Learn me heating an insulated barn in New England

I found a workshop for my woodworking near campus, awesome spot. The space is amazing. It's already insulated and it's about the size of a three car garage (although it's technically two car).

Now, I will be doing woodworking in there, so that means there will be some airborne dust. I do have a dust collector, but that only gets the big stuff.

I will be in there probably three days a week, and at random times. I plan to keep my stockpile of wood (mostly small pieces) in my apartment where the heat and humidity is acceptable. I just need some thoughts on how to heat the workspace without spending a lot of money.

The actual area I will be working in is about 250 sqft, maybe even less. It can be sectioned off with hanging thick clear plastic tarp type stuff. I think I will do this anyway to keep the dust propagation down.

One thing worth mentioning is there is a huge amount of wood already on the property. He has also said that modifications I want to make to the barn are fine as long as they are done professionally and do not remove value. IE, I wanted to add a circuit and he said no problem. Now, I don't know how expensive wood stoves are to install....

Jealous....

What are your heating needs? Comfort? Humidity control for projects underway? Finishes? Spray finishes?

I had a wood shop in PA for a long time with no heat...

Before you try to heat the place, duct your dust collector to the outside, and thoroughly ground the system and ductwork.

propane shop heater, convertible to NG

and ya can take it with ya when ya leave

sorry, it don't run on wood

Wood dust is no joke, you are both right. I wear coveralls, nitrile gloves, and a p100 mask while working the exotics. I keep the p100 only when working with regular stuff.

Do I have to worry about venting fumes inside with a propane heater like that?

Oh, finishing is a great question. That's the biggest thing I'm concerned about and I forgot to mention it. All my finishing could be contained within a small vented fume hood. I may have to do something about that.

My friend built a GRM HomeGrown solar panel on the roof of his garage. 2 X 6 frame, paint the inside black, PVC pipe criss-crosses and then into a baseboard type radiator. Fill it with water and Glycol. He did not install a pump, but I can see where that may help.

At one end of the garage, the heat would drive you out. You could fine tune it with some valves.

Dan

How about contacting the local fire dept. or building inspector for information or suggestions.

914Driver wrote: My friend built a GRM HomeGrown solar panel on the roof of his garage. 2 X 6 frame, paint the inside black, PVC pipe criss-crosses and then into a baseboard type radiator. Fill it with water and Glycol. He did not install a pump, but I can see where that may help. At one end of the garage, the heat would drive you out. You could fine tune it with some valves. Dan

If you put those pipes in a sealed box with a clear window to let sunlight in and suck the air out (or as much as you can until it gets close to collapsing) it will improve the efficiency.

My section is on the north east side of the shop.

Taiden wrote: My section is on the north east side of the shop.

Mount it on a pole?

Taiden wrote: Do I have to worry about venting fumes inside with a propane heater like that?

vents through roof stack or side wall depending on installed height, typically 4"

GameboyRMH wrote:

Taiden wrote: My section is on the north east side of the shop.

Mount it on a pole?

That's what she said?

Don't be a Bob Costas! Who needs heat?

Alright it's time for me to investigate this further, as winter is quickly approaching.

I'd like something that can either be sold easily for the same price later or taken with me. Something that can be installed by a schmoe in the course of a weekend. Something that can fit in the back of an XJ for transport. Something that doesn't vent fumes into the room or generate lots of condensation. Something that I can get into for <$500 buy in would be ideal.

That MrHeater doodad seems decent. Is there any way to predict heating costs?

Also there is a 20A 220v electric circuit that is totally unused. And I only work in two locations in the shop so infrared might be an option?

So I basically have it down to a direct vented propane heater or electric.

Right now propane is about $2.82 a unit (gallon?).

Electric is about $0.08 a kWh.

Electric seems to be easier to install, cheaper to buy, and produces a dry heat. But it may be more expensive and I'm fairly sure the total heat capacity is less.

Trying to get the shop from 10f to about 50-55f three days a week (Friday through Sunday). Will get more details on size of the space today. Trying to keep monthly costs below $100.

Nope. Go solar thermal. A lot easier to get the permits than combustion or electrical equipment, and it pays for itself very quickly.

The Carter-era books at the library are a good place to start for the home builder. They don't feature graduate-level heat transfer. Your local Home Despot will have most of the materials you need.

Propane and electricity are ten times the cost of natural gas, and a decently-located solar thermal system will pay back in a few years against natural gas heat.

20A @ 220V is only good for about a 3500W heater. It'll take the edge off, but probably won't heat the space very well. Ceiling mtd infrared is possible, but won't do much to keep your wood stores warm. I have a similar size heater and it works ok in my little 1.5 car attached garage. In my g/f's 2+ car garage, it's pissing in the wind.

Does the space have a ceiling? If so, at what height? While a high ceiling is nice for working in, it can make a space a bitch to heat. Also, a concrete floor acts like a big honkin' heat sink. If you can put down some of those wood/plastic basement tiles you see at home centers to keep things off the concrete, heating will be a bit easier.

Google energy calcuations for run costs for the MrHeater. There are too many variables to give you a ballpark figure.

chaparral wrote: Nope. Go solar thermal. A lot easier to get the permits than combustion or electrical equipment, and it pays for itself very quickly. The Carter-era books at the library are a good place to start for the home builder. They don't feature graduate-level heat transfer. Your local Home Despot will have most of the materials you need. Propane and electricity are ten times the cost of natural gas, and a decently-located solar thermal system will pay back in a few years against natural gas heat.

Solar thermal isn't an option here, mostly since I won't necessarily be here for more than one winter. Also, the location is poor since the shop is in the center of a coniferous tree forest, there is hardly any direct sunlight during the winter when the sun is low on the horizon.

When I own my own shop on my own land it will be heated with mostly solar heat.

The ceiling is high. I am planning on reducing the sq footage of the shop as much as possible and then sectioning it off with some kind of heavy tarp especially to reduce the ceilings. I only use about 1/10 of the floor plan.. The walls are insulated but it's otherwise a drafty barn. I'll have to definitely tape up all the drafts and do some work to make it work. I think I can get the shop into a 200 sqft area.

That'll help, realizing that 200 sqft is only 10x20. To maximize this space, limit what you keep in there to only stuf that you need to keep warm and/or a consistent temperature: wood, stationary power tools, your work benches. Many tools don't care if they're cold and can be kept in the unconditioned area and only brought in when needed. If you can partition and reasonably seal off a 10x20 area and add a dropped insulated ceiling, one of those little 1500w portable radiators may surprise you.

How about an ouside boiler and hot water or steam heat.

Isn't that giant and expensive and dangerous?

Not always giant, usually expensive, not really dangerous. But in your case, the main down side to any sort of boiler installation is it is they are fairly permanent (taking it with you won't be a simple matter). Since you said you only plan to be there a year or so, that's not very practical.

Since this space is temporary, it's insulated, and there's a 240vac 20 amp receptacle available, I think your best choice is something like this: http://www.air-n-water.com/product/brh402.html There's no setup required, and you don't have to worry about asphyxiating yourself.