I'm heated!!!

[fabiodriven]

I have heat! I had this garage built not long after I bought this house in 2010. It's always been somewhat of a cluster frig with shite just kind of strewn about everywhere. There's only one wall outlet, no 220v yet, and the work bench was "temporary" when TecateDan threw it together from scraps in probably 2011. It's really come together over the last couple years with the addition of a very serious arsenal of hand tools as well as many power tools and a ton of specialty tools. I have three welders now and I've been distributing parts throughout the walls all hung up so I know what I have. If I put too much stuff away I end up just buying things when I need them so I'd end up with repeat parts and tools because I just didn't know what I had.

Obviously getting a little off track here, but I have a storage shed as well. What I did in 2012-ish was turn the shed into a little work shop. Place looks haunted, it's dilapidated, but it has a decent work bench. I moved some tools out there and rigged some half-arsed lights, then four years later (now) realized that I have never once worked in that shed. The door doesn't even close and honestly I don't think I'd want to be in there with it closed if it did. I had crap laying around the garage floor that I don't even know what I'm going to do with or if I'm even going to keep it. I realized I had it backwards and I'm in the process of taking all of the useful things out of the shed and swapping it for the crap that just needs to be stored. So the shed will now be storage and the garage is quickly becoming a very respectable work space.

With today's crowning achievement being this pellet stove. I traded my enclosed cargo trailer to TecateDan for the the stove. It came with everything I needed and we had it un-installed from Dan's home inside of 15 minutes. Then myself and my buddy Albie spent the day installing it in my garage. Where we live up here this is is key. We have some extremely harsh winters here, and we're due to get ed this year. This is going to more than double the amount of time I can spend in my garage annually, and I have plenty to get done out there. So behold!

The involvement of three wheelers in just about every project around here is inevitable.

[Scootertrash]

Nuttin beats a heated work space!!!!

[tripledog]

Nuttin beats a heated work space!!!!

Spoken like a true Kardashian.

[El Camexican]

Something tells me there going to be a lot of "burning" going on it that shop

[tripledog]

Something tells me there going to be a lot of "burning" going on it that shop

It's 4:20 somewhere...

[86T3]

We love our pellet insert in our house, it's so friggin easy. If you can spare the money grab an extra igniter, ours went out twice in 5 years, and no lie, both times were on Saturday evening just after the only store that carried them closed. And they aren't open on sunday. I have a skid steer and a drive in basement so "doing fire wood" is super easy, I'd recommend befriending some one with one. Other than that, keep it clean and there really isn't much that can go wrong with them. Enjoy your heated shop bud

[coolpool]

Looking good fabio! Nothing beats wood burning heat on a cold day. Those stoves seem super easy to feed and maintain and you can usually find someone selling pellets at a reuced rate.

[Scootertrash]

Now all you need is some insulation

ETA: You may want to check with your insurance company on their policies pertaining to open flame heaters in garages. In MN, it's my understanding that attached garages and floor level open flame heaters (furnaces, wood burners, pellet stoves, etc.) are a big no-no and insurance won't cover damage caused by a garage fire. It all has to do with flammable fumes gathering at floor level and the ability for those fumes to come in contact with the flame. I've got a buddy who had a garage fire from exactly that. Working on his truck, went in for dinner, heard strange sounds in the garage and opened the door to find a nice fire in progress. Caused quite a bit of damage to both the house and garage. He was heating his garage with a regular house furnace.

I've heard rumors that in some places you can elevate the heating unit 16 inches or more above the floor and get approval, but that's just a rumor, never heard it from an insurance professional or code inspector. YMMV

Detached garages are a different scenario, at least up here.

[fabiodriven]

Yes I do need to find out about that Scooter. I was told absolutely no wood burners for that reason, but this is far safer regardless of whether or not it meets any standard. It is not an open flame, it is sealed in the unit unless the door is opened obviously, and different from a wood stove it actually has a fresh air intake plumbed in through the wall so it takes all of the air it needs to fuel the fire from the outside. A wood stove would just be sucking any fumes that might build up right into the firebox, no question. But I do need to find out the exact legalities, yes.

[TwiZ]

Now all you need is some insulation

ETA: You may want to check with your insurance company on their policies pertaining to open flame heaters in garages. In MN, it's my understanding that attached garages and floor level open flame heaters (furnaces, wood burners, pellet stoves, etc.) are a big no-no and insurance won't cover damage caused by a garage fire. It all has to do with flammable fumes gathering at floor level and the ability for those fumes to come in contact with the flame. I've got a buddy who had a garage fire from exactly that. Working on his truck, went in for dinner, heard strange sounds in the garage and opened the door to find a nice fire in progress. Caused quite a bit of damage to both the house and garage. He was heating his garage with a regular house furnace.

I've heard rumors that in some places you can elevate the heating unit 16 inches or more above the floor and get approval, but that's just a rumor, never heard it from an insurance professional or code inspector. YMMV

Detached garages are a different scenario, at least up here.

. I know here in Pa. If in a space with combustibles or ajoining spaces must be double drywalled,must have flu damper,and the burner must be a minimum of 18" off the floor. Only thing that may be a issue is the flu pipe should be a min. of 18" above the eves,if wind swirls behind garage may cause blowback?( i wouldnt sweat it)Ive been a hvac guy for 30 years and love wood heat,esp if its a boiler with floor heat. I read your post about you fixin your furnace...thats awesome.and ive been wrenchin,weldin,n grindin fer a very long time...i gotta party with you...lol

[TwiZ]

Yes I do need to find out about that Scooter. I was told absolutely no wood burners for that reason, but this is far safer regardless of whether or not it meets any standard. It is not an open flame, it is sealed in the unit unless the door is opened obviously, and different from a wood stove it actually has a fresh air intake plumbed in through the wall so it takes all of the air it needs to fuel the fire from the outside. A wood stove would just be sucking any fumes that might build up right into the firebox, no question. But I do need to find out the exact legalities, yes.

. That garage would have to be super super sealed for combustion air to be an issue. Hard to tell how close you are to the wall there but maybe a lil piece of concrete board behind the furnace. Only other thing i can see is the vent not above the eves. Issue? Idk,you will know when the wind is just right if it blows back,but i doubt it. Been awile since i did one of these but i may be mistaken i think it has a special cap that just mounts strait to the pipe coming out the wall,but it may be the gas units im thinkin of. Nice lil wood burner,i use a big ass Jensen,frickin wood hog that thing is,but i can be in the garage with a tee shirt on in below zero weather

[John Tice]

What a great thread from all of you; I’m in the process of moving my whole machine shop into my large double garage. I’ve also got a pellet stove & Kabota ATV stuffed in there. When the stove burns, the Kabota sits outside. Thanks for all of the advice.


John Tice
503-593-2908 Alternate 541-508-3944
www.smallenginemachineworks.com & www.nwsleeve.com
Turning Custom Cylinder Sleeves Since 1971

[tripledog]

The outdoor air intake is the way to go. Instead of sucking cold air through gaps in the heated structure, the heat from the stove actually helps to push cold air in the structure out. This should also help cut your fuel consumption.

[TwiZ]

Exactly. I know what ya mean. I can be layin on my floor and freez me arse off but 2' higher is about a 20 degree swing. I got a old ceiling fan and put that in along with a box fan above my wood burner,that made a huge difference

[86T3]

The outside air intake is a must on newer homes also. If the house is sealed up really well the stoves can use too much of the oxygen in the hose and kill you. At least that's what the stove company told me, seems far fetched but I suppose they know better than I do. My house is almost 70 years old and not airtight by any stretch of the word so I didn't go with the outside air intake