LP Liquid for heating in an enclosed garage

BIGBARNEYCARS

Senior Member
Legendary Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
4,114
Reaction score
3,899
Location
SHADOW OF MOTHER'S PROVING GROUNDZ
Anybody have 1st hand information about safety and toxic fumes or lack of? It'z too dam cold in Wilmington, N. C. this time of year to play in the Garage and the $5.00 beerz at Hooters ain't my thing either. Too many yearz livin' with a class A to risk that DWI spanking. I haven't had a drink out side my home since '84 when the rules got tightened up and random testing started, Jer
 
You mean something like this?

mr-heater-vent-free-propane-heater-box-review-1024x607.jpg


Wood stoves don't work up yer way?

I've used wood stoves before, even burned coal in a wood stove, heats very well.

.
 
Cr8crshr and I have been using one of these along with a electric space heater added in the 3 car garage in the corner we hang out in. It won't heat it like a oven, but will takes the chill out to make it tolerable.
BTW- we have both the Mr. Heater version and H.F., but prefer the Harbor Freight one, seems to be better constructed & performance, go figure? 3 hours burn time @ day is nothing on fumes and such. Good Luck
15,000 BTU Tank Top Propane Heater
 
You mean something like this?

View attachment 426396

Wood stoves don't work up yer way?

I've used wood stoves before, even burned coal in a wood stove, heats very well.

.
Yeah, you're on the right track only bigger. Tractor Supply in my back yard has a 70,000 and a 125,000 they sell for $170 + tax. Looks like a Kerosene Salamander I used to have. but that beast would send you to your eternal sleep in short order if the garage door wasn't at least 50% open. And wood of coal at this latitude you'd need to put a 2nd on your ponderosa just to keep it running. They're only 20 minutes north of me. Guess I'll go get educated tomorrow, but thanks for the input, Jer
 
Yeah, you're on the right track only bigger. Tractor Supply in my back yard has a 70,000 and a 125,000 they sell for $170 + tax. Looks like a Kerosene Salamander I used to have. but that beast would send you to your eternal sleep in short order if the garage door wasn't at least 50% open. And wood of coal at this latitude you'd need to put a 2nd on your ponderosa just to keep it running. They're only 20 minutes north of me. Guess I'll go get educated tomorrow, but thanks for the input, Jer

X2 on the door open idea. My first exposure to C02 poisoning was using a standup 250,000btu propane heater for about 2.5 hours with doors closed. You don't feel anything coming at you. Felt funny, barely made it back to the house (25 feet) under my own power. No signs of anything except some confusion and weakness. Wife drove me to ER. But the time they could see me I was about 30% and could see i was getting better with fresh air. Up here where it gets -30 regularly in winter, leaving the door cracked open just seemed to defeat its purpose. Wrong! Never again. Been sitting in the corner of a storage shed ever since. Be very careful using a flame without proper exhaust or air exchange for heating.
 
X2 on the door open idea. My first exposure to C02 poisoning was using a standup 250,000btu propane heater for about 2.5 hours with doors closed.

And how big was this garage, bigger than 25 X 30? What do you need that big of a gasser for, a aircraft hangar?
 
In my wood shop (12×24) I use a small propane heater (gas grill cylinder) that has 2 burners. I can pretty easily get the area up to 55 degrees when its 0 outside. I usually run it for about 1/2 hour and shut it off. I have a carbon monoxide detector as a safety precaution.
My shop (30x50) has a LP hanging furnace. I wouldn't consider a space heater for anyplace where fumes (gas, paint etc) are or could be a concern. Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck and stay safe!!!
 
In a closed space, the heater needs to be the type that can have the exhaust vented to the outside. Have you considered a wood stove? Relatively inexpensive to run. As noted, need to keep paint fumes, gasoline etc sealed up when running any type of heater including electric.

Dave
 
I built my Caterham during February and March in my 40x40 Shop up here in northern PA, used a kerosene torpedo heater to heat my shop. No problems. Kero or diesel fumes for that matter won't kill you. Gasoline or propane is another is another issue. No carbon monoxide from kerosene.
The din from the damn thing is another story. So annoying... lol
 
Yeah, you're on the right track only bigger. Tractor Supply in my back yard has a 70,000 and a 125,000 they sell for $170 + tax. Looks like a Kerosene Salamander I used to have. but that beast would send you to your eternal sleep in short order if the garage door wasn't at least 50% open. And wood of coal at this latitude you'd need to put a 2nd on your ponderosa just to keep it running. They're only 20 minutes north of me. Guess I'll go get educated tomorrow, but thanks for the input, Jer

Is this the one your looking at?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dyna-glo-delux-70k-125k-btu-lp-forced-air-heater

I read about it and the comments/questions. Someone asked about using is a living space and they replied that it's for use to heat outdoor/indoor construction sites, it's not certified for use in homes and not to be used in living spaces. Your garage should be ok, no fuel or paint fumes though, a CO detector as suggested above is a great idea along with good ventilation.
 
