From: wolverine01@charter.net   
      
   On 1/31/2026 4:12 PM, Ted Heise wrote:   
   > On Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:54:06 -0600,   
   >    sticks  wrote:   
   >>   On 1/31/2026 10:35 AM, Ted Heise wrote:   
   >   
   >>> Okay, I checked out various options at Lowe's yesterday.  It   
   >>> seems the best approach might be to get a gas heater (or heat   
   >>> pump) installed, but that's a big job and will take some   
   >>> planning.   
   >>   
   >>   Here's a pic of mine.  I installed the unit 8 years ago and   
   >>   it's 50,000 BTU.  A gas heater is the only way to go if'n you   
   >>   ask me.  Electric is about twice as expensive to buy the   
   >>   hardware/heater, with the possible benefit of not having to   
   >>   install venting. I would never go with a convection heater as   
   >>   they can cause mold, and just don't work as good IMO.   
   >>   
   >>    
   >   
   > That looks so good!   
      
   FWIW, the BigMaxx heater, thermostat, and the pipe totaled right at $500   
   8 years ago.  I had a little more in the switch and wiring, the black   
   gas piping, and also had to get a proper fitting for under the shingles   
   on the roof.  Probably all included just a little over $600.  Never had   
   to do anything until this year when the board went bad.  These are great   
   little heaters.   
      
      
   >>> Something that's somewhat portable would have the advantage of   
   >>> use to heat the house if the power goes out.  I assume such   
   >>> use would mean a catalytic heater or venting from inside the   
   >>> house as well.   
   >>   
   >>   Before I installed the BigMaxx, I used one of those little   
   >>   barrel liquid propane heater when I was out there.  They will   
   >>   heat the place up in a hurry, but you will have to monitor the   
   >>   oxygen levels and have to crack a door to get some fresh air   
   >>   occasionally.  I wanted the garage to be warm all the time and   
   >>   not just when I stepped out there, so I eventually did it   
   >>   right.  It is really nice to get in a warm vehicle, or just   
   >>   close the door and bring in the groceries.   
   >   
   > Yeah, the portable ones definitely have downsides.  And that's a   
   > great point about being able to get into a warm car--you're making   
   > a pretty compelling case.   
      
   Yeah, I wanted to have a heated garage for years.  Wish I had done it   
   earlier.   
      
   >>> For the near term, I ended up getting another smallish space   
   >>> heater--one with IR that runs on 110 V.  With it and my   
   >>> existing unit I was able to get the temp up to the low 40s   
   >>> yesterday.   
   >>   
   >>   Hard to get what you want with those.  They are helpful in RV's   
   >>   for people who get electric hookup and don't want to use their   
   >>   gas and main heater that much.  I'm not worried about those   
   >>   things so I don't use one.   
   >   
   > Huh.  It never occurred to me that a small space heater could be   
   > used in an RV.  Like you, I doubt I'll ever do that, but will tuck   
   > away the idea for futuer consideration.   
      
   I think the most popular are those ceramic or radiant oil filled ones.   
   My brother actually uses two of them in his class A.  I wouldn't use the   
   ones that blow air over something like hot wires and such, I think they   
   call them space heaters.  Too much draw for the wiring in a camper IMO.   
      
   >>> Interestingly, opening the door to the house and running a box   
   >>> fan for air exchange made no difference on the garage temp.   
   >>   
   >>   Heating the air is one thing, but in the garage you have to get   
   >>   everything in the room up to temp before it stays warm for any   
   >>   length of time.  For example, it can be below zero and if I   
   >>   pull into the garage, the heater will kick on and warm the air   
   >>   back up, but it doesn't have to heat up the floor, walls and   
   >>   all my other toys, so it is comfortable right away.   
   >   
   > Oh, more great points.  After my earlier post today I went around   
   > the garage and pointed a thermometer at all the interior surfaces.   
   > They were all in the upper 50s to lower 60s (as compared to the   
   > garage air in the 20s), so I'm thinking there must be a fair bit   
   > of air being exchanged with the outdoors.  Still, the walls do   
   > have a lot of mass and would take a lot to heat up.   
      
   Getting the floor up to temps is a major advantage too.  You pull in   
   with snow on the vehicle and it quickly disappears and the floor dries   
   pretty quickly.  A cold garage you always have a mess on the floor.   
      
   >>> The garage was back down to the 20s this morning after an   
   >>> overnight below 0 F and without any heaters running.  Hope I   
   >>> can get it up to the 40s again so I can get on the rollers.   
   >>   
   >>   Even before I installed it, the garage mostly stayed above   
   >>   freezing.  I do have things out there that I don't want to   
   >>   freeze, so as soon as it start getting cold, I turn the heater   
   >>   on.   
   >   
   > Yeah, I've got paint in the garage and don't want it to be   
   > freezing all the time, so it seems I really need to find a way to   
   > get the garage to a consistently higher temp.   
      
   BTW, most HVAC companies probably put a lot of these in and would give   
   you a price if you called around.  Hell, if I was close I'd give you a   
   hand and we'd knock it out in a day!   
      
   >>> Additional reading suggests that probably the best thing to do   
   >>> is improve insulation.  The double bay has living space above   
   >>> it, so nothing to do there.  The single bay has an attic with   
   >>> no insulation, so laying a layer of insulation above the   
   >>> ceiling seems like a good idea (and something I can do).   
   >>   
   >>   Absolutely.  My whole garage has a thick layer of insulation   
   >>   above the ceiling.  My walls are 2x4 studs and are also all   
   >>   insulated walls.  My garage doors are the insulated ones and   
   >>   they do a good job.  That's why it rarely went below freezing,   
   >>   but I still wanted it "warm".  FWIW, it kicks on when it gets   
   >>   down to about 62F and will turn off when it gets up to about   
   >>   72F.   
   >   
   > Nice.  Mine doesn't stay above freezing with space heaters off, so   
   > I clearly need better insulation and weatherproofing.  Thanks for   
   > all the tips on the door seals (and pics of other stuff).   
   >   
   >   
   >>   Below is a picture of the thermostat and the I also installed a   
   >>   switch to power the outlet from the previous paragraph.  When   
   >>   the power is on the light lets you know.  I can monitor   
   >>   everything with the heater right from this one spot.   
   >>   
   >>   https://i.postimg.cc/tRvdfWbj/Switch.jpg   
   >   
   > Okay, that pencil sharpener made me laugh.   
      
   I have always like to use pencils when I'm thinking things out.  I've   
   got a huge box of #2's.  I like to be precise when I make my cuts on   
   boards, so it sure makes it easy to keep a good sharp pencil for a crisp   
   line to follow.   
      
   BTW, quality these days isn't what it used to be.  Remember in school as   
      
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