Just finishing up my man cave - a 24 x 24 stand alone double car garage that will serve as my shop and storage for a couple of classic cars. The way it was done was first lay down 4" of concrete followed by styrafoam, grating, 1000 ft. of 1/2 in. flexible pipe. The pipe is divided into five sections so will be a controllable five valve system. Heating will be by natural gas. My goal is to keep the garage at about 55 F or so all winter and have an auxillary heater to bump up the heat for when I’m working/playing on the cars or drinking beer with buddies. We’re in the GWN so we get some frigid winter temps. The garage is well insulated.
I’ve been thinking about using a basic natural gas high efficiency water tank but others of suggested other options such as a boiler, etc. I don’t know much about the other options so seeking expertise on the L.R.
A boiler seems like overkill for a garage that size. I keep my garage that temperature easily all winter without a heated floor but it’s an attached garage.
These are actually small boilers I’m told just for this purpose. Apparently the advantages is that they heat faster, hotter and take up less space. The downside is that they’re more expensive. There is also some sort of a heated electrical pump unit that takes up even less space that some guy told me about but I’m unfamiliar with them. I’m leaning towards the hot water tank system unless convinced otherwise. Although it takes up more room its cheap, and to my understanding the newer natural gas high efficiency units work quite well.
I have a 26X30 garage with three zones. 2x6 walls with good insulation heated with a small electric boiler. Love the floor heat for a good efficient heat. The electric boiler is small and convenient. You could easily add a small radiator to it for a quick temp pick up when desired. My dad has that in his setup as he heats with a wood boiler and will let the temp drop to 40 degrees or so sometimes. The concrete floor is slow to heat up so he has a small radiator by his bench with a fan on it that throws nice hot air immediately while you patiently wait for the floor to come around.
I am in a similar position. 24x26, 10 foot walls, 2x6 construction, 4" slab over insulation, with two circuits of PEX. I am on the south edge of the Great White North, but it still can get pretty freakin cold.The big difference is I don’t have access to gas, I have to do mine with electric. I have also looked into water heaters, boilers, etc, and still have not decided which is best for me. Another option I really like is a home made solar water heater. Check youtube, lots of videos on them. My only real concern with them is that you need to have a pretty large water tank to use as a heat exchanger.
From what I have learned, boilers work great, are efficient, and take up very little space, but they are the most expensive option. Water heater tanks take up more space, aren’t as efficient, but are significantly cheaper. Solar (professionally made) is crazy expensive. Homemade solar is cheapest, can work extremely well, but no warrantee and quality is totally dependant on the builders skill.
What I think I am going to end up doing is going with a small tank heater, with a home made solar system to preheat and therefore make the system cheaper.
I am also still researching the compost water heater as well. I hate paying for electricity.
Looked into pellets of wood and it looks like a PIA. Hauling the wood in and buying the pellets are not things I’d like to be spending my time on. I want to turn a dial and flip a switch.
Radiant is the best but it is expensive here in NJ. I’m going with forced air, which I hate, and electric mats in the bathrooms. I need to conserve $ for the kitchen and the family room.
I’m a little jealous of the floor heating. I heat 24x40 with a 15x40 upstairs with a small natural gas stove. I keep it around 55 but has plenty of capacity to make it as warm as I want. R19 walls and r30 ceiling. I thing the water heater tank will be fine with the added benefit if easy access to hot water.
Interesting. I would look into the differences more. both (water heater and boiler) heat water, so why the difference in cost. Seems you really want a boiler which I assume would be designed for the usage of heating a house as where a water heater is designed for heating exterior water.
Since they are designed for different purposes, whats the risk of using one for the other purpose? I don’t know but I would at least try to understand before your cheaper water heater burns out/ fails or something early and they void warranty for in appropriate use.
Just did a quick google-- difference in boiler vs water heater seems lots of good info.
You cant just put in a water heater and hook it up to your floor loops, sounds like you can with a boiler so the water heater is going to need more stuff adding to its cost.
Looked into pellets of wood and it looks like a PIA. Hauling the wood in and buying the pellets are not things I’d like to be spending my time on. I want to turn a dial and flip a switch.
Radiant is the best but it is expensive here in NJ. I’m going with forced air, which I hate, and electric mats in the bathrooms. I need to conserve $ for the kitchen and the family room.
Depending on where you live, you can get pellets delivered. My family in new mexico gets them delivered. They can be really efficient
I got scared by my brother in law who has a regular wood fireplace and told me it’s a full time job keeping it going all winter. He uses it to heat the downstairs of his house and is constantly bringing in wood and cleaning ashes out of the fireplace. I don’t want to sound like an old fart but I’m into less work more play for my free time these days and the days going forward into retirement ( in 5yrs I hope ).
I’m thinking gas fireplace for the family room and 6" perimeter walls for the living spaces. Foam insulation under the roof and in the attic and as much batt as I can get into the walls.