Thoughts on heating a workshop

[thepurpleblob]

I have a workshop/outbuilding and I want to buy some sort of heater for it. It's about 25 square meters, not particularly well insulated (well, not at all) and can get a little damp in the winter. It has a decent electricity supply.

I don't want to poison me or make the place more damp.

Any thoughts, recommendations and/or experiences?

I'm in Scotland btw, so can get cold at any time of year.

 

[addjunkie]

Military tent heater, there area few types.

Pardon our interruption...

Pardon our interruption...

Chinese diesel heater, or european equivalent if you have deep pockets, as used on yachts and lorry cabs. Various options…


Log burner….

 

[sako243]

I'd see if you can do something about the insulation first.

Get rid of draughts
Insulate roof
Insulate walls

It's a one off cost rather than continual running costs so if you're not moving workshops well worth it.

If you do that you might find just running a dehumidifier most of the time will keep it warm enough. After that it's down to personal choice.

For example my workshop is about 60m2 but well insulated and if I'm active I've got no need for heating in any temps we hit down here.

 

[gaz1]

post a pic up and lets see what you have

but as above insulation is the main thing

with me it was what material do i have plenty of and can get loads of which in my case was wood
then i looked at conserving it as i didnt want a large store area either and wood you can need a large storage area

rocket stove is one of the best ones so i built that way

 

[thepurpleblob]

Don't ask me to insulate it. I know. It's not happening.

It's just a single thickness of brick building with a pitched roof. Roller shutter door at one end. Poured concrete floor. Very dull.

Use is intermittent. If I was using it for my main day job it would be different. I might in the future - but not right now.

 

[addjunkie]

What material is the roof

 

[thepurpleblob]

What material is the roof

Concrete tiles.

All reasonably predictable 1980s domestic. A semi-commercial building at the bottom of the garden. A big garage in some respects (although not what it was built as)

 

[addjunkie]

If you dont insulate at least the roof, you will be heating the sky

 

[tigdlo]

What are you trying to achieve exactly? reduce damp or make it warmer to work in?

I had rust issues on bare steel/cast iron in a well insulated and very dry shed when I would heat it while working and leaving it cool when I wasn't, now I have accepted an overall low average temperature 8-12 degrees c I no longer have issues. If you have large swings in temperature you could make it worse, if you are on a low electric rate at night you may be better off with an electric storage heater and dehumidifier.

Diesel is 10kWh per L, so if you were to buy normal pump fuel then a diesel heater could be about 17p/kWh of heat at an optimistic 80% efficiency, not far off the price of electricity.

 

[thepurpleblob]

What are you trying to achieve exactly? reduce damp or make it warmer to work in?

I had rust issues on bare steel/cast iron in a well insulated and very dry shed when I would heat it while working and leaving it cool when I wasn't, now I have accepted an overall low average temperature 8-12 degrees c I no longer have issues. If you have large swings in temperature you could make it worse, if you are on a low electric rate at night you may be better off with an electric storage heater and dehumidifier.

Diesel is 10kWh per L, so if you were to buy normal pump fuel then a diesel heater could be about 17p/kWh of heat at an optimistic 80% efficiency, not far off the price of electricity.

I am (mostly) a classic car hobbyist - and I don't want to freeze on cold evenings and weekends. Cost of "fuel" isn't the primary consideration within reason. On the other hand, how long it takes to warm up may be.

 

[tigdlo]

On the other hand, how long it takes to warm up may be.

If you are planning on large swings in temperature you will increase the risk of cendensation and rust.

If you want to heat the air while you work rather than increase the overall average temperature then a chinese diesel heater or electric fan heater would probably be best, if you want it warmer or warmer faster then get more power. Dryer air feels warmer and warms up faster do a dehumidifier would help but the cheaper to run compressor type won't really work at low temperatures, a desicant type might be better but check the specs if you buy one.

 

[gaz1]

insulated and soffit board cladding

S

Thread 'Garage / workshop conversion'

Dec 27, 2022

I'm not really sure if this is the section for this or if there even is a section so please delete if not appropriate.

