Best occasional heating for garage

unlucky67

What is the best/cheapest way of heating a garage?
I don't want it constantly heated - just occasionally when I want to do something in there. And ideally pretty instant heat.

When it gets to this time of the year the cold puts me off doing things in there...even things that once I get going I shouldn't need any heating.

(eg I have a stack of wood in there taking up all the space that needs cutting/logs that need to be split, I took it in there to do it out of the rain and now I can't face doing it in the cold.)
I have a small electric fan heater but know they cost a fortune to run (and I'm scarred by having one as the only source of heating in a bedsit, being broke and watching the 50p meter spinning).

I have an electric convection heater somewhere, not used for ages but probably still works...but didn't seem to give off much direct heat.

Thinking for the longer term might be better to get a portable calor gas heater?

neilmcl

https://www.eurocarparts.com/electric-heaters

https://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/heaters/cat831056

I'd go for one of the fan type heaters.

PasturesNew

By the time you've bought a calor gas heater and the gas bottles it'd cost more than money in the meter.

You could use an electric heater, but one of those that "heats the person, not the space" and keep it to a 1kW setting as that'll be enough to keep you warm for the limited time you're in there. 1kW cost to run is 1 unit, so ~ 12p-20p/hour max? That'd not break the bank.

Maybe you could benefit from a quick look at how much you're paying per unit and then calculate the "per hour" cost of each type of electrical heater as you're eyeing them up. 1 unit = 1kW. If a heater's 2kW and on full that's double the cost/hour of a 1kW heater.

Slinky

You've obviously never heard the saying that logs will heat you 3 times. When you cut the tree, when you chop the logs and when you burn them.

Jackmydad

I've done a fair bit of work outside, in unheated buildings, and in sheds and the garage.
It's more a state of mind than anything else.
Wrap up warm and go and get on with it.
If you have to do something where you're standing about, a fan heater actually pointing at you helps.
As said it doesn't cost that much if it's for an hour or so.

Aylesbury_Duck

As above, wrap up warm and the work you're proposing will soon have you taking off a layer. Heating a garage is never going to be efficient and therefore, neither will it be cheap.

ka7e

I'm using a 1.2kW halogen heater to take the chill off a large kitchen/diner undergoing building works. It only provides a little background heat, but the deep orange glow psychologically makes you feel warmer!

Sea_Shell

Wrap up indoors, do 50 star jumps before you go into the garage... you'll be stripping off before you know it!!

coffeehound

Patio heaters might be a bargain secondhand at this time of year. Either propane or electric, freestanding or wall mounted.

unlucky67

Slinky wrote: »

You've obviously never heard the saying that logs will heat you 3 times. When you cut the tree, when you chop the logs and when you burn them.

I have ...and I know its the case



but this is my problem



'It's more a state of mind than anything else.'


Totally - It is the idea more than anything... and it means I put things off (I am a slave to procrastination!) then its too late...so think I'll do it tomorrow... those logs have been waiting now for 3 weeks. :embarasse Even though I had to scrape the ice off my car cos I can't get it in the garage and I really was going to do it today.. I haven't!

Last year I didn't clean my garden shredder after shredding wet branches for the same reason - then forgot and in Spring discovered it had seized up - took a couple of hours, scuffed knuckles and some ripe language to free it up - luckily no long term damage. And I still haven't cleaned it this year ...

I'll try the fan heater ...pointing directly at me.

I won't work out how much it is costing - if I think it is expensive I'll be keen not to use it for too long...which will make me work faster, get warm quicker...
(if I do 50 star jumps first I'll have to have a rest, maybe a snooze, before I go out ....;))

martinthebandit

Here you go https://www.amazon.co.uk/Insulated-Rechargeable-Electric-Intelligent-Heating/dp/B07PKN1PVL
or similar, heat yourself not the garage.