Working outdoors in the winter is rarely fun and if your workshop is in your garage you will want a garage heater to vastly improve working conditions. The type of heater you select will be decided by the need, the size of the garage and your budget.
For occasional use, an electric space heater may provide the heat you need provided you can afford the short time it will take to heat the area before starting work. Many electric space heaters work well for small spaces and, while there are larger units, they may not offer the efficiency in a garage heater you are looking for.
A gas garage heater may work better for someone who spends a lot of time working in their garage. Whether natural gas or propane, a gas-fired garage heater will need to be properly vented to insure potentially toxic fumes are released outdoors. Additionally, it is recommended, and in some areas required, the gas and electric connections are completed by a licensed professional.
Overhead heaters, gas or electric, can be hung from the ceiling and provide an even distribution of forced warm air throughout the entire structure. A garage heater of this type is generally used in larger garages with substantial use.
Thermostats Control Inside Temperature
Many hard-wired garage heaters will also have a thermostat to control the temperature in the garage. This is especially useful if you plan to maintain a constant heat for preservation of a vehicle or other supplies. This type garage heater, which is generally more expensive, can be useful if you plan to use the garage on a regular basis.
Forced air garage heaters, that is those whose heat is dispersed by a fan or other mechanical means, offer a much better air flow than gravity heaters. Much like older-style wood burning stoves, count on the rising of the heat forcing cold air down closer to the heating unit to prompt circulation of the warm air.
Once such array for a garage heater could be a stove on one side of the garage, which is fitted with a cone-shaped collector, then to duct work through the garage with connected down flow pipes. Heated air from the stove rises into the collector, then is moved through the piping and throughout the garage. Creating a gravity forced source of heat beyond the immediate area of the stove. The stove itself, however would need to be properly vented and the open flame from a wood burning stove can be a potential fire hazard.