How cold is your shop.

[dbhost]

I really can't answer that. Last summer during the remodel of the house, we had 1/3 of it insulated with spray foam changing the walls from r-19 to r-35, added insulation to the whole attic to R60, and insulated the garage ceiling. We have electric heat in the part of the house that was re-insulated, and so far my overall bill is down about $20/month but it has been much colder this year than last. Just plain too many variables for me to figure out the answer.

The only thing I don't like about it is that the thermostat is high med low and one dot below low seems to keep the shop in the low 60s pretty consistently. I have a digital thermometer that shows temp and humidity hourly for the last 48 hours.

I also used a couple of low cost space heaters out there from time to time last winter and they ran much more frequently than this does. In the really cold weather we've had it runs for about 5 minutes every 45 minutes or so.

I hate to hijack this thread, but...

How did you do the blow in foam? Did you have to rip sheetrock out for them to get to it, or is there a newer process? I want to have my walls in the shop done after I run electrical, but I am not sure if I will need to redo the sheet rock or not...

And yes there are too many variables when you are looking energy usage, because this winter has been quite a bit colder, accross the nation it looks like, AND energy costs are quite a bit higher...

I have done something a bit odd for me, and taken to shoving towels by the bottom edge of the back door. I don't know if the gap existed before or not, and I certainly can't see it, but there sure is a COLD draft that comes in there...

[twistsol]

I hate to hijack this thread, but...

How did you do the blow in foam? Did you have to rip sheetrock out for them to get to it, or is there a newer process?

We just happened to have the sheetrock ripped off the walls in the north wing of the house as part of the remodel. This was phase 2 of 5 and when we're all done only one outside wall in the house will have the original sheetrock.

[dbhost]

I think I need to start another thread to try to keep this one on track...

[charliex]

-5 outside 29 inside. I have the same unit as Twistsol and if it's below 20 outside and /or 40 in the garage/shop I don't turn it on. To start with it will run almost continusly for 4 or 5 hrs to bring the temp to 60. After it gets everything warmed up it will cycle. If I leave it on for several days it costs about $4 to $5 a day to run. My shop is 18 x22 with 22' of inside walls and a 16 x 7 door. Walls are 2x6 insulated and 8" celing also insulated. If you can use a gas hanging furnace it's a better choice. I had one in my shop in Hopkins MN and it heated faster and cheaper. The cost difference is about $200 but the energy savings will make that up in a hurry if you use it a lot.
Chas

[kevincan]

Right now my shop is around 60. I have the same heater that Twistsol is using. I usually run it on its low setting and it will keep the temp around 60. When I am working I turn it up and get it up to around 70.

I also have two cars in the garage/shop. I know some of you think that it's wrong to park a car in the shop but I hate scrapping windows and snow off the car in the morning.

Kevin

[kirkroy]

Absolutely not. I never complain about the winters here because I really hate hot weather. If I could replace August with January every year I would. I'd probably be lynched by the sane people of the state though.

I'm with you although I'm in MD, not MN... You can have June and July too, for that matter. I was in FL in October a few years ago and was wishing I was somewhere cooler...

[Don Rideout]

It's minus 'HOLY CRAP' (-34 C) here in Ottawa today and I'm afraid to even open the garage door.

This Spring, I'll be looking for a better solution that what I have right now, a small construction heater trying to heat an open 15' ceiling (insulated) in a 2+ car garage.

Looking for suggestions.....

[Thalermade]

Need to lighten up this thread a little. Average temp in my shop is around 60 degrees. Two walls insulated, two not insulated. If I forget and leave the door to the storage room open (yep, you gotta walk through the shop to get to the storage area) it goes down a few degrees.

Of course mine is a basement shop.....

Stay warm and be cool,
Russ

[brubakes]

My "shop" is only ever a few degrees warmer then it is outside. Fine for the summer, but horrible in the winter. It's like 20* out there right now.

[master53yoda]

I have a gas infrared heater in my shop with the thermostat stat set at 40 and bring up to 60 when I work in the shop with infrared it only takes about 10 minutes to feel comfortable enough to take of my vest. I keep it at 40 so that glues etc. never freeze and the wood stays fairly stable as well.

[Richard in Smithville]

According to the weather network, it's 12F outside but I know that my shop is above freezing. I have a water bottle sitting on a cabinet that is not frozen nor does it have any ice in the bottle.

It helps living in a town home. I have neighbours on each side and only have the garage door exposed to the outside.

[Hellrazor]

It was 40F in the shop when I got home and 21F outside. I started the stove at 3pm and plan to go out in a few minutes (5:00pm).

[Kristofor]

I'm with you although I'm in MD, not MN... You can have June and July too, for that matter. I was in FL in October a few years ago and was wishing I was somewhere cooler...

Hey, let's get the pettition going I'll sign too.

When it was -19 yesterday I almost put on my jacket before leaving the house.

Yes I keep a coat, hat, mittens, and a blanket in the car as I have no real desire to die should I become stranded, but if I won't be out long enough for frostbite (which is still several minutes at -20) I'm not dressing up.

As for the topic at hand, my shop is between 56-62 depending on the time of day, the same as the rest of the house...

[Armini]

It's minus 'HOLY CRAP' (-34 C) here in Ottawa today and I'm afraid to even open the garage door.

This Spring, I'll be looking for a better solution that what I have right now, a small construction heater trying to heat an open 15' ceiling (insulated) in a 2+ car garage.

Looking for suggestions.....

Gotta love that part of the ranges where it doesn't matter C or F, it is just **** cold.

The oil-based radiators work well for keeping a baseline, then use a construction heater to get the temperature up to where you want it while you work. Insulating the garage doors will be a huge help.

[Kristofor]

I moved my equipment to the basement 2 winters ago, but I checked the old "shop" this morning when I left for work. Inside the garage it was 17 degrees, outside it was -21, so a 38 degree spread.

That is with all walls/ceiling insulated but an uninsulated garage door. It has one warm wall, and about 1/3-1/2 of the ceiling is also warm.