garage heating options - Page 2

mikegdow · 10-31-10, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tasdbois

I built my garage with a 5 foot basement underneath. I have 8x8 inches opennings in each corners. I have two fans pulling air inside the basement from the garage and two fans pushing out from the basement into the garage. I'll see what I can get out of it this winter.

Where is your garage and what temperature do you have in your garage basement?

Daox · 11-01-10, 02:37 PM

Well, I was talking with my wife this weekend while doing some yard work and she mentioned she really wants to move our garden. This (while being a fair amount of work) might make the perfect opportunity to setup some solar hot air or water panels.

In the picture below, the green square represents the current garden. The yellow represents the possible location for the solar hot air (perhaps water) panels. The tree interfering with the corner of the garden has since been cut down. However, I'll still need to do a solar site analysis to see if that location is at all viable. It might only work during the winter with the leaves off the trees. This would sway me to make some cheap hot air panels. However, if I can get good sun year round, I would probably want to go with hot water panels and integrate them into the house for domestic hot water. The site analysis will tell.

strider3700 · 11-01-10, 05:00 PM

That big open space to the right hand side should be garden. All of it would be my choice but I'm known to go over the top with my garden plans.

What is the reason for moving the garden? if it's crappy soil then it probably makes sense to use that spot for solar collecting. If it's lack of light then the site analysis will be key. I've had gardens work out in places that had nowhere near enough sun to make solar hot water or hot air feasible.

Daox · 11-01-10, 08:15 PM

I think the soil is good there. I'll probably end up moving a lot of the soil to the new location. The sunlight is alright, but the new location gets a lot more sun. She originally wanted to keep both locations, however now is just wanting the one.

bradford108 · 11-02-10, 02:21 AM

The rocket stove type heater idea sounds fantastic. It insulates the garage and gets you to provide community service for your neighbors by clearing their deadfall.

Daox · 11-02-10, 08:11 AM

There are definitely pluses and minuses to each options. The wood option gives me heat when I need it no matter what, and it can provide more heat at once than solar. However, the solar option is much cleaner, less work since it would be fully automatic and I don't have to collect & dry wood, and its lower maintenance. If I hand the choice, I'd probably go solar.

bennelson · 11-02-10, 10:44 AM

I've thought about a few of these same things for my house.

I like the solar shed idea. Also rocket-stoves work great, and are very simple technology.

Another thing you might want to consider is a gasifier. It's more complicated than a rocket stove, but burn REALLY CLEAN, create no waste but charcoal, (which has its own uses) and is real easy to connect to a boiler or other hot water system.

If you use solar hot water panels AND a gasifier - you could design a hybrid system where either/both heat water (antifreeze) that heats your garage.

The solar panels should keep your garage at a temperature level much nicer than the out of doors, and the gasifier could be run while you are working out there.

I know some folks doing pretty cool things with gasifiers. I can introduce you to them if you are interested.

Daox · 11-02-10, 11:08 AM

Besides burning cleaner, what benefit do gasifiers have?

bennelson · 11-02-10, 11:53 AM

They are very efficient - they make more heat for the same number of pounds of wood compared to other types of wood heaters.

They can easily run on what would otherwise be "waste" products, such as wood chips.

Wood chips or pellets are sort of the most popular fuel. If you use a more or less "standardized" wood chip size, you can somewhat automate the gasifier, such as having an auger automatically feed in fuel.

They are easy to integrate with hot water systems.

They can create synthesis gas, which can be used for other uses, such as cooking or running an internal combustion engine, as generator might use.

They are very safe - everything is sort of self-contained - minimal moving parts, open flame, etc.

bennelson · 11-02-10, 10:18 PM

I may have a lead on a wood-burning boiler and some used solar panels.

Those could be combined to create a hybrid system.

Daox, get looking for a hot tub. You will need some place to put all that hot water in the summer!

11-01-10, 02:37 PM	#12
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Well, I was talking with my wife this weekend while doing some yard work and she mentioned she really wants to move our garden. This (while being a fair amount of work) might make the perfect opportunity to setup some solar hot air or water panels. In the picture below, the green square represents the current garden. The yellow represents the possible location for the solar hot air (perhaps water) panels. The tree interfering with the corner of the garden has since been cut down. However, I'll still need to do a solar site analysis to see if that location is at all viable. It might only work during the winter with the leaves off the trees. This would sway me to make some cheap hot air panels. However, if I can get good sun year round, I would probably want to go with hot water panels and integrate them into the house for domestic hot water. The site analysis will tell. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-01-10, 08:15 PM	#14
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I think the soil is good there. I'll probably end up moving a lot of the soil to the new location. The sunlight is alright, but the new location gets a lot more sun. She originally wanted to keep both locations, however now is just wanting the one. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-02-10, 08:11 AM	#16
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	There are definitely pluses and minuses to each options. The wood option gives me heat when I need it no matter what, and it can provide more heat at once than solar. However, the solar option is much cleaner, less work since it would be fully automatic and I don't have to collect & dry wood, and its lower maintenance. If I hand the choice, I'd probably go solar. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-02-10, 10:44 AM	#17
bennelson Home-Wrecker Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 546 Thanks: 3 Thanked 165 Times in 96 Posts	I've thought about a few of these same things for my house. I like the solar shed idea. Also rocket-stoves work great, and are very simple technology. Another thing you might want to consider is a gasifier. It's more complicated than a rocket stove, but burn REALLY CLEAN, create no waste but charcoal, (which has its own uses) and is real easy to connect to a boiler or other hot water system. If you use solar hot water panels AND a gasifier - you could design a hybrid system where either/both heat water (antifreeze) that heats your garage. The solar panels should keep your garage at a temperature level much nicer than the out of doors, and the gasifier could be run while you are working out there. I know some folks doing pretty cool things with gasifiers. I can introduce you to them if you are interested. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-02-10, 11:08 AM	#18
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Besides burning cleaner, what benefit do gasifiers have? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-01-10, 05:00 PM	#13
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	That big open space to the right hand side should be garden. All of it would be my choice but I'm known to go over the top with my garden plans. What is the reason for moving the garden? if it's crappy soil then it probably makes sense to use that spot for solar collecting. If it's lack of light then the site analysis will be key. I've had gardens work out in places that had nowhere near enough sun to make solar hot water or hot air feasible.

11-02-10, 02:21 AM	#15
bradford108 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The rocket stove type heater idea sounds fantastic. It insulates the garage and gets you to provide community service for your neighbors by clearing their deadfall.

11-02-10, 11:53 AM	#19
bennelson Home-Wrecker Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 546 Thanks: 3 Thanked 165 Times in 96 Posts	They are very efficient - they make more heat for the same number of pounds of wood compared to other types of wood heaters. They can easily run on what would otherwise be "waste" products, such as wood chips. Wood chips or pellets are sort of the most popular fuel. If you use a more or less "standardized" wood chip size, you can somewhat automate the gasifier, such as having an auger automatically feed in fuel. They are easy to integrate with hot water systems. They can create synthesis gas, which can be used for other uses, such as cooking or running an internal combustion engine, as generator might use. They are very safe - everything is sort of self-contained - minimal moving parts, open flame, etc. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-02-10, 10:18 PM	#20
bennelson Home-Wrecker Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 546 Thanks: 3 Thanked 165 Times in 96 Posts	I may have a lead on a wood-burning boiler and some used solar panels. Those could be combined to create a hybrid system. Daox, get looking for a hot tub. You will need some place to put all that hot water in the summer! __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.