Maintaining the required temperature is crucial when you want to avoid damaging anything you have. Keeping your house and garage heated allows you to live with comfort, but what about the places where you don’t spend much time? What about a garage? Finding the best garage space heater is not an easy task since there are many options available to you and gas-fueled models may be quite expensive. Nevertheless, such solutions are great when you want to keep your garage warm.
Keeping a certain area warm is important (you may need to work there comfortably) and this task can be quite difficult. Finding a good heater for a large garage is a challenging task since there are not only many different models available, but there are various types and fuels you can use. Understanding how often you will use a heater and what space has to be heated up you will find the option that will meet your requirements perfectly without spending too much money. Understanding how a heater for garage works may help you find the appropriate option for you.
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Expenses
Looking for heating solutions for small spaces you will have to deal with various models. A gas-fueled heater may cost you from $400 to $800 or even more. Another factor to consider is the installation cost. These models require using your gas line, so you may need to find a professional who can connect everything. Plus you need to install a vent and connect all the electrical components (like a thermostat to make everything more flexible). Such systems are beneficial in the long run since the fuel is not very expensive.
How do they generate heat?
When you install it, you may think “How does a gas heater work? When does it start doing its job?”. There are various types of heaters that you can get and use. There are models that use the radiant method of heating – it is unique since it uses the combination of air and gas to get the flame which will generate the heat necessary to increase the temperature of the air.
The great thing about modern solutions is that you don’t need to do anything. It makes them perfect for places that you don’t visit frequently, but they still have to be warm (like a garage). That is when a thermostat helps you out. This small device detects the current temperature and if it is below a certain level (which you can set on your own), it starts the furnace to heat the place up. When the temperature is above a certain level – the furnace turns off.
The thermostat opens the valve and gas enters the furnace through a special intake duct where it is mixed with cold air producing the flame. Air comes into the heater and moves over hot tubes – it heats and you get hot air that heats up space.
Some models have a heat exchanging part that moves the heat from one medium to another.
Heater parts
These models have several sections:
- The first section includes draft inducers, burners, heat exchangers, valves, vents
- The second section includes safety components and controls
- The third section is blowers
They work simultaneously and have to be maintained to provide you with the necessary heat.
Safety
Having good venting is crucial especially when a gas heater works – it generates various products that are harmful to you, so a proper venting system is necessary to remove them. it is also important to make sure you get no leaking since natural gas is inflammable.
What about electric-powered models?
There are different types of models available in the market. Some of them are stationary – so you need to install a special bracket and install the heater itself. Some models are portable, which means you can place them anywhere. These models are extremely easy to use – you just need to plug it in and get your place heated. More “heavy” solutions are quite complex (due to many components), but the working principle is not that difficult to understand:
- A blower gets cold air in through the cold-air return part that may include a filter
- Air gets into the cabinet which has heating elements installed
- Cold air is heated while it gets through the cabinet
- The heated air comes outside
Therefore, a blower makes air move through the whole system and heat up the air. Some models may also include a humidifier, which can make a room more comfortable. You should not forget about maintaining it. It is necessary to replace the air filter. The best thing about the heaters for the garage which use electricity is that they do not produce any carbon monoxide and you do not need installing any venting systems.
The gas-fueled solution
Such models may be quite expensive, they may cost from $400 to $800, plus you may need to get additional parts. The installation process involves working with a gas line and it may require you to spend even more. Such models work almost exactly as the electric solutions do:
- A blower gets cold air inside through a special cold-air return and a flue
- Air comes through a filter and then it is pushed into the cabinet with the burners installed
- The burners heat the air and the blower pushes it out through ducts
It generates byproducts and it requires installing a venting system. Therefore, you should check it regularly. However, such models have a great advantage – such models use gas as a fuel, which is cheaper than electricity.
Electricity versus gas
All garage heating solutions have their pros and cons. If you need to use it frequently and the space is quite large, then a gas-fueled solution is for you, but you will spend more installing it, but the fuel is not expensive. If you do not need too much heat to be generated, then an electric model is the option you need.