Propane gas heaters

[Giff]

It's getting cold again ! Does anyone use the Propane gas space heaters like this one. http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... ce+heaters or similar. Do they work to heat a large-ish workshop and do they have to be left on all the time or just used with a ½ hour blast every now and again. My work space has little insulation and it's not really practical to insulate.. Geoff

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You will have condensation problems with intermittent heating. You will have condensation problems with gas heating. You will have mega condensation problems with both.

 

[Giff]

Thanks Philip. Have you any heating recommendations ? Geoff

 

[blackrodd]

Naked flame has always worried me in the workshop, so that would be a no.
Should you have the time what about making a sawdust/chippings burner with the usual safeguards?
basically a tin inside a tin (Iv'e got a dustbin size) I think there are some "how to make a)---- on u tube
regards Rodders

 

[No skills]

Use a similar heater at work to dry off/heat up containers before spraying. Yes they make a large amount of heat quickly but you wouldn't want to stay in an enclosed space with one...

 

[marcros]

oil filled radiator if you are an occassional user. If you are in there every day, i would look at a woodburner if possible.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If your 'shop is draught free, a couple of low wattage greenhouse heaters would take the edge off. You are stuck with electric or a stove, really, - gas is pretty much a no - no. A small perpetual background heat is good for stopping condensation, but you'll need more than that to work in.

 

[Giff]

Thanks for the replies. I may have to try and re-look at insulation which is non-existent. I have tried a small wood burner in the past but found that there was always a "smokey" atmosphere in the air especially hanging around in the morning, and although I have a large sliding door it defeated the object when it was opened to get more air in.

 

[Matt@]

you lose a massive amount of heat from where you would not expect so insulating is half the battle when it comes to heating. You only have to think of the hall at home and the dront door blowing draughts through the gaps to realise how much heat loss there can be.

Propane space heaters give instant heat but its gone in minutes when you switch off. leaving them on most of the time guzzles gas. I hate the differences in temperature between these heaters on and off as when the space reverts to cold again, it feels even colder if that makes sense.

If you can mains gas, you could stick a ceiling hung space heater with flue in. I had one of them in the past and it worked on a stat. being mains gas it was alot cheaper than LPG. Noisy though!