanks again,

RJB.

 

[eggflan]

I have some bad leaks in my workshop roof so heat is way down the list at the moment however this will be sorted by a new roof this week ,, :lol:
This thread has given me some great advice as i have 2 oil filled radiators in my loft that i was going to tip , some members state they leave them on in the workshop but i remember them to be quite expensive to use is there a model that is cheaper to run than my really old dusty ones in the loft :lol:

 

[chunkolini]

I'd go with Rich. I also work in a concrete box with an up and over door. I use a portable gas heater and it warms the place up in about 20 minutes, then just leave it on low and dont go out if i can avoid it.

Probably th cheapest and fastest option.

Chunko'.

 

[the_g_ster]

I have a 3kw radiator tha seems to chuck out some heat but still chilly.

The LPG and wire element would worry me too much with respect to fire risk. Any dust that's combustible can be extermely dangerous in confined spaces. Do paints and vanishes etc suffer from freezing when you come round to use them again?

The G

 

[Taffy Turner]

The problem with free standing gas heaters is that they produce a lot of water vapour, which is not what you want in a workshop, as this may well form as condensation on your tools when the workshop cools, leading to corrosion problems.

Propane is C3H8 and when it burns (reacts with Oxygen) we get the following reaction: -

C3H8 + 5 02 = 3 CO2 + 4 H2O

If there is a shortage of Oxygen, then we get CO produced instead of CO2, which is Carbon monoxide, which is definitely not what you want in your workshop! :shock:

I use a 2kw fan heater, and position it on the floor behind where I am working so that the warm air blows on and around me - keeps me lovely and warm! The rest of the workshop can be freezing, but I am warm enough to be comfortable.

B+Q and Focus are both having sales of fan heaters - you can pick one up for under £10.

Gary

 

[Paul.J]

I use a gas heater in my shop all the time.Warms up pretty quick for a 16'x16' space,and i have never had any problems with condensation or rust.Though i do leave some gaps for air to circulate.
But as i said on a previous post,now i do more turning i reduce the size of area that i work in by using a plastic sheet the full width of the w/s.This heats the smaller area up even quicker.
Paul.J.

 

[chippy1970]

INSULATE

I insulated my timber frame workshop, when i built it, with 50mm celotex all around roof, walls and jablite under the floor so all I need do is switch on a small fan heater for 10 mins and its warm all day even now.

Fan heaters are dryer than gas heaters so if you want less condensation use a fan heater.

 

[Rich]

Hi Seanbaby, Digit and Chunkolini, I have a flatpack heavy duty 12x8 workshop, I raised the floor 100mm off the ground,I insulated the walls and roof with 40mm sheets of foam, secondary glazed the windows and put 18mm t&g loft panels on top of the 3/4" floor boards, after that I covered walls and roof in 9mm t&g panelling, I must confess I do get a bit of condensation but this disappears after a couple of hours, I was concerned about a naked flame and sawdust but I have since got a dust extractor(Charnwood) picked it up for£20.00, normal price over £200.00 so I was well pleased.
Regards Rich.

 

[Digit]

Do paints and vanishes etc suffer from freezing when you come round to use them again?

The quick answer is some do some don't. Depends on the base material.

Roy.