thinking about putting in a overhead LP heater to heat 3 stall shop with 10' ceiling. Insulation is fairly good but not great. Looking at a 45,000 BTU MR HEATER or Sterling unit about the same size. The sterling unit has provision for outside combustion air and is 83 % efficient versus 80%. The Sterling is mildly more expensive. I am inclined to think the the added expense and trouble of plumbing the combustion air run is worthwhile? ??
- Thread starter MI-Bill
- Start date
Determined
Well-known Member
You mentioned overhead heater so I assume you will be running the pipes out the roof.
When it is miserably cold and frosty outside and you are climbing on the roof to get rid of the ice that has built up on the intake pipe you will wish you never bought the high efficiency unit.
As soon as the ice build up causes a restriction the vac/draft switch will tell the control board there is insufficient air flow for proper combustion and it will refuse to light.
The single pipe units that pull combustion air from inside the building will cause much less grief and pulling combustion air from inside goes a long way to keeping down humidity inside.
The frosting up of the intake pipe may only occur once or twice a year but it always happens when you need heat the most.
Depending on your climate this may never happen to you but in my area it is unavoidable.
I spoke with a furnace dealer about installing a brand new unit. I was told a new one of the same design would not be any better.
When it is miserably cold and frosty outside and you are climbing on the roof to get rid of the ice that has built up on the intake pipe you will wish you never bought the high efficiency unit.
As soon as the ice build up causes a restriction the vac/draft switch will tell the control board there is insufficient air flow for proper combustion and it will refuse to light.
The single pipe units that pull combustion air from inside the building will cause much less grief and pulling combustion air from inside goes a long way to keeping down humidity inside.
The frosting up of the intake pipe may only occur once or twice a year but it always happens when you need heat the most.
Depending on your climate this may never happen to you but in my area it is unavoidable.
I spoke with a furnace dealer about installing a brand new unit. I was told a new one of the same design would not be any better.
I have a mr heater big maxx IIRC ? It power vents so I ran it out the side wall as to avoid potential roof leaks. I have good insulation so it has no problem keeping the 36 x 48 ? building warm in Ohio winters. I don't remember the exact BTU of the heater likely what you looked at, or the exact size of the building darn it.
I have a 42 x 32 shop. It has an overhead radiant heater. Exhaust and intake go through a side wall. Other than in floor heat, I think this is the best type of furnace available. It heat objects not air. Everything in the shop is warm including the floor. It doesn't use much gas and it heats a cool shop very fast. No drafts like a warm air furnace. No cold spots. If I had to do it over, I would get the same type of furnace. Installing them correctly is also important. Where it is installed in the shop makes a difference on how the reflector shields are mounted.
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
We have a Mr. Heater in our shop and it has been reliable so far, 7 years. I think with the size shop you are stating you might want the bigger size, I think it's 75,000. It depend if you are going to heat it all the time or just when you are using it. It will take a long time to warm up the building, especially if you drive a cold vehicle in. The type of doors you have makes a big difference too, we have a 2 inch insulated door and it's still the cold spot.
Bob Bancroft
Well-known Member
- Location
- Aurora NY
My shop is 8400 cubic feet. I have a small propane furnace, which was given to me, setting along one edge. I don't know if it's a "garage" heater, or a trailer heater? It has a built in blower. The exhaust just goes into the shop. It does a good job.
I also use a radiant heater in my shop.
The heater was given to me for removing it, getting it out of the way.
This was a couple of years before I even planned to build a shop.
Then we moved and I built a new shop and put a new radiant heater in this new shop.
You don't loose your heat when opening doors.
In floor hot water heat is nice, but I figure you need to spend all day, everyday to make in floor heat pay.
Dusty
I noticed the living area of my house was less drafty after I added a combustion air supply next to the furnace and gas water heater. I had installed 3M window film over most of the drafty windows. Whenever the furnace kicked on, the window film would bulge out from the suction. Adding the combustion air supply reduced that a lot, except on the upwind side when it was very windy outside.
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
It will do a good job of filling your shop with moisture and possibly killing you!
Hoenes
Member
While non-vented may not be the best situation, I was always told if a gas flame is adjusted properly, it produces very little carbon. A good example would be a natural gas or propane kitchen oven running for hours at a time. Also, vent-less gas fireplaces are sold, but I wouldn't sleep with one on.
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