Many homeowners do more than park their cars in the garage. They often set up stations for home improvement projects or crafts. What’s more, the garage is often one of your biggest storage areas. So when the temperature drops into the freezing range, you don’t want your garage to follow suit.
The answer, then, is to heat your garage. It doesn’t need to be as toasty as the rest of your home, but heating the garage will keep you comfortable and keep your stored items safe.
Choose a Heater Fuel Source
One of the first things you’ll choose is the fuel source, which may depend on the type of setup you already have and on potential future costs.
The most energy-efficient and cost-effective option is natural gas. However, this fuel source necessitates already having natural gas service to your home.
Electric heaters are inexpensive to buy and come in a wide variety of sizes and heat types. However, they can be very expensive to run. Indeed, if you plan to use a large, electric garage heater, a contractor will probably need to hook it up to its own circuit breaker.
If you have a propane line, this fuel is another option. You can also choose a heater that runs on individual tanks of propane.
These three fuel sources aren’t available for all of the heating types, so you may want to settle on a fuel source before heat type.
Pick a Heat Type
You have three main heat types for garage heaters – radiant, convection, and forced air.
A radiant heater consists of a tube that gets warm and polished reflectors that direct the heat. The coil heats up and radiates the heat to a specific spot – or to the entire garage, if you’re looking at a large, ceiling-mounted unit. Radiant heaters don’t blow dust, but they can be hot to the touch.
A forced-air heater consists of a similar setup in that it has heater coils inside a unit. However, instead of relying on the heat to radiate out, the forced-air heater blows the warm air out. These heaters are more contained, but they do blow dust around.
A convection unit is a little like a cross between the two. The unit consists of an enclosed flame or heating element that warms the air inside it. Warm air naturally rises, so it eventually leaves the unit and warms up your garage. They do take some time to heat up a space, though.
Look into Heater Features
You have different options for a garage heater. One option is a mounted style. These usually mount to the ceiling, but you can find those that mount onto the wall if that’s more convenient. While these heaters are more expensive, they offer the advantage of tucking cords into the walls, which eliminates tripping hazards.
If you don’t want to go to the time and expense of mounting a garage heater, consider portable options. You could buy a regular space heater, but manufacturers do make space heaters specifically for garages, which are usually more powerful than standard space heaters.
Some other features to consider are internal thermostats and remote controls. Evaluate how much time you spend in the garage to note if an internal thermostat would be useful. A remote control is good if you’re opting for a ceiling-mounted heater.
Consider Heating Alternatives
A separate garage heater isn’t your only option for warming your garage. You already have a heating and cooling system in your house, so you might be able to extend the ductwork so your existing furnace can heat the garage. However, this solution does increase the load on your system, so talk to your local HVAC experts about this modification.
An uncommon solution is to install a stove in your garage. This solution only works if you can attach it to a chimney and provide it with a steady stream of inexpensive fuel. You could also explore the possibility of adding a fireplace, especially if you use the garage as a getaway.
Don’t shiver in your garage – heat up your space to make it comfortable. Apollo Heating & Air Conditioning has a variety of garage heaters to choose from.
