Unheated garage

[projectnut]

We have remote starts on both cars. When activated The heated seats, steering wheel and rear defrost are activated as well as high heat and windshield defrost.

The downside is the car only stays running for a maximum of 10 minutes That’s fine when the temps stay above zero. It doesn’t warm much up when it’s 20 below.

 

[GeneT45]

I have a stick on electric heating pad underside oil reserve of my lathe - always plugged in thermostat controlled.

This was the best thing I ever did when I was still in Oregon. I put two 'oil pan' heaters on my lathe, and two on the mill. As long as they keep the machine temp a few degrees of above ambient temp, moisture will not condense on the machines. Normally that's a grave danger, particularly if you're going to heat the shop when you're out there - because as you warm the air, the moisture condenses on your still-cold machine tools.

Add some VCI tabs (Zerust) to your toolbox drawers while you're at it. Don't put a cover on anything that will keep you from noticing rust forming. Make routine inspections, particularly of toolbox drawers you don't open often, to ensure rust isn't having a field day with anything. Stuff you don't use often (oddback chucks, etc) can be sprayed liberally with one of the viscous preservatives (LPS-3, CRC-350, CRC-400) when not in use.

Of course the best thing is to insulate and heat the shop, but that was not a plausibility at my last place, so the foregoing was the next best thing.

GsT

 

[G-ManBart]

This is what i am afraid of also projectnut. The cycling of heat/cold is going to cause condensation. I dont have a garage door. It has been replaced with insulated wall and 36" person door. I have one wall that is cement block exposed to air. The other walls have earth on the other side or attached to the house.

I would love to do radiant heat in the floor, but i would have to bust up the concrete.

It wont take much to keep the room at like 60 degrees year round. I have a window i should replace with a double pane as it is single.

Summer i will just have to keep fans on and de-humidifer as i dont see myself pumping in AC for a one car garage size room.

I could run a natrual gas line out there for heat...

OK, i will stick a thermometer out there and see what temps i currently have.

THanks!

I'm not terribly far from you and have a pole barn that has a climate-controlled side and one that's just storage with open air eaves. I very quickly learned that large metal items on the open side will flash rush in hours when there's a warm Spring day with a big temperature swing...it's a huge hassle. Coating things with Fluid Film or ATF helps, but I've seen them sweat under the Fluid Film and develop rust anyway...not normally, but it can happen.

The other problem with having to coat your machinery is cleaning them every time you want to use them...not the end of the world, but one more thing to deal with.

For a garage like you're talking, I would look hard at a mini-split AC with a heat pump function. They use very little electricity and aren't terribly expensive. The climate-controlled side of my shop has a mini-split with heat pump I run for most of the year. I also installed a radiant system in the floor for the coldest part of the winter..usually just late December through Feb. The mini-split works well down into the teens, but then can't keep up and that's when I turn on the radiant system. There are some hyper-heat models now that go down into the single-digits. Since your garage is attached, it's better from a heating standpoint than a stand-alone building, so that's a plus. I'd be a hyper-heat system would be enough for where you're located.

Most months my electric bill for the pole barn (has its own meter) is under $50....that's running the AC/heat, machinery, welding, etc. Beyond keeping the machinery from rusting it certainly makes working on projects a lot more comfortable, and makes it easier to focus when you're not freezing or melting while you work.

 

[G-ManBart]

I can drive around and tell the folks who park their cars outside, and those who park them in the garage...just saying.

 

[Archer60x]

I'm not terribly far from you and have a pole barn that has a climate-controlled side and one that's just storage with open air eaves. I very quickly learned that large metal items on the open side will flash rush in hours when there's a warm Spring day with a big temperature swing...it's a huge hassle. Coating things with Fluid Film or ATF helps, but I've seen them sweat under the Fluid Film and develop rust anyway...not normally, but it can happen.

The other problem with having to coat your machinery is cleaning them every time you want to use them...not the end of the world, but one more thing to deal with.

For a garage like you're talking, I would look hard at a mini-split AC with a heat pump function. They use very little electricity and aren't terribly expensive. The climate-controlled side of my shop has a mini-split with heat pump I run for most of the year. I also installed a radiant system in the floor for the coldest part of the winter..usually just late December through Feb. The mini-split works well down into the teens, but then can't keep up and that's when I turn on the radiant system. There are some hyper-heat models now that go down into the single-digits. Since your garage is attached, it's better from a heating standpoint than a stand-alone building, so that's a plus. I'd be a hyper-heat system would be enough for where you're located.

Most months my electric bill for the pole barn (has its own meter) is under $50....that's running the AC/heat, machinery, welding, etc. Beyond keeping the machinery from rusting it certainly makes working on projects a lot more comfortable, and makes it easier to focus when you're not freezing or melting while you work.

Thanks! This is exactly what i am afraid of and you are right it is attached to the house and that is a plus for me. I put a remote temp and humidity sensor to see what my temps and humidity are as the weather changes.

The mini split is going to be the way to go.

I think i even saw one that anyone can install as it comes pre-charged with freon or what ever they are using now a days.

 

[pdentrem]

MRCOOL DIY version we used for AC and some heat at our place. Wife and I installed it in a day. The hardest part was cutting the hole through the wall for the lines and electrical. It is 3rd version not as heat efficient as newer versions. I was also thinking to get a small one for my shop!
Pierre

 

[G-ManBart]

Thanks! This is exactly what i am afraid of and you are right it is attached to the house and that is a plus for me. I put a remote temp and humidity sensor to see what my temps and humidity are as the weather changes.

The mini split is going to be the way to go.

I think i even saw one that anyone can install as it comes pre-charged with freon or what ever they are using now a days.

Yes, many are pre-charged now and you can install them yourself if the line set doesn't go beyond a certain length.

There is one thing to know about, just as an FYI. Some brands will not honor the warranty if you hook up the lines yourself. I know Mitsubishi was that way when I installed mine, and added a mini-split to our house at the same time. I got everything ready to go and the HVAC techs came out to do the part where they connect the lines. That worked in my favor as there was an issue that led to a refrigerant leak and the compressor died after a year....covered under warranty. I honestly think it was an install mistake where they didn't tighten a fitting completely, but I can't be 100% certain.

I was buying fairly expensive units so it was worth it. I wanted a quiet unit for the house and the Mr. Slim line is really quiet compared to some other brands, so I went Mitsubishi for both to keep things simple. For just a garage/shop I might consider a less expensive brand, expect it might be a bit louder and do all the install myself and not worry about the warranty.

 

[jmarkwolf]

Can't vouch for propane but I've had a natural gas ventless heater in my attached garage for about 25 years. I leave it on low heat unless I'm working out there and never had a water vapor/condensation/rust problem. YMMV.

 

[skogkatt007]

People protect outdoor plants/trees with a pine frame wrapped in plastic sheet. Hobby Lobby sells this thin acrylic/plexiglass sheet, 24" x 36" or something. Cheap enough to build an enclosed box. For times when you're not using the machine. Place some kind of light bulb or a cuttent limited heater/heating element inside.