dont know what you have for a garage...i've got an insulated 25x30 attached garage with a 12ft ceiling...have a 220 volt farenheat electric heater space heater(4000 watts) in there ...no flame, no fumes, no running out to have bottles refilled or pouring kerosene...the wife hasnt screamed about the electric bill going up...and of course kero and fuel oil produce carbon monoxide just like propane...all hydrocarbon fuels do...and they all misfire, smoke and stink when they run out of fuel....i've spent too many years around exhaust so at this point my nonvented propane fireplace in my living room gives me headaches...unfortunately the heaters around 400 bucks at this point...mine was a lot cheaper but its over 10 yrs old...so just another alternative to consider...my real shop(4000 sq ft) has a 250000 btu kerosene space heater and i hate it and really only use it for emergencies...nothing like building a big shop and then realizing its too large to afford to put in heat and a/c....so this time of year i only work in there from noon till 4 or 5
 
Last edited:
This really big questions of safety here are?
How cold's your weather?
How big's your space?
How warm do you want it?
How long you want to warm it?
The Million $$$ Q is?
How drafty is it/are the doors that they provide some fresh air, and for how long and for what you want to do??
There's a big difference between wanting to heat a garage, or just heat enough to knock the cold edge off and be semi comfortable givin the conditions??
Just be prudent about it. Good Luck
 
Hey Jer... I personally like the oil filled electric radiators. Unlikely to cause a fire, don't eat too much electricity and can still knock the chill off a cold day in a nicely sealed space. I'm pretty sure that your residential garage should seal up good and door kits don't cost that much. I keep a co alarm just on the other side of my garage door anyway... I'm superstitious like that. For a 2 car garage, you may want to run 2 of them, but they're pretty cheap and wouldn't cause me any real concern if I left one running unattended... not something I'd want to do with a device likely to contribute to combustion in a garage.

Of course, if I ever had to deal with temps below freezing, I'd probably be looking for something more robust... but I think they could work well for your garage/location.
 
No natural gas supply available? In my last detached garage/shop that I made my living out of before the current shop I ran a plastic gas line underground from the house and used a similar looking wall hanger. It worked beautifully along with the insulation and I left it on 24/7 during the winter months and it was surprisingly cheap.
 
No natural gas supply available? In my last detached garage/shop that I made my living out of before the current shop I ran a plastic gas line underground from the house and used a similar looking wall hanger. It worked beautifully along with the insulation and I left it on 24/7 during the winter months and it was surprisingly cheap.
Unfortunately NO Matt. Every thing down here iz heat pump. Works great but I can't leave the door open between the house and the garage and rebuilding the duct work iz more pricy then some other options so here I am exploring. And I checked into a back up generator when Florence came thru' in September of '17 because we lost power for 8 days, and propane is out of the question for that too. And the little gas operated generators are a PITA just making trips to a gas station for 5 gallon fill ups X? how often. I had the perfect setup in Chelsea with natural gas but??? My issue now iz that my two stall attached with no heat iz a wee bit uncomfortable when its 40* out side and in there too so I'm looking for viable options. Stay well and warm Pal, Jer
 
dont know what you have for a garage...i've got an insulated 25x30 attached garage with a 12ft ceiling...have a 220 volt farenheat electric heater space heater(4000 watts) in there ...no flame, no fumes, no running out to have bottles refilled or pouring kerosene...the wife hasnt screamed about the electric bill going up...and of course kero and fuel oil produce carbon monoxide just like propane...all hydrocarbon fuels do...and they all misfire, smoke and stink when they run out of fuel....i've spent too many years around exhaust so at this point my nonvented propane fireplace in my living room gives me headaches...unfortunately the heaters around 400 bucks at this point...mine was a lot cheaper but its over 10 yrs old...so just another alternative to consider...my real shop(4000 sq ft) has a 250000 btu kerosene space heater and i hate it and really only use it for emergencies...nothing like building a big shop and then realizing its too large to afford to put in heat and a/c....so this time of year i only work in there from noon till 4 or 5
O.K. Volksworld, Did you hard wire it in or are you playing with a 220 wall outlet? $400 iz not a deal breaker where comfort is involved, were did you find your heater? BTW, I'm in Wilmington and have been for 5 yearz now and you? Ashville or ah bit closer to me? lol, Jer
 
Last edited:
Check out a mini split. Cheap to run and you will get AC in the summer and easier control of humidity. Around 1500 or so to depending on garage size but easy installation and nice heat/air for all seasons.
 
the heater has a cord and plugs in...ran a dedicated 220 v 20 amp outlet for it...its model NPH4A...both lowes and home depot carry it, but for some reason currently sold out...maybe they're about to discontinue or supercede it?...saw it on amazon though for 417....mid state about an hour from charlotte...here about 7 yrs...bought the heater when my moms furnace died in NY...to temporarily plug into her bedroom a/c outlet till they got the new furnace finished a week or so later...stuck it in the garage down here and i'm surprised how well it works...it really wouldnt have been my first choice if i was buying it specifically to heat the garage (would have gone bigger) but it keeps up just fine...again i have insulated doors and blew about a foot of cellulose into the ceiling
 
Check out a mini split.

Jer, I second this suggestion if your garage is sealed up pretty well and/or insulated. Your area tends to run about 5-10 degrees warmer than mine and I've been around quite a few mini-splits here. They work well. They are just a heat pump so you know how that will feel. They can be a little expensive up front, but they provide a lot of options. I think many units are plug-n-play kits now.

Otherwise I'd say go with a wall/ceiling mounted propane unit that is vented.
 
Back
Top