Thanks: Selecting workshop heater
Posted by
marco@m...
on 2000-12-20 14:32:30 UTC
Well, I'm surprised at how many responses I got so quickly. Thanks
everyone!
Given all the advice I've recieved, I've decided that I'll solve my
coldness problem by insulating the two walls not attached to my house,
and using a small (my shop is only 220 sq ft) electric heater.
This way, I need not remember to purchase kerosene or propane from
time to time. Since my shop is connected to the house, I can avoid the
"burning down the house" problem. And I don't have to worry about the
combustion problems (carbon monoxide and water vapor) from causing
death, or even worse: RUSTY TOOLS!
Brief Summary:
PROPANE
Pros:
* Inexpensive heaters may be had cheaply
* Available everywhere
* Warning smell to warn you of leaks
* SMALL!
Cons:
* Can be dangerous [explosive, carbon monoxide]
* Should be vented [combustion by-products, water vapor]
* Expensive
* Need to remember to purchase
KEROSENE
Pros:
* Inexpensive heaters may be had cheaply
* Available everywhere
* SMALL!
Cons:
* Can be dangerous [carbon monoxide]
* Should be vented [combustion by-products, water vapor]
* Need to remember to purchase
ELECTRIC
Pros:
* Just plug it in and it works
* Don't need to remember to purchase
* SMALL!
Cons:
* Less efficient than wood/propane/kerosene (?I think?)
GAS:
Pros:
* Efficient
* Inexpensive (until this winter...)
Cons:
* I don't have gas service in my area 8^(
* I'd have to pay someone to install the heater
* project larger than 'buy and use'
* ?Consumes floor space?
WOOD
Pros:
* Wood inexpensive (in my area, like just look out the back door!)
Cons:
* Wood heater more expensive that I want to pay, both in cash and
floor space.
* Project larger than 'buy & use'
HOT WATER/SUB FLOOR
Pros:
* Nice dry heat for the feet
* Can heat the water remotely (if using combustion)
Cons:
* Too much work for my application!
* Project larger than 'buy and use'
OTHER NOTES:
* Insulate workshop well, and small heater will be good
* Combustion-sourced heaters need to have combustion products vented
to prevent death (or even worse, RUST!)
* Using the existing house heater might be a better long-term
solution for me, since the garage is attached. However, I just want
to use my new mill & lathe, not learn duct work!
Final observation (I can hear you guys now... "Finally! He's about to
shut up!")
My Clothes Dryer vents into the garage, so before I built my workbench
and carted my lathe and mill into the garage I got a 25' length of 4"
flexible tubing and routed the Dryer exhaust out the shop door when I
do laundry. Last night, while doing laundry and trying to work in the
shop (when it's 5 degrees ... brrrr), I noticed that the shop wasn't
nearly as cold as I expected. It turns out that a lot of that heat
from the dryer went through the hose and into the garage. I figure a
small electric heater will be a nice supplement to drying a load of
clothes while I'm in the shop....
Thanks again, everyone...
--marco
everyone!
Given all the advice I've recieved, I've decided that I'll solve my
coldness problem by insulating the two walls not attached to my house,
and using a small (my shop is only 220 sq ft) electric heater.
This way, I need not remember to purchase kerosene or propane from
time to time. Since my shop is connected to the house, I can avoid the
"burning down the house" problem. And I don't have to worry about the
combustion problems (carbon monoxide and water vapor) from causing
death, or even worse: RUSTY TOOLS!
Brief Summary:
PROPANE
Pros:
* Inexpensive heaters may be had cheaply
* Available everywhere
* Warning smell to warn you of leaks
* SMALL!
Cons:
* Can be dangerous [explosive, carbon monoxide]
* Should be vented [combustion by-products, water vapor]
* Expensive
* Need to remember to purchase
KEROSENE
Pros:
* Inexpensive heaters may be had cheaply
* Available everywhere
* SMALL!
Cons:
* Can be dangerous [carbon monoxide]
* Should be vented [combustion by-products, water vapor]
* Need to remember to purchase
ELECTRIC
Pros:
* Just plug it in and it works
* Don't need to remember to purchase
* SMALL!
Cons:
* Less efficient than wood/propane/kerosene (?I think?)
GAS:
Pros:
* Efficient
* Inexpensive (until this winter...)
Cons:
* I don't have gas service in my area 8^(
* I'd have to pay someone to install the heater
* project larger than 'buy and use'
* ?Consumes floor space?
WOOD
Pros:
* Wood inexpensive (in my area, like just look out the back door!)
Cons:
* Wood heater more expensive that I want to pay, both in cash and
floor space.
* Project larger than 'buy & use'
HOT WATER/SUB FLOOR
Pros:
* Nice dry heat for the feet
* Can heat the water remotely (if using combustion)
Cons:
* Too much work for my application!
* Project larger than 'buy and use'
OTHER NOTES:
* Insulate workshop well, and small heater will be good
* Combustion-sourced heaters need to have combustion products vented
to prevent death (or even worse, RUST!)
* Using the existing house heater might be a better long-term
solution for me, since the garage is attached. However, I just want
to use my new mill & lathe, not learn duct work!
Final observation (I can hear you guys now... "Finally! He's about to
shut up!")
My Clothes Dryer vents into the garage, so before I built my workbench
and carted my lathe and mill into the garage I got a 25' length of 4"
flexible tubing and routed the Dryer exhaust out the shop door when I
do laundry. Last night, while doing laundry and trying to work in the
shop (when it's 5 degrees ... brrrr), I noticed that the shop wasn't
nearly as cold as I expected. It turns out that a lot of that heat
from the dryer went through the hose and into the garage. I figure a
small electric heater will be a nice supplement to drying a load of
clothes while I'm in the shop....
Thanks again, everyone...
--marco
Discussion Thread
marco@m...
2000-12-20 14:32:30 UTC
Thanks: Selecting workshop heater
Smoke
2000-12-20 14:53:11 UTC
Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Thanks: Selecting workshop heater
Wally K
2000-12-21 13:23:03 UTC
Re: Thanks: Selecting workshop heater