I have a larger than normal traditional single garage at my house. Its about 2.75m wide and 7.30m long. I have recently had the asbestos ceiling removed and now I'm aiming to replace it and start making the space into a workshop space for my tinkering.

My question is has anyone on here especially a builder done any fit out on there garage who knows the do's and don'ts? The garage is a single brick construction with a flat roof consisting of joists and planks with a...

• Spanthefestaman
• Replies: 109
• forum: Architectural

 

[barracuda816]

If its concrete I don't think you could do better then a wood (or oil) burner. A Chinese diesel heater (they only really come in 2 or 5kw despite the adverts) won't do much if you don't want to insulate. A hero heater (the jet engine type) would work to warm it up but they kick out a load of moisture. If you are dead set on heating it, you don't want it to take an age to warm up and you don't want to insulate then a second hand wood burner from eBay and some flue pipe (double walled if its in reach) and your golden.

 

[minimutly]

I have a domestic oil burner with a car radiator and fan mounted on it, in series with a domestic ch pump. My workshop is 20 by 35 and it heats it up lovely, but all the heat goes up into the ceiling, travels along to the end and then comes down. Sort of self convecting. I sorted it out with a ceiling fan, pulls the hot air down lovely.
I really would insulate the inside of the roof...At least!

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

My garage is 30sqm...walls are insulated but not the roof.

I use x2 bathroom wall mounted heaters...I run them through timer switches. Usually an hour is plenty...I have the heaters at the bench end of the garage so they're blowing heat down onto the bench were I need it

The timer switches are great ..I never have to worry about leaving the heaters on accidentally!

 

[MetalMonkey]

IR heater, and position it where you are - that way you are only heating you.

 

[not done it yet]

My workshop is fully insulated and fully draught-proofed. Basically constructed inside a sectional concrete garage using scrap up-and-over garage doors for at least half of it.

Nearly all the insulation was purchased at auction. Some full sheets of 100mm celotex and a lot of half sheets (I managed to get over 7 (equivalent full sheets) for just over £50 at one auction - all 1200 x 1200 or 1200 x 600. I would now buy off ‘twitface’ sellers.

Heated by a 4kW (even the larger 5kW, and often claimed as 8kW, can only deliver and burn enough fuel for an output of about 4.2kW max) chinese diesel air heater only when needed. Fit the heater outside, to blow warm air into the workshop, unless you take the risk of being poisoned by carbon monoxide!

Humidity is controlled by two Meaco 8dl desiccant dehumidifyers. Usually only one runs, for one or two hours each night, on an 8.5p/kWh tariff - but I would leave both on if I was away as they are not totally reliable (but they were cheap and are easy to fix).

Workshop is probably only 15-17m^2 and 2.4m floor-to-ceiling, so not so large - but very cheap to warm up and avoid any condensation. Can be warm in the winter (with heat) and cool in the summer (if the door is kept shut!).

 

[Jacktegla]

We've got one of these an airrex diesel heater. And it's the best thing since sliced bread. Totally transformed our workshop. And is so efficient in diesel.

 

[not done it yet]

We've got one of these an airrex diesel heater. And it's the best thing since sliced bread.

Don’t even consider one of those, if condensation can be a problem. Each volume of fuel will produce an equal volume of water vapour - and there is also the risk of CO poisoning, if in a completely draught-proof enclosure.

The cheap chinese air heaters, installed outside, are far better, IMO.

 

[gaz1]

if you have felt below the tiles the ceiling will still drip onto you, if you have any type of heating on this includes the new breathable felt

a multi fuel stove still need air to feed the stove best way is to pipe new air at back of the stove

no insulation means high fuel bills, you will soon care

as wood is my main source for heat i built my own stove not bought an old stove or a wood stove
i burn 1 and 1/4 cord of wood per winter instead of 3-4 cords of wood so i conserve on wood rather well compared to a wood stove also means less storage