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Garage Heater Buyer’s Guide

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garage heater

When you use your garage as a DIY workshop, you always have something to do. You can work on your car, indulge in one of your hobbies or make electrical upgrades. Even in the cold months of the year, projects, hobbies, and repairs must go on. As long as the inside temperatures are reasonable, you can carry on as you were in the summertime. A warm garage will allow you to use your workshop all year round. There are plenty of ways to keep the garage warm and toasty during the winter. For example, you can use a heater. The heater offers you the chance to survive the snowy season. You will be unable to choose, as there are so many different options. This buying guide is meant to simplify the purchasing process by providing you all the necessary info. Read carefully.

Pay attention to the fuel or heat source

Units that are made to make the workplace more usable and comfortable are distinguishable by fuel source. Garage heaters fall into the following categories: natural gas, propane, and electric. Let us talk a little bit about them.

Garage heaters use natural gas (what else?) to heat the room. If you have access to a gas line, you should consider a device of this kind, as it can be one of the most affordable ways to warm up your DIY workshop. If your oven or furnace already use natural gas, you are in luck because you can have the gas line extended to the garage. The only issue is that you need to constantly monitor the gas gauge and replace the tank once the levels are low.

A propane garage heater uses liquid propane to produce heat energy, which in turn protects the setting from the cold season. Just like natural gas, propane fuel is readily available, not to mention that it does not cost an arm and a leg. Make sure that the appliance you are thinking about buying meets the necessary certifications and guidelines. Also, you will want to make sure that the warranty exceeds one year.

Electric heaters transform electric current into heat with the help of resistors which emit radiant energy. If you have an electric heater, you can stay warm and chilly throughout the cold months of the year. You can fix your car even if it is freezing cold. Attention needs to be paid to the fact that there are different power settings depending on how fast you want to heat the place. Set the desired temperature and tackle the adjustable louvers from time to time.

Consider the size of your garage

There is no denying the fact that heaters are a great way to warm up your garage, but the wrong size unit can cause nothing but trouble. If the unit is too small, it will not generate enough heat and you will see an increase in your utility bills. On the flip side, if the unit is too big, you will end up paying for heating capacity that you do not really use. The point is that you should carefully consider the size of the garage when making a purchase.

Measure the length and width of the garage and divide the number by 200. Multiply your answer by 9,000 to establish the sizing requirements. Another thing you can do is to calculate the number of watts that are required to achieve the optimal temperature. What you need to do basically is to figure out what temperature you want and measure the volume of space. Moreover, it is important to not forget about the degree of insulation. To maximize the appliance’s ability to heat this room, place it at the back wall which faces the garage door. This way, you will banish the cold from your garage. It does not seem complicated, does it? 

How much does the heater cost?

Various garage heaters are available today. Generally speaking, the cost ranges from $400 to $800. Models usually come with the ventilation equipment, although there are suppliers who sell them separately. Some units can be installed manually while others require professional intervention. You do not have to expect to pay too much. As you can imagine, the cost of the household appliance will be determined by the type of heater that you settle for and the changes that you might be required to make in the garage.

A garage heater does not cost as much as a central heating system, so you will not have to dig deep into your pockets. Nevertheless, you need to be prepared to make an investment. The least expensive garage heater will not meet your needs. On the contrary, it will not provide the expected results. When it comes down to making a choice between an expensive device and a cheap one, your gut reaction should be not to buy the cheap one. The difference does not lie only in the external packaging. The appliances may be perfectly fine, but they do not last forever.

Purchase a garage heater that has all the current safety features

One of the great things about garage heaters is that they are safe to be around. You do not have to worry about an explosion or anything of the kind. However, you will want to purchase a heater that is equipped with all the recent safety features. Such an appliance has passed certain tests to qualify as a good buy. A UL certification, for instance, tells you that the garage heater has received approval from the Underwriter Laboratories, as well as the Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration.

Equally important is to not forget about the ETL Mark, which clearly proves that a product meets American safety standards. ETL is an abbreviation and it stands for Edison Testing Laboratory. We are talking about a renowned laboratory which is part of the OSHA. Make sure to look for this specific mark when you are in the market for a garage heater. There is nothing more important than knowing what you are buying.

This is a collaborative article.