Garage furnace

[Janger]

I need a new garage furnace. The existing one has been giving me trouble for years. Now it only stays lit about 1 in several cycles. I can’t get parts and the furnace guy who was here couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything. He called all over and nobody has even heard of this thing. Stirling brand garage guys furnace. I’ve taken it apart myself several times re-soldered the boards replaced various odds and sods. It’s just not reliable anymore.

I need a new one. I need to find somebody to install it safely and to buy something reasonable. I think 2800 is totally unreasonable. Home Depot has one for $815 a mr heater brand. I’d rather buy something local from a good company. Anybody got good recommendations?

 

[Janger]

this is it.

 

[CalgaryPT]

John, I've had a Lennox for about 20 years. I had to replace the board in it once, but that has been it. I just checked the prices and am as shocked as you. I seem to recall mine was about $800 and I found a semi retired gas fitter to do the install if I helped him. The whole thing came in around $1200 with the gas line. Prices appear to have skyrocketed. Wow.

Best of luck. My only advice would be buy something where you can get parts. Some local stores won't sell replacement parts unless you have a ticket, which infuriates me. I always check into that first. Lennox will sell parts in Calgary though.

Best of luck.

 

[kevin.decelles]

Crappy situation .... I had a buddy who bought the one from princess auto...... seemed to work . I believe it is a mr Heater

Are you looking for forced air or radiant? Based on your ceiling height and layout I’m guessing forced air.


I have a reznor in the metal shop and it’s been bullet proof so far.

For my wood shop I went electric. I’m in my first season and I’m monitoring electrical usage using the Janger approved Wifi meter monitor. So far about 85 bucks for November and 90 for December , but I’m waiting for the bill to validate

Keeps it about 10-15 degrees C

Good luck with contractor sourcing. I did the electrical quotes this summer and found them laughably high. Ended up pulling my own permits and doing my own work. Out here we can do that and for a furnace I wouldn’t hesitate. Especially since it is a replacement, assuming first job was done correctly. I don’t believe you have that option in the city

Does Costco sell them? If yes, I’d see what they want for install, same for Lowes as they’ll warranty it


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[kevin.decelles]

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[YYCHM]

So far about 85 bucks for November and 90 for December , but I’m waiting for the bill to validate

Just to heat the shop?

 

[PeterT]

I have a 45,000 btu? radiant tube heater like this + 20 years, knock on wood. Sometimes called 'hockey arena heaters' Been very pleased with it. It nestles in the corner between wall & ceiling so typically not competing with other real estate. Just hangs on 2 chain hooks. There is no moving air & therefore distribution duct work. Very quiet, just a small internal fan for the burner. Basically everything with mass gets heat, your floor, bench, machines, you.... I have 2x6 walls with typical insulation. Exhaust is typically a short section of pipe straight out a wall in the same axis. The plumber had it done in a couple hours.
https://calcana.com/best-garage-heaters/patio-heater-gallery/

 

[kevin.decelles]

Just to heat the shop?

Ya, it adds up quick . I’m basing it on 17 cents/kWh (delivered with all riders and taxes in) and about 22kwh/day.

When the heater kicks in, 4800watts. So runs on/off all day. The shop has a wood floor, joist on beam, enclosed all around but the floor itself is uninsulated

Over time I’ll probably run gas, but the project this year was electric.

My power bill is crazy with both shops, hot tub, kilns, welders, compressors , machine tools...... but what are you going to do [emoji3]


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[Dabbler]

I have a princess auto 50,000 BTU unit, and am happy with it. I installed it myself.

 

[cuslog]

I had one of those hanging overhead N/G heaters installed this Summer $2,200 all in (including permits, running line from house to garage, some inside piping etc.) (I dug the trench)(Calgary).
I do almost everything myself but not N/G work - years ago I saw a N/G house explosion, that house was scattered over about 2 square blocks, no piece bigger than about 2 sq ft.

 

[Brent H]

I have the Princess auto 50000 btu unit in the garage (same as @Dabbler). Son installed that (HVAC Cert). @Janger : the ones at princess look same as yours now - possibly a drop in unit. I bought mine on sale for around $500 : https://www.princessauto.com/en/500...r-with-lp-conversion-kit/product/PA0008944951

 

[Marc Moreau]

The problem with those unit they are make an air circulation. My frend show me . You need a fournaise who suck the air inside from the floor and shoot it at the top with dock. If you have the place to put it. Otherwise those unit will be better than nothing.

