Garage Heater

[Scooter Bob]

Has anyone used the "blue flame" vent free wall mount heaters?

 

Just insulated the garage, and have the drywall up (thanks IH Truck Guy), and just need to mud it yet.

 

Wasn't quite ready to worry about which heater yet, but my two choices are both on sale right now, and I need to decide today.

 

I have Natural Gas available to heat a 24x26x9.5 foot garage.

 

I'm leaning for the vent free 30,000 btu over the ceiling mount vent outside 45,000 btu unit. It's less than 1/2 the $ and I don't need to cut a hole in the wall and spend another $100 to vent it.

 

I'm looking at the ProCom vent free thermostat with fan added. Mr heater has had a similar unit in the past as well.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Later, Scooter Bob

[Bubber]

I tried the ventless and couldn't get it to work right. Said #$^%*@ it and bought a Bull Dog hanging garage heater. Only way to go. Look in Craig's List that is where I got mine. ~ $350.00 if I remember right. It was like new and came with (power) vent at least most of it.

 

Steve

aka Bubber

[Sylvester]

I get by with just a kerosene space heater, but I am in North Carolina and don't have your northern cold to contend with.

 

[okiestar]

Several years back I bought the ProCom vent free fireplace log kit from Northern Tool.

Mine is also NG. If you're going to keep the garage warm throughout the season, the byproduct of the vent free NG is water vapor. Adds a lot of humidity in the house when we're using a lot. Allowed me to scrap the troublesome, high maintenance furnace humidifier. You'll enjoy it.

[Scooter Bob]

I tried the ventless and couldn't get it to work right.

 

What does that mean? Did it not burn right? Did it just not heat well enough? Did it have a circulating fan?

 

Later, Scooter Bob

[Bubber]

What does that mean? Did it not burn right? Did it just not heat well enough? Did it have a circulating fan?

 

Later, Scooter Bob

 

 

Couldn't get it to stay lite, even after threatening it. I finally gave up and got what I really wanted.

I tried torpedo heaters, fish house heaters, just had enough and did what the heck I realy wanted. I think I spent more money and time fooling around with the previous ones Vs the hanging heater.

The real truth I found out why it wouldn't stay lite was, when I disconnected it and blew the copper line out some #rick had stuffed a rolled up piece of paper in the tube preventing the flow of the gas. They only run on 1/2 pound after the regulator and 2 lbs before for NG.

Bubber

[eagleeye]

Bob,

 

You really don't want humidity in the garage do you?

I'd go with the hanging, vented one myself. And there are lots of them on CL.

 

Good luck,

Steve

[Scooter Bob]

And there are lots of them on CL.

 

Which begs the question....Why are so many selling them?

 

Later, Scooter Bob

[Mikealiasmike]

I have 2 wall hanging ventless propane heaters, one on each floor of my insulated quonset. As was stated before, the by product is moisture. I have it so bad I get dripping off the ceiling from condensation sometimes. I'm going to look for a regular house furnace next and only use the wall mounts to heat things up in a hurry. So imho, I'd go with a vented.

[Jerry W]

I have a blue flame ventless heater in my garage/shop and it works very well. It does not have a fan, but I have a ceiling fan in the shop which I run on low in the winter.

 

I am not understanding the posts which say the heater adds humidity. How does a gas heater add humidity to the air? My heater just heats the air that is already present in the shop, all natural ingredients and no additives.

[friesman]

I have a blue flame ventless heater in my garage/shop and it works very well. It does not have a fan, but I have a ceiling fan in the shop which I run on low in the winter.

 

I am not understanding the posts which say the heater adds humidity. How does a gas heater add humidity to the air? My heater just heats the air that is already present in the shop, all natural ingredients and no additives.

 

A by product of burning NG or propane is water vapour, which isnt a big problem if youre not in a cold place or havnt got an airtight environment. Most issues happen where you have a large temp difference that makes the furnace run more and if its could outside youre more likely to have the place very airtight not allowing air exchange to the outside allowing humidity to build up.

SOme ppl here put in an air to air exchanger that brings in outside, dryer air and exhaust damp air.

 

 

Brian

[Carbon_One]

I use a hanging gas furnace called Hot Dawg made by Modine. It's a 45k unit and heats my 20x40 garage nice. Hooked up to a thermostat as well. Its vented so no moisture or fumes.

