Furnace Repair Sherwood Park | Heating Your Garage In Alberta
Maybe you have thought about heating your garage but aren’t sure what the best options are. There are many reasons to want a heater installed in your garage. This could be because you’d like to be able to work in it even when it’s cold outside or maybe you just don’t want your vehicles to have to suffer in the cold outdoor temperatures.
This eliminates the need to plug in your block heater or run your car before you drive it. In Alberta the added bonus is not having to sweep snow off or scrape the ice off. Your car will even stay cleaner too as a result. You may even take advantage of having an extra fridge in the garage.
Determine size of garage for proper heating
Whatever the case may be to install a heater in your garage, the first thing you need to do is determine what your heating needs are. Things to consider are if you have an attached or detached garage and whether it is single, double or even larger. If you are going to have a gas heater you will need to configure the appropriate BTU size that will be needed to do the job. Heat is measured in BTUs. If you have a two car garage you will need 30 000 to 40 000 BTU range, while a bigger garage will need more BTUs.
Electric heaters are a different story. These are measured in wattage. A quick formula to decide how many watts are needed is ten watts per square foot of space. Whatever the square footage is of your garage, multiply it by 10 and you will have the wattage estimation needed to warm your garage.
If you have an attached garage there will be some insulation already in place to keep to code. If your garage is detached there are no standards that you need to follow when deciding if you should insulate it or not. However, if you are going to heat it, it is smart to insulate it too. Without proper installation, the cool air will get in and you will be wasting energy to keep it warm. It is as simple as choosing what type of insulation you want. There are three popular ones, fiberglass, polystyrene, and mineral wool, that you can install yourself. The prices range from 30 cents to $1.50 per foot.
Different types of heating options for your garage
Once you have installed the insulation it is time to choose your source of heat. The list includes, gas heater, infrared heater, forced air heater, radiant heater, and a portable space heater. We will list the pros and cons of each.
Gas heaters use the air to heat the space. This is a convection heater. As the air passes through the unit, it is warmed up and pushed back into the space by fan. It is great option to warm a small space and it is very quiet. You will need to hire a professional to install it since it requires fitting to the gas line outside. You won’t need much for maintenance and it is a low-profile option.
Infrared heaters create heat inside an infrared tube. This is similar to the heat created by the sun. The heat produced is absorbed so there is no need to preheat the room. They are super quiet but tend to heat people after they heat the inanimate objects in the room. These low-profile units can be installed in hard to reach places which is great for pets and children. They don’t force air around, so you won’t see dust and allergens circling. This type of heater is the most efficient to heat a garage. While most other heaters heat the air, infrared heats the objects in the room instead.
Forced air garage heaters are exactly like the ones you would find in your house. They take the air and heat it in the furnace then push it back out by way of ducts into the space. This is especially good for a large garage. Of course, this is an expensive system and regular maintenance is needed as well as a professional.
Radiant heaters for your garage are an interesting choice and not always very practical. You need to place them in the floor, ceiling, or walls. They are panel type infrared radiation that heat objects not the air. Because they are a very quiet option, you may choose this type of heater if your space is going to be used for something that requires less noise like entertaining or crafting. The downside of this type is the cost to install it. The upside is the cost to run it is low. This option would work best if you are just building your garage so it can be installed at the beginning of the build.
The last choice to heat your garage is with a portable space heater. Many of us use these heaters in our home as it is and they work especially well for dead spots or a boost to heat you when you are on the chilly side. I’m using one right now as I sit at my desk to write. The beauty of these is they come in a variety of sizes and they are moveable. This cheap and temporary way to heat the space in your garage works in a crunch.
You may not see a surge in power if you find an energy efficient one. However, if you run it a lot you may see a bit of an increase in electricity usage. You can just plug it in but you must keep it away from other objects so there is no danger to using it.
Contact Us
If you aren’t sure which option is the right one for you to heat your garage, you can call the experts at Hinse Brother’s Mechanical to get a free quote and a ton of advice. They will walk you through the options available and if needed can install it for you as well. Visit hinsemechanical.com to contact us and we will be more than happy to help get started on getting your garage heated and ready to use for whatever your needs are.