Workshop heating...

[BradNaylor]

We have a 9kw fan heater from Machine Mart. It warms up our 800sq ft shop in a few minutes and then we turn down the thermostat so that it keeps the chill off all day. Highly effective and not too expensive if you use it sensibly.

In our finishing area we have an infra red heater mounted on the wall to aid drying in cold weather. Its excellent.

Cheers
Dan

 

[MikeG.]

Johnny,

the big problem with LPG burners is that the products of combustion include huge amounts of water vapour.........not something you want in a workshop with all your precious bits of steel! If you don't have condensation problem, it is probably because your workshop is so drafty that the built-in ventilation removes the excess........but that is also a recipe for a cold workshop requiring more heat input......a bit of a circle!

I would do anything to avoid electic heating in a house, even the latest fashion (heat-pumps.......ground-source or otherwise), but I do think that it is more than acceptable in a workshop, particularly if well insulated, and if isolated from the house. LPG would be just about my last choice, I'm afraid.

Mike

 

[Rich]

I have been using an oil rad and they are very good. Any electric heater will be expensive to run, so make sure you don't forget to turn it off (DAMHIKT). I'm having a central heating rad plumbed in this week but I can imagine I'll still need the oil rad on the coldest days.

An oil filled rad is heated by electric,?

Rich.

 

[wizer]

yes?

 

[Rich]

yes?

So what's the difference? unless you are including an oil filled rad as an electric heater, if so I apologise, and will shut my mouth.

Rich,

 

[woodbloke]

I have a thermal vest and a fleece and warm my hands on my cup of coffee

...I do that as well until it warms up - Rob

 

[wizer]

including an oil filled rad as an electric heater

Yes

'Any electric heater'

 

[Carl]

I use a holagen heater only need to use one bar because workshop is insulated.

Carl

 

[Blister]

I have one of these ( but a earlier model ) http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/Delonghi-Rap ... 30856.html

its great , leave it on the lowest setting 24 /7 , keeps that cold damp feeling away .

great build quality and a 10 year guarantee


:lol: :wink:

 

[Jeremys]

Thank you for all your replies...So, in the spirit of the day, and based on the fact it is impossible to escape the US election in the papers / tv / radio / train passengers...etc :roll:

The results are:

1. Oil filled radiator - 8 votes (38%)
2. Fan - 4 votes (19%)
3. Hat / Gloves / Socks (and don't be soft...its only November) - 3 votes (14%)
4. Woodburning / Halogen / Gas - 2 Votes each - (9%)

A clear majority for oil filled rad...a vote for change. :lol:

Of course you have all highlighted something I should have done first, insulation, rather than jumping to a quick fix. So the job for the weekend is insulating the roof and doorway. Probably the kingspan thermapitch, but If I could get the spray foam stuff at a sensible price / volume it looks like an attractive option...

Thanks all...toasty toes await!

 

[duncanh]

Another vote from me for oil filled radiator. Mine has a thermostat which I leave on the lowest setting overnight and turn up when I enter the workshop.
For a very quick heat boost at the start of a session I vent the exhaust from my Camvac extractor into the workshop instead of running it outside

Duncan

 

[Doug B]

I`ve plumbed 3 radiators in from the house central heating. They have thermostatic valves which keep the shop at 13 degrees.
In total the materials cost £200, & has made no significant diference to the heating bill. I would add the shop is very well insulated, so much so that most times i go in the shop the rads are cool as they have shut off on their valves, even though SWMBO has the heating blasting out in the house.

 

[wizer]

How big is your workshop James? and what size are the rads? Are they all controlled with TRV's?

 

[Les1693]

Mine's another vote for the fan heater.

I use the JCB 3kw Workshop fan, available from Argos for just under £40.

 

[Doug B]

The shop is 9'x 28'approx, the rads are 2' square, they all have TRVs. I fixed them at eye level so not to get in the way of floor standing machines & also to allow free air round them.
I did a calculation on a heating calculator to come up with the size rads i needed, if you`re looking to get some rads & want the heat requirement working out, just post me a message.

 

[Steve Blackdog]

Woodburning stove - works a treat and gets rid of offcuts.

Mike

/

Mike

Do you have your woodburner on a stone 'hearth' or straight on the workshop floor?

I'm a big fan of wood buners in the house. My new shed will have a 22mm T&G wood floor and I would love to get a woodburner, but not sure how I use it in a wooden structure.

Regards

Steve

 

[DaveL]

Get yourself some paving slabs and put the wood burner on those.

I have a concrete floor that I put wood laminate down on. My wood burner is in the corner on 4 slabs to give a fire proof standing for it.

 

[johnnyb]

i have a wood burner and i also have a fan heater. i dont use the woodburner any more as a. im lazy b. its a constant nag that itll burn the place down c. it took a time to get warm and it tended to be to warm after that esp after insulation.
the fan heater is just the job though it addresses all the above problems