Larry

[Flyinfool]

I would go with the vented.

 

In our climate a vent less will cause moisture buildup in your garage and cause everything in it to rust faster. Every time you fire up that unvented in a cold garage the air will quickly reach near 100% humidity and all of the cold items will start to sweat and be wet with visible water. when you turn off that vent less at the end of the day and you have a dew point of 60 or even 40 what do you think will happen as the temp drops down to sub freezing? Yup everything gets wet all over again.

 

Not to mention that if the vent less burner is not operating perfectly, that you will be filling the garage with carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide while reducing the oxygen content of the air. I prefer to vent anything that burns.

 

Jerry

Whether you are talking natural gas or propane, it is a hydrocarbon, this means that the molecule is made of hydrogen and carbon atoms. When you burn this the act of burning takes oxygen from the air and splits the hydrogen and carbon atoms apart to recombine and make a hydrogen and oxygen compound, (H²O) more comonaly known as water, and it will also make either carbon dioxide (CO²), or carbon monoxide (CO). There are also some other gasses that will be in there but these are the main ones to worry about for this discussion.

[Jerry W]

Guess this explains why forrest fires put themselves out. All that fire makes a train load of water.

[short-haul]

I have a 45X54 metal shop and heat it with 1- 7grate Dearbore space heater( from the 60) I can kept it 75 deg on a day when it is 20 deg outsidejust wish I could afored to aircondation it and then pay the elect bill

[Scooter Bob]

Not to mention that if the vent less burner is not operating perfectly, that you will be filling the garage with carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide while reducing the oxygen content of the air. I prefer to vent anything that burns.

 

The vent free heaters I was looking at have an O2 depletion sensor. They are supposed to shut down if the O2 drops below 18%.

 

Thanks for the input Jeff, Scooter Bob

[Scooter Bob]

I went to Menards and bought the Beacon-Morris unit, ceiling mount, American made, 1 year warranty, 10 years on heated parts, Class B venting to the outside.

 

The moisture issue talked me out of the Vent Free unit.

 

Thanks for the input everyone. Now I have to go put some more mud on the walls. (cus I can't afford to hire anybody now)

 

Thanks again, Scooter Bob

 

PS, I won't be opening up the box for a week or so, so if anyone has thoughts, bring 'em on.

[Evan]

Has anyone used the "blue flame" vent free wall mount heaters? --- I'm leaning for the vent free 30,000 btu over the ceiling mount vent outside 45,000 btu unit. It's less than 1/2 the $ and I don't need to cut a hole in the wall and spend another $100 to vent it. ---Any thoughts would be appreciated. ---Later, Scooter Bob

 

Bob, interesting comments from others. I have used one for several years in my cottage, although I don't tell anyone because they are not approved here in Ontario. I hook it up to a propane tank. I understand that they are very popular in other parts of the world and I was also told that they are legal in some but not all states. Mine is a 20,000 btu unit with a built in carbon monoxide detector, a good thermostat and fan that can be set on, off or in an auto mode. From my experience, there isn't another heater made that can match it for heat performance and I have had no problems at all. However, I would never use it in a newer building that was airtight and it does result in some minor odor and smut, although it is barely noticeable.

[midnightventure]

I use a hanging gas furnace called Hot Dawg made by Modine. It's a 45k unit and heats my 20x40 garage nice. Hooked up to a thermostat as well. Its vented so no moisture or fumes.

Larry

 

I work for Modine and that is a very good unit. We don't make it at my plant but there are several people that have bought them and really like them.

[RedRider]

Bob,

 

You need any drywall tools? (blades of varying widths, corner blade, sanding float with extednsion handle, etc.) Got lots and don't do drywall mudding and taping anymore. Let me know.

 

RR

[Scooter Bob]

You need any drywall tools? (blades of varying widths, corner blade, sanding float with extednsion handle, etc.) RR

 

I've picked up a few tools that should get the job done. It's mostly taped and first coated now, and going easier with practice(never actually done this part before). And I'll use the wet sponge instead of sanding.

 

don't do drywall mudding and taping anymore. RR

 

Of course, if we got back from a weekend of ridin' and havin' fun with the leaf lookers, and it was all done, that would be awesome!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're doing just fine on it.

 

Thanks , Scooter Bob