What You Should Know Before Buying a Garage Heater
Your garage may be one of the few places utilized for a
number of reasons beyond just parking your vehicle. To maintain an optimum
environment, you'll find a
garage heater a very useful investment.
During summers natural warmth keeps temperatures at comfortable levels,
but in the winter some additional arrangements are needed to retain
warmth. While most people can forego heating their garage in the winter,
many homeowners enjoy using their garage space as a workshop, a studio,
or a lounge. For those of us who'd like to keep our garage a useable
space, there's the
added option of investing in a garage heater.
However, not all garage heaters are the same. Before purchasing
one, take a moment to browse through some recommended garage heaters and
see which one best suits your needs.
These days, a variety of heaters are available. Among them
propane radiant heater are widespread, used by a number of American
households for various uses. Yet there is a major safety issue that must
be addressed before purchasing any type of propane heater.
Since your garage may have a collection
of many inflammable materials like kerosene, petrol, paint, wood,
papers etc, high temperatures makes them vulnerable to contributing
to fires. Also in case of a propane radiant heater, it must have
a controlled flame which does not affect things placed nearby. You
always want to be cautious in using any type of heater in the
garage. Be sure to keep gas cans and other flammables away from the
heater.
There are several different heaters available that have been created
specifically to heat your garage in a safe and effective manner. One of
the first decisions you will have to make when purchasing a garage
heater is deciding what type of heating source you will use.
Electric Garage Heaters
Probably the most popular and easiest way to heat your garage is by
using an electric garage heater. There are many powerful models
available, and they are all easy to install and use. One downside,
however, might be the noise from the fan on these units, although
low-noise units are available.
Standard garage heaters are designed to heat about 500 square feet.
Electric garage heaters are the most common as well as the easiest units
to run. You will need to insure that you have enough power to run the
heater without throwing the breaker. As long as you have at least a 100
amp service you should be fine. Just keep an eye out for the power specs
before buying any unit.
Electric garage heaters should always be unplugged from the outlet
when not in use. While these units are incredibly easy to operate and
warm up any garage, they should also be used responsibly and safely.
Propane Garage Heaters
Propane, natural gas, hot water, infrared and electric garage heaters
are the most common garage heater types available, with each having
certain advantages and disadvantages. Like its natural gas counterpart,
propane heaters need to be located near an exterior wall for venting. If
you don't have natural gas service, these units might be a good
alternative because their operating costs are similarly low and they can
be powered by a portable propane or liquid petroleum (LP) tank. However,
propane generates carbon monoxide, soot and moisture as it burns, so
correct installation is imperative.
An advantage of using propane to heat your garage can be the cost
when propane prices are low. Some disadvantages, however, will be the
frequent need to refill your propane canister or tank, and if propane
costs rise you may ending up paying more than you anticipated.
Natural gas also can be a very affordable way to heat your garage,
although special care needs to be taken to make sure the garage is
vented properly if you choose to use natural gas. You will also have to
make sure there is a natural gas pipeline available in the area. Hot
water garage heaters are very nice because they do not rely on any type
flammable fuel. You must have a boiler, however, in order to use one of
these models.
Radiant Heaters
Instead of warming the air, radiant heating warms objects and
people in the same way the sun does, with heat simply radiating off
a hot source material. The heat can warm you quickly, like walking
in and out of sunlight, but requires you to be near the heat source
or within its heat path to feel the benefits.
Radiant garage heaters usually do not have any sort of blowing
fan, the heat radiates outwards off the heating elements. Using
propane for your radiant garage heater is great because propane is a
highly concentrated source that can hold around 1,000 gallons of
fuel. Moreover being a smokeless heater, it becomes an ideal choice
to be used indoors like garage.
Radiant heaters are also very convenient as they help in saving
fuel consumption by heating only certain areas as opposed to an
enclosed space. Thus keeping the heater on for a long duration to
heat up the entire garage space may not be required and thus
efficient utilization of propane fuel takes place making them as
ideal garage heaters.
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