collinb Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 I'm wondering ... What's a reasonable way to keep my garage above freezing this winter? Doesn't have to be by a long way. I don't expect 60 degrees. But I would like to keep my stains, glue, etc., from freezing. In past years I took these things into the house for the duration. But I'm thinking something else might be in order. If not this year maybe next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 I have a 220v electric heater in my basement shop. I estimate it's about $0.95 per hour to run. That would be a lot of money compared to the cost of storing things inside. I only run my heater when I'm working. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnesota Steve Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 store your glue and stain at the local Ace Hardware. meaning, just toss it and buy new. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ..Kev Posted November 1, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Good insulation 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 +1 to insulation before anything else. It will cost much less in the long run. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Small well insulated closet with a incandescent light bulb is all my dad used to keep his paints and stains from freezing. Even that is $50 for a season. Which brings about the question is it cheaper to store it or throw it and rebuy it next year? Track how much you use for a summer season and only buy that and toss the remainders at the end of the year. I keep my stuff inside because it's easier and cheaper. Make sure you even need to protect the product from freezing. Some products might not matter. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Incandescent light bulb & closet. I put shelves in the bathroom at my shop. Ceiling hung Gas space heater runs when we are working. It might run overnight if we are preparing to finish a project but otherwise nights & weekends all my waterbourne finishes and glues are on the bathroom shelves. Been doing this for decades. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted November 2, 2018 Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 Insulation first. A well insulated shop, even with no heat will stay a lot warmer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 2, 2018 Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 Weatherstripping is actually the highest priority. Drafts will take temperatures down so fast. Doors , windows and don't forget any pipes or wires through the wall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted November 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 Tx, all. I am getting an energy audit soon. The house is a 1967 build so the builder's grade insulation definitely needs upgraded. Will also do the garage. The garage door is the original wood unit. I suspect a newer insulated door will be much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 2, 2018 Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 If the garage door isn't in bad shape foam insulation and weatherstripping can be added to it. Slight chance the spring tension might need adjusting if the added weight makes the door too hard to lift. Get a garage door pro to adjust the spring. I have installed a 16' garage door and winding up the tension on that spring needs to be approached with great caution. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted November 2, 2018 Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 I replaced the spring on my door. I ordered online and was pleasantly surprised to get a phone call. Before shipping he wanted to talk through options. He talked me out of replacing my single spring exactly and into replacing it with two springs. He asked every conceivable detail of the door and shipping the springs with approximate winding turns already calculated. All that to say, if they want your business they will help you figure all the impact of added insulation weight or gap seal drag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted November 2, 2018 Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 And I was told by a door guy that if you add stuff to the door it's a good idea to weigh it with a couple of bathroom scales cause sometimes you need to change to a bigger spring. Weather stripping a garage door can be tricky & time consuming to get it just right, but it sure makes a big difference & is well worth doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS Posted November 2, 2018 Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 I was able to get a fridge with the refrigerant evacuated from a local appliance repair shop for free. Installed a 50W bulb & wired it to an old thermostat, seems to work great. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 2, 2018 Report Share Posted November 2, 2018 I used a " barn thermostat" to run a heat recovery fan which pulled hot air off the 16' ceiling and blew it back down to people level. No need for relays etc. I got mine at Graingers many years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWRFULZ3R0 Posted November 22, 2018 Report Share Posted November 22, 2018 +1 for electric heater to keep the chill off the garage. Also add insulation. I added a wifi equipped honeywell thermostat. They're better than most other thermostats for workshops since the minimum set temp goes down to 40 F. I have mine set at 48 F and I can bump it to 64 F from my phone 15 mins before heading down to the shop. To use a 12v thermostat with the 240v heater you need a relay and transformer. Honeywell makes one called an AUBE. If you're not handy with electricity I suggest hiring an electrician. I found a handy wiring diagram over at the garage journal forum that got me started with all of this. Thermostat 240V Electric Heater AUBE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 I use a ventless propane heater in my garage shop in Minnesota. As long as it's above 10 degrees it heats it to about 50 degrees. It's a two and a half car garage with some insulation on the walls and ceiling, but not tightly insulated by any means. I use a 30lb bottle that's easy to transport and I'll get roughly 24-30 hours of heating out of it. I also use a small fan to blow the heat around. Works very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 2 hours ago, applejackson said: I use a ventless propane heater in my garage shop in Minnesota. I'm gonna hijack this for a minute just to issue a warning about using any kind of ventless propane or natural gas heater. Besides all the water it puts in the air, there is a real danger of CO poisoning if the thing isn't running perfectly. At the very minimum, have a CO detector out there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 On 11/2/2018 at 5:05 PM, RJS said: I was able to get a fridge with the refrigerant evacuated from a local appliance repair shop for free. Installed a 50W bulb & wired it to an old thermostat, seems to work great. Or put your meat freezer in the garage and let the refrigerant coils heat a storage shelf/cabinet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.