Choosing the most economical way to heat a garage in winter

If anyone thinks that a garage is just a place to park a car, it’s women. Little do they know that the garage is actually a men's club, where you can not only repair the iron horse, but also receive friends. One problem is that in our climate from October to April the air temperature does not allow much lingering in unheated rooms. Today we will take a closer look at the types of heating and choose the most economical method. Heating a garage and everything you need to know about it is in our material.

A warm, cozy car box is just a home for most car enthusiasts

What to think about at the preliminary stage

Rarely lucky people are lucky enough to have a centralized heating system in their garage. This is possible if you have a shared indoor parking space or the garage is located directly in the structure of a country house.

In the remaining 99%, the stall for the iron horse is located in a garage cooperative and is a brick or metal bunker without any amenities

Therefore, the heating system must be autonomous. Before you consider purchasing a heating device, do your homework. What should be done:

1. The garage needs to be insulated. Simply heating an iron bunker is literally throwing money away. Brick, metal or sandwich - all this needs additional insulation. You need to make sure that all cracks are securely caulked. It is better to place the heat insulator on the outside of the walls, but if this is not possible, the inner layer will also work. Particular attention should be paid to the floor - this is also a large area for heat loss. It should be covered with insulating material.

   
   Don’t forget about the roof - otherwise all the heat will escape through it

2. It is necessary to provide high-quality ventilation. Sad statistics show that most tragic incidents in garages occur in winter. Careful insulation of the room does not allow for normal air exchange. Simply warming up the car for a few minutes before leaving can end very sadly. What can we say about the situation when the boiler is constantly running in the room.

For car boxes, it is better to use ventilation systems that combine natural and forced ventilation

Western European experience

If you type the phrase “garage heating” in the search and look at pictures on English-language sites, you will not find any wood-burning or oil-fired stoves in Western European garages. How do local motorists warm themselves:

• electric portable heaters;
• infrared hanging heaters;
• air heating units (heaters).

  
  The suspended air heating unit does not take up useful space in the garage

We have already discussed the first 2 options above. The third method is also far from new: water heated in the boiler passes through a radiator, blown by a powerful axial fan. Ideally, the unit is suspended from the ceiling and distributes hot air throughout the room.

The advantages of this option are compactness, heating speed and the possibility of air conditioning in the summer (cooled water is sent to the radiator instead of heated water).

Heater made from a car radiator

There is one downside - increased costs for equipment, because the coolant must be heated in the boiler and supplied through pipes to the heater. But if the garage is attached to a private house, then the problem is easily solved by connecting the radiator to the building’s water heating system.

Reference. Many garage craftsmen already use such heating, installing a homemade analogue of a heater made from a car radiator and any suitable fan. How this is implemented, look at the video:

Important information for your safety

The second possible danger after carbon monoxide poisoning is a garage fire. There are always flammable materials here, including the contents of the car's fuel tank. Neglect of safety measures is fraught not only with the loss of your garage and your beloved horse, but also with a serious lawsuit from neighbors in the parking lot.

For these reasons, we consider it useful to remind you of the basic rules:

• use low-flammable or non-flammable materials for the construction and finishing of the garage structure;
• do not store large amounts of fuel and oil in this room;
• make it a rule to smoke outside;
• do not carry household rubbish into the garage, it will become the main “food” for the fire;
• keep a fire extinguisher on hand, one day it will save your garage from fire;
• do not install electric heating systems in damp rooms;
• Do not leave your garage heating boiler unattended.

Think about the fact that it would be a good idea to install the simplest smoke detectors in this room.

Modern technologies make it possible to install such systems and connect them to a mobile phone

Principles of the natural circulation process

The process of water movement in the heating circuit without the use of a circulation pump occurs due to natural physical laws.

Understanding the nature of these processes will allow you to competently develop a heating system design for standard and non-standard cases.

Maximum hydrostatic pressure difference

The main physical property of any coolant (water or antifreeze), which facilitates its movement along the circuit during natural circulation, is a decrease in density with increasing temperature.

The density of hot water is less than that of cold water and therefore there is a difference in the hydrostatic pressure of the warm and cold columns of liquid. Cold water, flowing to the heat exchanger, displaces hot water up the pipe.

