Best way to heat a basement for working

[CrusherCurtis]

So I'm going to by rebuilding my motorcycle this winter in the basement and I need to know the best way to heat it. Its unfinished brick 43'x20' and 6'10" ceilings. I don't plan on working done there long, maybe 2 hours at a time max . Ideally I'd be able to heat it up fast since I wont be down there daily or longer than 2 hours. A torpedo propane heater sounds great, but I'm worried about fumes. I don't want to leave the door open because I'll typically be working late. There was once a furnace down there and a appears to be a few places to connect a vent. A vented heater would be great, but the ones I see seem to be very expensive with lower btu's. I would eventually like to put the heater in the garage so I'd like it to be relatively portable. I thinking propane. I'm unsure about electric, because I only have one outlet down there and it'll be running my tools. Any suggestions?

[TimeMachinE30]

I was gifted this. Sure glad I have it!

Mr Buddy Big Heater (MBH18)

Uses propane. Standard for use with small propane, camping cans.

With a kit you can run 20# (I am thinking of getting a 50#'ish tank). I visited local membership store and for about $40 I got a properly filled (tank exchanges rip you off, and don't give a full fill) tank of propane. It will last me for a while! Good thing is, in an emergency could heat a room in the house or take with me for camping/tailgating type adventures.

My garage is cold, not insulated but for the two walls it shares with the house, concrete slab. This takes off the chill in freezing temps, makes the space very doable. Redid the brakes a few weeks back, sat it right beside me. May mount it on the wall, as it has provisions for that... but I need to redo my garage layout before I go putting holes in the wall.

Uses D batteries or can take a wall wart to power an on-board fan to help with heating. Excellent piece to have around.

[Todd Black 88]

If it's a big open space, I personally would wall off a "work area" with plywood or something to keep the heat in a small working area, and put a small btu furnace in. Size it for your garage for the future so you can move it there.

Vent it outside, install a filter rack on inlet, and a sheet metal 90* duct on the outlet. Install a switch or tstat and enjoy.

We have one installed like this in our pump repair shop at work and it works a treat.


(I am a gas fitter)

[FredK]

Bring your motorcycle upstairs to the living room.

You're welcome. B)

[Exodus_2pt0]

Pellet stoves can be vented straight out a wall.

Also would have the benefit of heating your entire house.

I put a wood stove in my garage since it already had a flue and I love it. Load it with some cheap "fireblox" and I heat the whole garage for $2.50 a night. I just load it up and start the fire when I get home from work, by the time the kids are in bed and I'm released for "Dad" time, it's nice and toasty t-shirt weather in there.

I don't like propane or kerosene heat for closed in spaces, and electric is too expensive.

[Das Delfin]

Unvented gas heating indoors is asking for trouble. Don't have much to add other than that :P

[flyboyx]

Kerosine smells bad, propane is clean.

I guess the real question is wether or not you have a way to vent it.

[CrusherCurtis]

I was gifted this. Sure glad I have it!

Mr Buddy Big Heater (MBH18)

I considered this but I'm not sure if it'll do my entire basement. I would definitely have to make a smaller work area.

If it's a big open space, I personally would wall off a "work area" with plywood or something to keep the heat in a small working area, and put a small btu furnace in. Size it for your garage for the future so you can move it there.

This a great idea, because you can vent the furnaces, however the garage is 2.5 cars with high ceilings, it stands alone and is wood. I doubt the small furnace will heat it.

Bring your motorcycle upstairs to the living room.

Lol did I post about this years ago? I actually did this. Unfortunately all the wonderful living room space has been wasted with furniture.

I put a wood stove in my garage since it already had a flue and I love it..

This is interesting. Got to do more research. Would it heat a space my size? How does the venting work?

Unvented gas heating indoors is asking for trouble. Don't have much to add other than that :P

My research is showing that a propane heater at 50k btu or less has equivalent fumes as a stove.

[FredK]

Lol did I post about this years ago? I actually did this. Unfortunately all the wonderful living room space has been wasted with furniture.

Haha! I know I've seen several motorcycle builds that have happened in people's kitchens and living rooms. I probably saw one on r3v, too, maybe it was yours!

[TimeMachinE30]

Look at garagejournal.com

They have a forum dedicated to this kind of talk.

Seems you are looking to temporarily heat a very considerable space.

Keep a CO monitor in the area. Is this older construction? Drafty?

[Todd Black 88]

I considered this but I'm not sure if it'll do my entire basement. I would definitely have to make a smaller work area.


This a great idea, because you can vent the furnaces, however the garage is 2.5 cars with high ceilings, it stands alone and is wood. I doubt the small furnace will heat it.

Lol did I post about this years ago? I actually did this. Unfortunately all the wonderful living room space has been wasted with furniture.


This is interesting. Got to do more research. Would it heat a space my size? How does the venting work?


My research is showing that a propane heater at 50k btu or less has equivalent fumes as a stove.

It will be fine. Size it for your garage. My house is just under 3000sq ft. And I have a single 60,000 but furnace that heats the entire thing.
Even with your cold winters, if you insulate the garage you would probably need the smallest available. 40,000 btu

[slammin.e28]

Tea lights and scented candle work well for some.

[ajhostetter]

Just have those strippers in your sig pic dance their asses off while you work. Sure, it'll smell like stale smoke, baby powder, and broken dreams, but totally worth it. Apologies if that's your GF or sister.

[Kershaw]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Flower-Pots-Tea-Lights-Heater/?ALLSTEPS

[Das Delfin]

My research is showing that a propane heater at 50k btu or less has equivalent fumes as a stove.

You should do some more research, then

The difference is you use a stove for 20 mins and a heater in a garage for multiple hours. Unvented gas heaters run on a mix of gas and oxygen sourced from ambient air, which in effect converts oxygen in the room into CO, resulting in a halving of all breathable air around you. It's some serious shit.