I don't heat my tractor shop all the time but do maintain a 5x5x7 temp controlled room to keep things that shouldn't freeze. Right now and for years it's been heated by a heat lamp bulb on a thermostat! really inefficient. It has electricity but no propane. I'd like to keep the temp at 50; what are the opinions? I've kicked around using a milk house heater.
- Thread starter tomNE
- Start date
Milk house heater with a thermostat will work great for that small space.
Another possibility- a "cadet" type wall mounted heater. I built a tack room for wife from a 12 by 12 foot stall- well insulated, and the cadet heater heats it fine. Have thermostat set at 40 degrees, it very rarely comes on.
Another possibility- a "cadet" type wall mounted heater. I built a tack room for wife from a 12 by 12 foot stall- well insulated, and the cadet heater heats it fine. Have thermostat set at 40 degrees, it very rarely comes on.
Bob Bancroft
Well-known Member
- Location
- Aurora NY
I built and insulated a small room in the corner of a building. I installed a ventless propane wall mounted heater. MISTAKE - when I found everything dripping wet! The smallest 240V "contractors" heater set as low as possible keeps it 40 deg. F very nicely.
Ceramic disc heater. The first two years after I sold the dairy cows,I had heifers in the stanchion barn. They kept the barn warm enough to keep the drinkers from freezing,but the water came in through the milk house,so I had to keep it from freezing in there. I got some half inch Styrofoam insulation board and made just a small room around the wash vats and water pipes,about 4x14 or so. I used a ceramic disc heater to keep that warm. Worked fine.
Hay hay hay
Well-known Member
Insulation is the key. My 8x12 tack room is insulated with 3 1/2 inch pink batts. One 100 watt bulb keeps it above freezing at outside temp of 10 degrees.
Wheat Farmer
Well-known Member
I have used both a Ceramic and oil fill. Both work great, but the oil fill one would not start again by itself if the power went out. I have a space 8 x 10 and keep it at 55°f, or 70°F.
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Every electric heater is no more or less efficient than the bulb you are now using. A watt is a watt and cannot be made to be more or less effective.
If there is a possible method to insulate the walls of that room with 2 inches of Tuff-R or Thermax isocyanurate based ridged foam, (or fiberglass, but it takes more thickness) you will be happy. Putting vented Propane heater in the wall is also pretty easy and still needs the insulation to be effective and efficient. Heaters that require electricity to operate or control, are subject to power outages, but so is the heat you now use. Insulation is the best route. Jim
If there is a possible method to insulate the walls of that room with 2 inches of Tuff-R or Thermax isocyanurate based ridged foam, (or fiberglass, but it takes more thickness) you will be happy. Putting vented Propane heater in the wall is also pretty easy and still needs the insulation to be effective and efficient. Heaters that require electricity to operate or control, are subject to power outages, but so is the heat you now use. Insulation is the best route. Jim
farmer boy
Well-known Member
95% or more of the electricity used by the light bulb is converted into heat. Between the cost of a new heater and the inefficiency of it because of the fan on it, it's not worth bothering with. I think you're doing really good to heat a 5x5x7 room with a light bulb.
I have to agree with others, I don"t think a heat bulb is as inefficient as you think.
The only problem with that approach is that hot air rises. There will be a HUGE temp difference between the floor and the ceiling.
You might want to keep a very small fan in there to circulate the air - move the warm air down, if you can find something real cheap that doesn"t require a lot of power.
If that"s not an option - keep everything you want to keep from freezing as high up in the room as possible to take advantage of the rise.
Keep the thermostat down at the lowest level that you want to keep above freezing.
If possible, don"t even use the bottom half of the room.
If you don"t have to heat the lower half of the room, you"ll cut your costs significantly.
The only problem with that approach is that hot air rises. There will be a HUGE temp difference between the floor and the ceiling.
You might want to keep a very small fan in there to circulate the air - move the warm air down, if you can find something real cheap that doesn"t require a lot of power.
If that"s not an option - keep everything you want to keep from freezing as high up in the room as possible to take advantage of the rise.
Keep the thermostat down at the lowest level that you want to keep above freezing.
If possible, don"t even use the bottom half of the room.
If you don"t have to heat the lower half of the room, you"ll cut your costs significantly.
flying belgian
Well-known Member
Just keep doing what you are doing. You can't argue with success.
Ken Macfarlane
Well-known Member
Heat lamp, light bulb, quartz radiant, electric baseboard - in a closed room without windows if its electric its the exact same efficiency.
The only way to raise efficiency of electric is via a heat pump.
The only way to raise efficiency of electric is via a heat pump.
Your heat lamp is not "inefficient"from a total heat generated stand point. The efficiency numbers you see are for the amount of light given off. You get the direct heat from the filament and then the radiant heat from the light rays heating the things they hit. That will be close to 100%, at least 90% or more.
IF you have the heat lamp mounted safely then any heater that is electric will not gain you much in saving for electric to heat conversion.
Now a different heat source like propane or fuel oil is a different matter.
IF you have the heat lamp mounted safely then any heater that is electric will not gain you much in saving for electric to heat conversion.
Now a different heat source like propane or fuel oil is a different matter.
T in NE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cambridge, Nebraska
wally's-mart carries about a 4 inch electric fan for maybe $6-8. I have a couple I use for drying my boots in winter.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Problem is the lamp will fail and the room will freeze.
300W or 500W base board heater mounted about a foot off the floor on the coolest side of the room.
Place the stat on the opposite wall.
Always amazed by the number of jackleg trades people. Who place the stat above the heater,floor vent or in front of a window where the sun will shine on it.
300W or 500W base board heater mounted about a foot off the floor on the coolest side of the room.
Place the stat on the opposite wall.
Always amazed by the number of jackleg trades people. Who place the stat above the heater,floor vent or in front of a window where the sun will shine on it.
fixerupper
Well-known Member
I have a moderately well insulated 10X14 chicken house that's heated with a heat lamp and so far the water hasn't frozen at zero degree outside temps. It's a single slope roof, has six single pane windows and it's insulated with 3 1/2" of fiberglass with 1/4" plywood lining the inside walls. Sheeting on the outside of the studs is 1/2" plywood with black felt and steel siding. Floor is wood on skids with an air tight skirt around the lower part of the building. The door and windows aren't sealed all that well because it needs a little ventilation. So to make a long story short, keeping it tight and having some insulation goes a long way toward heating efficiency. I thought about using a little electric heater but I feel safer with the heat lamp in a situation like this. Oh yes, there are 15 chickens in there too but I don't know how much heat they give off. Jim
Mel in SW Iowa
Member
Oil filled 1500 watt is my favorite.
Moline_guy
Well-known Member
If its going to cause damage if it freezes, I would continue to use the heat lamp, but also put a milk house heater with a thermostat. If the bulb would burn out, the heater would kick in.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
Mine too for any room needing additional heat. No noise, no problem falling over and catching something on fire, nice warm heat, thermostat, got it all.
Mark
Mark
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