Residential Garage Heaters - 4 Things You Must Know Before Using One

By Author: Lance Esondi
Total Articles: 1
Comment this article

Residential garage heaters are one of the best ways of heating your shop or garage during the colder months of the year. While it may sound easy to just buy any heater and use it for heat, there are some very important things you should realize first before purchasing or using a garage heater.

There are a variety of types

The first type to identify is the heater by it's fuel source. There are propane, natural gas, and electric garage heaters.

Propane and natural gas heaters require the use of a vent so that the emissions will not be in the air you are breathing inside. They can be safely used when vented properly, but if you do not know how to do this, this isn't the best model for you.

For those that don't know how to vent their heater, an electric heater for the garage is the best option. Electric heaters don't require a vent so they can be used indoors. Of course you should always read the directions to make sure the heater is approved for indoor use.

Should I use the ceiling, walls, or floors?

Besides different fuel sources, there are different types of garage heaters as well. If ...
... you are going for a portable option, use a floor heater. You can also go with a wall mounted or ceiling mounted solution. Overhead heaters for the garage are the easiest to work with since they are out of the way and don't take up any floor space.

How to get the right size?

Getting the proper size for most residential garages is easy. Most residential garage heaters are made for one or two car garages. So if you have a garage around 500-700 feet, a heater labeled as a garage heater should suit your needs. If you have a larger garage or shop, you should look for a shop heater or industrial shop heater since these can accommodate larger areas.

Another solution is to get more than one wall mounted heater if you have an area that is larger than the average two car garage. If it's not as cold, you can turn one or two of them off and control the temperature a little better.

What's the best heater for the garage for the average person?

The best option are the wall mount electric garage heaters. Overall they are the safest since you don't have to worry about venting the gases like in propane heaters and they are out of the way so you won't trip over them or accidentally touch them. They are also the easiest to install and you have a constant source of power, your electricity.