How do you heat your garage?

Natural gas is less expensive to heat with than electricity. Don't take my word for it, just google gas versus electric heat cost and see what you get.

However, the initial installation cost can be much more for gas. In my situation the electric service and gas service shared a trench so it wasn't a big deal to run the pipe. I installed a single 75K BTU gas heater. The electric unit heater CJ linked above claims 17K BTU, it would take 4 or 5 of those to equal the output of the single gas unit.

Having said all that I did install an electric radiant heater in the small office area. It was very inexpensive to install, got it from a neighbor for free because some of the paint was peeling and he got a new one for free. But it does run all the time to heat the room and it was definitely reflected in the last billing cycle. The type I used is slow to heat things up so turning it on when you go out is not an option. I think I'll replace it with exactly what CJ used. That way I can flip it on and heat the relatively small space quickly then shut it down.

When we redid the kitchen and had to run a new gas line for our cook top, I had them run a gas line to the garage. Then I added a 100k BTU Hot Dawg hanging furnance. Works great! I have it on a seperate tstat as well as on/off switch. Normally keep it set at 45, it can turn the garage into t shirt/shorts weather in ten minutes, even if its single digits outside.

So what about the simple Kerosene heater for use here and there?

No idea of the fuel cost but local stores have pumps of it. Use to cost more but is low again like gas.

https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=EMA_EPPK_PWG_NUS_DPG&f=M

Alot of BTUs for $100 buy in and easy setup.

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Dyna-Glo-23-000-BTU-Convection-Kerosene-Heater/50274225

We used these all the time inside growing up.
It's not like a garage is sealed air tight and others burn propane heaters all day long in their garage.

Or a wall mount vent free NG heater?
No exhaust cost, just running a gas line.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dyna-Gl...ermostatic-Wall-Heater-BFSS30NGT-2N/303388498

I had one of those heaters. Dealing with the fuel is a pain in the ass, but they do put out a good amount of heat, and they run totally silent. Probably best for a smaller space <500sq/ft, and only sporadic use if you don't want to keep a 55 gallon drum of kerosene on hand.


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Running gas lines ain't cheap, but if you can do it yourself, or have one nearby, why not?


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Even the flexible CSST gas lines?
No idea how the connector ends attach but the cost looks reasonable.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-x-25-ft-CSST-Corrugated-Stainless-Steel-Tubing-11-00525/203073939

I just noticed most had a ceiling mounted NG heater with a vent vs the no vent wall ones.

my parents used one for years in their custom frame shop. I have a 10,000 BTU I use in the garage and for emergencies. Kerosene heat is extremely common in Japan as the only heat in the house.

I think I have a "Kerosun" kerosene heater stashed in my shed. Hasn't been used in a long time, so would need to be cleaned etc. But I used it for heating the down stairs in a tri-level house we had. I think it is 22.000 btu. It worked great for that. PM me if you want to take it and give it a try. I'm not using it. But again, its combustion, in a garage, with combustible materials. But I use a kerosene heater to heat my garage now. One of the "torpedo" type.
We were all electric at our cabin. The mid winter heat bills could run over $400 a month. We converted to Natural Gas, now mid winter runs maybe $60

I ran a kerosene heater in my one car garage once. It heated very well, but even with a couple of windows cracked open a bit, I started to get very sleepy after a few hours.

By opening the garage door.

Oh wait, I'm in Phoenix.

//sorry, had to.

That's how I cool my garage down in the summer. I'd rather be cold than hot.

Touche... the 110F in summer is not exactly "ideal working conditions"

Is that also how you air condition it?

I've got a Mr Heater Big Maxx unit that I plumbed a gas line to from an existing line that went to a room above the garage. It was a DYI some years ago and I haven't burned the place down or died of CO poisoning yet. I did have an issue a couple years ago with the unit not firing off and it turned out to be the exhaust gas sensor. My exhaust flume exits the garage wall horizontally and snow had pushed the end of it down by a few degrees, so there was a build up of exhaust gas pressure and the sensor was tripping. Fixed that and the thing has been trouble free since. I have insulated garage doors and while it doesn't get toasty in there it takes the chill off. A heated garage is a good thing.

I asked my plumber buddy about that. He said it's easy to install and if done correctly no problem.

Looks easy enough to install the end fittings. Like pex & shark bites, this looks a hell of alot easier than the old methods. Speciality tool is just 1 and you may not even need that.

But do you have stretchy black gloves?
Some of these so called how to videos are amazingly crappy, this one not too bad but still crappy. For instance why doesn't he take a second to open up his channel locks a little to get better leverage, or when he's turning the fitting use two wrenches, and do a second take when he tries to put the ring thingy on the wrong way.
Everybody's an expert these days.

Here's an example of a crappy how to, read the comments.

I do have those type of gloves

Yep some crappy videos exist for sure.
People are hoping to make YouTube advertising $ and that's why many post.

Beyond the mfg instructions, I just watch many YouTube videos and read different website forums when I'm learning something new vs relying on one info source.

I prefer to read when pros/experts post how to do it, but also find YouTube videos to visually reinforce what I've read. Learning something new takes time from many resources & then practice practice practice, so anyone who watches 1 video and then bashes on it is just short cutting themselves.

Spent the evening tinkering with motorcycles in the garage.



A heated garage is wonderful.