Options for Heating Your Garage

Don’t let the cold and winter season keep you from finishing your work or doing your hobbies in your garage. In fact, most people who prepare for the winter season often neglect one part of their home—the garage. Even if you’re using your garage for storage, a room for visitors to stay in, or a place to work on your hobbies, it’s important to keep the temperature comfortable during the cold days.

Many options exist if you’re wondering how to keep your garage warm. The best choice depends on how cold it gets where you live, how big your garage is, and whether the structure has sufficient insulation. If you know those things, you can choose an effective heating system for your garage.

Insulate Your Garage First Before Using Heating System

If you’ve ever considered buying a garage heater, you probably know they’re not cheap. But have you considered insulating your garage first? It’s a simple, low-cost way to prevent heat loss and save money on your electric bill.

Insulating your garage is the first step to getting the most out of your new heater. Garage heaters are great for keeping your car warm in the winter. Still, if you’re not careful about how much heat escapes through walls and doors, you might pay more than you need for heating bills.

Best Heating System Options

If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of a gas heater in your garage, you won’t want to risk forgetting to turn it off, which could lead to a hazardous fire. Electric garage heaters can keep you safe all year round. Before starting your garage heater hunt, let us tell you the different garage heaters available so that you know what you are getting into.

1. Fan Forced

Fan-forced heaters have a fan as their main component. The other components are an electric element that becomes hot when electricity passes through it and the air from the fan, which gets past the hot electric element and becomes warm before escaping into the garage. However, a word of wisdom – these heaters work best in smaller areas. So, if your garage is not too big, you can easily consider this heater.

2. Infrared Heaters

Infrared heaters use infrared light, which is invisible to the naked eye and absorbed by our bodies. Infrared heaters are very powerful and provide instant heat, making them best for heating large areas. However, one thing to keep in mind is that infrared heaters operate on the principle of the sun—the heat from these heaters is absorbed by objects and people only. It does not make the atmosphere warm; instead, it causes objects and people to become warmer. So, make an informed decision before you finalize the deal.

3. Gas or Electric Heaters

Gas and electric heaters are the two most common types of space heaters. Gas heaters run on natural gas and are controlled by a pilot light; electric heaters are controlled by a thermostat, which is generally located on the wall. Electric heaters are safer than gas heaters because if the pilot light goes out, it cannot start a fire.

4. Ceramic Heaters

These heaters work on the same principle as fan-forced ones. The air from the fan is heated by a ceramic heating element instead of an electric one. Ceramic heaters are more efficient for heating large spaces than standard electric heaters. A ceramic heater is an excellent option after standard electric heaters if you have a huge garage.

5. Convection Heaters

Convection heaters pass air through electrically heated coils, plates, ceramic discs, or oil-filled chambers. Portable ones are inexpensive and very easy to use, and they’re recommended for small to medium-sized garages. If you have a large garage, it’s better to go for a built-in convection heater because it can distribute the heat quickly.

6. In-Floor Heaters

Another way to stay warm in your garage is installing an in-floor heating system. This system will warm your toes, back, and neck as you fix a car from the ground up.

Consider Using Portable Electric Heater for Your Garage

Portable electric heaters are highly versatile, being able to be moved and mounted where you need them. Still, they also provide complete control over when they are being used. Unlike fixed heaters that need installation and a hookup to your main gas, propane, or electric lines to heat your spaces, portable heaters have compact designs. Though fixed heaters are a more powerful choice, portable heaters are also often powerful. They have advanced features such as adjustable thermostats.

Portable heaters can be a good alternative to fixed units for smaller spaces. Many can easily keep a consistent temperature in a two-car garage through the winter when needed. You can also use multiple portable heaters to heat even larger areas. Their heat can also be directed to blow exactly over the spaces you need to work in for maximum efficiency.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Heater for Your Garage

Now that you are familiar with the various types of heaters and their features, it’s time to find out how to get the best deal. When you look for a heater for your garage, keep these points in mind:

A Freestanding or a Mounted Heater

Depending on your preference, you can choose either a freestanding heater or a wall-mounted one. The size of your garage also plays a critical role in deciding this aspect. Freestanding heaters are more portable, but you need an electrical outlet or a gas source.

On the other hand, wall-mounted heaters are a great choice for smaller garages—they take up less floor space. You can install them on your garage wall or ceiling. They’re more space-conserving than freestanding heaters. Both have pros and cons, but you’ll have to decide what works best for your garage.

Cost

Consider the cost an essential factor when buying a heater for your garage. However, before considering the price, check the area of your garage and other factors such as wattage. You should compare different brands, types, or models of heaters with regard to cost so that you do not get a ridiculously costly one.

Safety Features

Safety is a priority. Anything that heats the room should be handled with care. Today’s heaters have many safety features that make them safer to use. Following are some safety features you should consider when shopping for a new garage heater:

Overheat Mechanism – Auto Shut-Off

Always look for heaters with an auto shut-off feature. The feature ensures that your garage doesn’t overheat, which would be hazardous to you, your heater, and the house. The auto-shutdown feature prevents the heater from overworking, which might damage the machine.

Tip-over Protection – Eradicating Fire Hazards

It is time to restate your worries if you have heard stories about heaters catching fire because they fell over and tipped over. Heaters have a safety feature that turns them off when they tip over, preventing fires from starting.

Cool Exterior

When buying a space heater, get one whose exterior remains cool when in operation. If it doesn’t have this feature, your safety is at risk. You could burn your hands. Today, most space heaters have features that keep their exteriors cool while the heaters are working.

Final Words

Heating your garage should be feasible for anyone who owns a car or other valuable items. Based on the tips provided, garage heating can be achieved cost-effectively with very little maintenance required.