How can you heat a garage?

So, we are talking about autonomous heating of the room, therefore, we need to choose the principle on which the heating system will operate. If earlier the conversation was only about a banal potbelly stove, now the choice of suitable devices is so wide that we will divide them into several categories.

The most economical ways to heat a garage with electricity

This type of heating is the first option that comes to mind. Indeed, the choice of electrical heating devices is very large. Such units are characterized by high efficiency and reasonable price. And what’s important: they don’t require you to stock up on fuel; it’s always in the electrical wiring.

The first possible method is to use a fan heater or heat gun. In both cases, it is a very compact device that takes up little space in the garage. Install the electric heater for the garage on the floor or on a workbench.

The fan heater heats up a small garage in a matter of minutes, driving air through hot heating elements

The only thing that will bother you is the smell of burning dust and the noise of the fan.

Another option is to use a convector. This method is considered more effective. In addition, convectors can be used in rooms with high humidity. A small, neat convector can be mounted on the wall or moved around the garage on wheels.

This type of heater is convenient because its power is easy to regulate.

Related article:

Convector type heater. In this publication we will look at the design of convectors, their types, advantages and disadvantages, the secrets of choosing the right one, and a review of popular models and manufacturers.

An electric floor is also a good idea. If you lay the heating cables evenly over the entire floor area, the garage will always be warm. The air temperature can be adjusted using a thermostat. The only thing that is important in arranging such a system is the use of durable materials that can withstand the weight of your car.

Infrared heating is gaining increasing popularity among owners of residential and non-residential premises. The operating principle of the IR heater is based on the effect of infrared rays on the surface. Everything that comes into the field of action of the device heats up and gives off heat to the air.

Important! Keep in mind that IR radiation has a negative effect on car paint. For this reason, it is better not to install this device directly above the car.

Some tips for installing electric heating in the garage:

• all wiring must be insulated using a plastic or metal box;
• Do not use wiring with aluminum content, it is very fragile;
• Sockets in the garage must be grounded and protected from moisture. Don't install them too low to the floor;
• It is better to place the switch for the inspection hole at the top.

A method of water heating in a garage without using electricity

The traditional water heating scheme is as follows: it includes a boiler, a system of pipes and radiators, and an expansion tank. When solving the problem of how to heat a garage in the cold season, consider installing a water circuit. This type of heating is good because the heat in the room is retained for a very long time.

For the water circuit, you can use a single-pipe or two-pipe circuit. In the two-pipe version, heat is evenly distributed over the entire area. Schemes of water heating in the garage for DIY installation with natural and forced circulation:

The only drawback of such a system is the need for constant operation. If you simply turn off the boiler and leave the garage unattended on a frosty day, the water will freeze and burst the pipes. It turns out that you will have to either drain the water during frosts, or constantly maintain the operation of the heating device. So the question arises: if you drain the water, then why have a heating system that cannot quickly start at the right time? Until you fill it up again, until you start the boiler, more than one hour will pass.

Circuit on antifreeze

Continuing the topic of how to heat a garage in winter with your own hands, it should be noted that contour heating is not an entirely hopeless type. What if you fill the circuit not with water, but with antifreeze? Antifreeze is usually used in cars to cool the engine. It does not freeze even at minus 45 degrees, and this is right in our favor.

With such contents, the heating circuit in the garage will not break even in severe frost

For your information! Antifreeze is a toxic liquid, you need to remember this. It can cause burns to the skin and mucous membranes, and the consequences of its impact on the human body can be catastrophic. It is especially dangerous when heated.

If you decide to install heating in your garage using antifreeze yourself, purchase a special mixture for heating systems. It replaces toxic ethylene glycol with propylene glycol, which is not toxic to humans. Such mixtures are more expensive, but they are safe.

It should be remembered that viscous antifreeze heats up and cools more slowly than water. Its shelf life in the system is 5 years. Antifreeze cannot be used for dual-circuit systems.

