Best Method Of Heating A Small Workshop

Sounded Simple · 14 Oct 2007

Hi Everyone,

I have just built an extension to my garage to use as a workshop. Specification as follows
- 10m x 6m
- Walls are cavity insulated
- Roof is 45mm Insulated cladding (With 3 full length rooflights)
- No Windows except for doors (planning restrictions)

Im wondering what the most efficient method of heating the workshop will be.
Given that I will be spending around 10 hours in there each day, 6 days a week the heating will be on quite a bit.

Option 1 - Electric heaters
I think this will be just too expensive to run. Even though they would be quite compact.

Option 2 - Internal Gas Heater (Super-ser)
I thought this would be a good choice but everyone tells me that the condensation will be terrible.

Option 3 - Standard Oil Burner fitted outside.
Probably fairly efficient and I could pick up a second hand one very easy.
The main problem is that wall space is at a real premium, any radiators would be under shelves / Benches and I think that defeats the point.
I might be able to make room for 2 radiators but thats about it.

So please fire all recommendations and advice my way.
Thanks in advance.

Nixt · 14 Oct 2007

Wood or wood pellet burning stove, if you can fit one in the space.

Sounded Simple · 14 Oct 2007

Nixt said:
Wood or wood pellet burning stove, if you can fit one in the space.

Hmmmm thats interesting.
A couple of people have suggested that now.

The problems I would forsee would be
- Regulating and maintaning the heat.
- Feeding the stove constantly, I be quite busy as it is!!

Nixt · 14 Oct 2007

If you use pellet most stoves have auto setting so they modulate or you can adjust power manually. Timer and thermostat are built-in. Ignition is automatic and some have self cleaning. All you have to do is periodically load fuel into the hopper and de-ash every few weeks.

Balenza · 14 Oct 2007

My workshop is slightly larger than yours.
I have a powrmatic warm air coil convector heated via an oil burner.
Its compact and slightly undersized and wall mounted at high level so takes up little space. A large double rad sits underneath.
The fan coil heater is at high level and blows slightly downwards across the space. The rad heat rises up to the level of the fan coil heater and its heat is then directed across the space boosting the temperature.
Thus acting as a Calecon. ( Warm air Recirculator).
A pipe stat prevents the fan operating when the boiler fires to prevent cold air being blown across the space and a fan speed controller is fitted also.
I find it works quite well.

Nixt · 14 Oct 2007

Fine, if you already have a tank, maybe the OP has (and is in Ireland) but if you imagine workshops in UK also need bunded if classed as commercial property.

John M · 14 Oct 2007

Just get a old tumble dryer & plug it in ......... Worked fer years wiv one O' them

Sounded Simple · 14 Oct 2007

Thanks for the replies so far, its given me some food for thought.

On the wood stove -
Im starting to like the idea of having a stove in the workshop. Sure would be something different!!
I wouldnt have the room for a pellet hopper and auger (Am I thinking about the right system here?) but I could fit in a solid wood unit.
Some quick web searching has revealed that they can run for 10 hours on a single fill so thats good enough for me.

Can the solid wood types be controlled by something like a wall stat?

On the powrmatic warm air coil convector -
Would I be right in saying that this can run straight off an oil burner. I could run a pipe from the oil tank nearby.
Am I right in thinking that this is essentially a fan assisted radiator?

Balenza · 14 Oct 2007

Sounded simple wrote

Would I be right in saying that this can run straight off an oil burner.

Yes but you have to run flow and return pipework to the coil water section.

I could run a pipe from the oil tank nearby.

Not with the model I have fitted.
http://www.powrmatic.co.uk/Products/HotWater/PDF/Unit Heaters.pdf

Powrmatic do a range (OUH) of suspended oil unit heaters which have the oil burner fitted directly to the unit.
http://www.powrmatic.co.uk/Products/Heating/PDF/ouh.pdf
Probably quite expensive.

I had my set up installed for less than £1000.

Can the solid wood types be controlled by something like a wall stat?

I don't think you would want a solid wood type

.
The pellet stoves can be fed from a through the wall auger system fed from a large hopper sited in an adjacent building.
You need to check the outputs though. It certainly wouldn't be my first choice in heating a workshop.

Nixt · 14 Oct 2007

The pellet stove is self-contained. Hopper, auger, timer, stat etc.. Unit approx 100h x 500 x 500mm. Fed from bags in top (like a Trianco TRG anthracite).

Agile · 14 Oct 2007

It might help if he said what he is going to do there and if its beside his house and how that is heated.

Being in Ireland then surely a peat burning stove is the answer!

Tony

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Best Method Of Heating A Small Workshop

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