 

[6.5 Fan]

I have a Mr. Heater 50,000btu ng heater in my shop, been in for 3 or 4 years with no issues. Keeps the chore tractor nice and warm all winter. Got it on sale at Peavy Mart, can't remember how much though.

 

[Tom Kitta]

First of all get a new guy to take a look at your heater - preferably a guy that is self employed - they have connections. I once called a guy from one of these larger companies to take a look at gas regulator. Instead the guy plead with the motor, broke it and then told me to get a new furnace. I had to complain a lot to get a full refund (or I would sue). I mean they did not help but BROKE it more.

Independent guy comes in, looks at the thing that is like 30 years old, says no problemo, gets a part in and charges less $$$.

In my garage I have a heater I think like 30,000 btu for 800 sq ft. Main issue is leaks through the doors. No windows. It adds maybe 20-30 CAD max to the bill per month during dead of winter. All walls are R20. Ceiling is like R30 but I need to make it R-50 at some point - maybe when I am doing the house. If I did it again I would pick smaller garage doors not 16ft. They key here is I keep garage at just 4C when I am not there and then at max 15C when I am there - the temp differential from 4C to outside is small - if it is say -4C outside its only 8C difference - very little energy is needed to deal with just 8C. Yes my garage is far better insulated then the house - the main culprit is the door and looks on the sides - door is insulated I think R9.

As for Mr. Heater, these brand new come on auctions regularly in Calgary for around $100 - NEW.

Note it is illegal for you to do any gas work unless you are licensed and if your insurance company ever found out it would give them a cool way to deny any claim.

 

[Janger]

Independent guy comes in, looks at the thing that is like 30 years old, says no problemo, gets a part in and charges less $$$.

Tom you got a name you would recommend?

 

[Tom Kitta]

I searched my mailbox and found out not to use "Advanpro Furnace & Duct Cleaning Ltd" - they were useless and only pushing new + broken my motor which I had to fix myself.
My garage furnace was installed by "PROTECH GASFITTING" - they were good but expensive. I could not find email for the guy that fixed the furnace - I probably just called someone off google search.

 

[Janger]

You can always count on the forum for some options. First place I tried on kijiji gave me a price of 1325 installed - but they turned out to have a C+ on BBB and sounded like hacks! Another place has a A+ rating but over 300 complaints in 3 years. That was surprising they used to have a good rep and they replaced my furnace a long time ago I thought they did a good job. I'll try protech good rating, no complaints, and Tom used them so there is some forum experience.

 

[Dabbler]

There's nothing like word of mouth wen searching for a vendor...

- I have 2 bad experiences with 'gas fitters' (yes they had their tickets) - one left a union open, turned on the gas and left. Not happy. The other one made 10 joints, of which 3 leaked (which I found after he left as well).

The last experience that I want to relate is when I installed my own house furnace. I measured carefully and had a custom plenum made. I contracted with a friendly gas fitter to pull the permit and check my work. He insisted that he make the hookup from the union to the furnace, which was 10 minutes. All the rest of the install, the flue, changing the gas line, all of it was done my me and he had a look at all of it and asked if I did a leak test (which I did). The city inspector knew of the arrangement and we did fine. I paid for the permit and 1 hour of his time, which saved me over a thousand dollars - and I knew it was right.

THAT's why I do all my own gas fitting. Screw the insurance worries. I want a non leaking install. It was inspected and passed. that's all that is needed to satisfy the insurance.

 

[Janger]

I have a 45,000 btu? radiant tube heater like this + 20 years, knock on wood. Sometimes called 'hockey arena heaters' Been very pleased with it. It nestles in the corner between wall & ceiling so typically not competing with other real estate. Just hangs on 2 chain hooks. There is no moving air & therefore distribution duct work. Very quiet, just a small internal fan for the burner. Basically everything with mass gets heat, your floor, bench, machines, you.... I have 2x6 walls with typical insulation. Exhaust is typically a short section of pipe straight out a wall in the same axis. The plumber had it done in a couple hours.
https://calcana.com/best-garage-heaters/patio-heater-gallery/

I was reading about this style - are your tools cold or do you keep it warm all the time?

 

[PeterT]

Nope, everything in shop (garage) is same ambient room temp. I have a standard wall set point thermostat & heater stays on. My lathe & mill is on opposite side of garage & no difference there.