Gas system

The likelihood that network gas will be supplied to your garage cooperative is very small, but, nevertheless, it is possible to use blue fuel to heat the garage. You can arm yourself with gas cylinders and thus decide how to cheaply heat your garage. Indeed, gas compares favorably in price with electricity. You can use a regular stationary gas boiler with a water or antifreeze circuit. This option is perfect for craftsmen who work in the garage all the time. With the help of such a device, you can heat the room around the clock, without fear of the sudden onset of frost.

If you do not need to constantly be in the garage, you can purchase mobile gas devices.

Guns, heating pads and convectors using blue fuel will quickly and efficiently warm up the bunker

Important! For safety reasons, gas cylinders should be installed in an iron box away from possible flammable objects and at least 20 centimeters above the floor.

It should be noted that the most economical heater for a garage is a gas boiler.

Solid fuel boiler

How else can you heat your garage in winter? There is no need to give up traditional solid fuel. Firewood, coal, pellets, and even manure, if you have enough of it - all this can go into the firebox. You can build a simple oven in the garage with your own hands. By the way, it is the potbelly stoves that have not yet given up their position in the fight against the cold in garage towns. Newfangled electrical systems are still far from popular.

A simple stove can be lined with bricks or stones, this will increase the heat transfer area

Related article:

Long-burning wood-fired boilers for the home. Principle of operation, scope of application, main manufacturers, selection criteria, how to make it yourself, installation features, recommendations of specialists - read in the publication.

Such a heating device requires constant supervision, but for temporary heating it is suitable like no other. You'll stay warm even if your garage's electricity is cut off for non-payment.

Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of small solid fuel boilers that can be used for car bunkers. They are economical, easy to use and compact.

Important! Remember about fire safety: do not store flammable materials near the boiler.

Heating during mining

If you are doing car repairs in the garage, including changing the oil, then the question of what to heat with should not worry you at all. Mining is an excellent fuel for a heater. This garage heater is easy to make with your own hands from scrap materials. The design of the exhaust boiler is quite primitive: two combustion chambers, in one of them the oil burns, in the other - the flammable gas formed in the process. All this together gives a large output of thermal energy.

For a more visual representation, we invite you to watch a video of how to do heating in a garage with your own hands using waste oil:

Important! The space around the drip furnace must be covered with non-flammable material, and a high-quality ventilation system must be provided in the garage itself.

Pros and cons of different garage heating systems

We have examined in detail the different types of heating systems, let's do a comparative analysis of their disadvantages and advantages:

Which of the listed types of fuel to use is up to you. In each specific case, it is necessary to consider the feasibility of one or another heating method.

What type of heating is most profitable?

It all depends on the specific operating conditions and preferences of the garage owner. The cheapest system is a single-pipe water system powered by a gas boiler.

You will have to invest a lot of money in its arrangement, but it is so economical that the costs will be recouped in 1-2 heating seasons. However, this solution is not suitable for everyone.

Gas and diesel appliances equipped with temperature sensors and automation cannot be considered completely energy independent. They require electricity to operate, but no more than a light bulb uses.

You can economically heat your garage using gas cylinders or solid fuel. These options are not suitable if it is not possible to control the operation of the devices, but they are good for heating while the owner is in the garage.

How to choose the most economical way to heat your garage

Once you have decided on the type of fuel, you need to consider the type of heating device required. The heating device should also participate in fuel saving. If you opt for gas heating, it is best to choose a condensing device with automatic control. It can operate in low pressure conditions and consumes gas almost 20 percent more economically than other models.

Wall-mounted boilers are convenient because they take up little space and can be adjusted according to your wishes

Among solid fuel systems, it is better to give preference to pyrolysis ones. They decompose fuel into dry residue and pyrolysis gas. Of all solid fuel systems, these are the most profitable.

The only thing you need to take into account is that such devices do not work on coal.

Electrical devices with thyristor control are the best in their segment. Their power can be adjusted, and thus reduce energy costs.

Top 10 popular heating appliances on sale

If the garage is used for its intended purpose, that is, your iron horse is parked in it, it is convenient to choose an inexpensive and practical infrared ceiling-type heater. Here are the most popular models according to Yandex Market:

Timberk TCH A1B 1000, price 4170 rubles

Almac IK16, price 3771 rubles

Peony ThermoGlass P-10, price 6950 rubles

Makar TOR-1, price 5500 rubles

The next category is mobile gas heaters. Network buyers made their choice in favor of the following devices:

Gas oven Ballu BIGH-55, price 5490 rubles

Gas oven KOVEALittleSun (KH-0203), price 6110 rubles

Gas stove Umnitsa OEG-2, price 7684 rubles

Solid fuel boilers from domestic manufacturers are distinguished by their pleasant design and impeccable performance. Among the best are the following models:

Potbelly stove Vesuvius V5, price 7980 rubles

Heating stove Tsar stove, price 6500 rubles

META Baikal 8, price 30,650 rubles

TERMOFOR Cinderella 2016, price 6330 rubles

How does the natural circulation scheme work?

As a coolant, ordinary water is most often used, which moves along circuits from the boiler to the batteries and back due to changes in its thermodynamic properties. That is, when heated, the density of the liquid decreases and the volume increases; it is squeezed out by a cold flow, which goes back and rises through the pipes. While the coolant disperses along the horizontal branches, its temperature decreases and it returns to the boiler. Thus the circle closes .

If heating with natural circulation water was selected for a private house, then all horizontal pipes are laid with a slope in the direction of flow of the coolant. This makes it possible for the radiators not to “air up”. Air is lighter than liquid, so it goes up through the pipes, enters the expansion tank, and then, accordingly, into the air.

Cheap and fast garage heating: do it yourself

Obviously, it is not at all necessary to order a heating system for your garage from professionals. Here you can do it yourself, provided you fully comply with all safety measures. It is not difficult to purchase and install one of the devices listed in our top list. All of them have detailed installation instructions, and the store salesperson will certainly advise you on any questions you may have.

All that remains is to consider how to make heating in the garage with your own hands in the simplest and cheapest way.

Do-it-yourself air heating of the garage in winter

One of the cheapest and fastest ways to organize heating in a car box is air. Heat is supplied through pipes only to the place where a person works. This way you can save money by not using fuel to heat the entire garage.

In this device, heated air circulates through metal pipes and is supplied through grilles. The efficiency of such a system is more than 90 percent, and the design itself is extremely simple and easy to install. Warming up the room takes just a few minutes. The only negative is the drying out of the atmosphere, but you can get rid of this disadvantage just by ventilating the garage.

Video material on air heating:

Installation of a contour heating system

If your choice fell on a system with a water or antifreeze circuit, you will need to purchase the appropriate boiler and heating radiators. It is best to use metal batteries. Recommendations for this type of heating are in the following video:

Popularity record: heating a garage with a potbelly stove with a water circuit

As we have already said, potbelly stoves are by far the most popular heating device for car boxes. Among such systems, devices with a built-in water circuit occupy a special place. It’s easy to weld the potbelly stove yourself from thick steel, and make the water counter from a small-diameter metal pipe.

For your information! When starting to make your own stove, consider the type of fuel. To store firewood you need a large hole.

In order for water to circulate well in the system, a pump is required. But in principle, you can do without it if you arrange the pipes so that the liquid circulates in them by gravity.

An example of such a system in the video:

Complete benefits

Many men devote no less time to cars than women and than, in turn, the beautiful half of humanity in their own appearance. Evidence of the car owner’s care for his car is not only the cleanliness of the body and interior, the absence of damage and the surface polished to a shine, as well as the external and internal design of the car, but also the conditions in which the vehicle is located outside of “working” hours.

Installing a heating system in the garage will help protect your car friend from problems typical for vehicles in unsuitable conditions (corrosion, freezing of lubricants) and guarantee comfortable conditions in case of repairs. Water heating in a garage is one of the best options for creating optimal conditions for storing vehicles.

Warm, light and flies don't bite

What can drive a man out of a garage? Only cold and hunger. The first one, as it turns out, is not difficult to deal with. You just need to choose the right heating device. And any motorist can install it and operate it competently.

Hunger is more difficult. But, of course, the iron horse will have to remain in splendid isolation if a beautiful wife and lush hot pies await his owner at home

If you have your own experience in arranging a warm car box, share with us in the comments!