Receiving Helpdesk

how do you size a natural gas garage heater

by Ms. Beulah Herzog IV Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

How do you size a natural gas garage heater?

  • Measure the length and width of your garage.
  • Check your garage's insulation.
  • Divide your total square footage by 200, and then multiply your answer by 9,000 to determine the BTU requirements for an uninsulated garage.
  • Find a heater with a BTU output that matches your results.

Since electric garage heaters are rated according to their wattage and gas garage heaters are rates according to BTUs, you can estimate the required size of a gas heater by multiplying by the wattage by 3.41. 5280 x 3.41 = 18,005 BTUs. To convert that into watts, divide by 3.41.Dec 26, 2017

Full Answer

How to find the right size garage heater?

What Size Heater Do I Need for My Garage?

  • Terms to Know Beforehand. Before you can calculate the size heater you need for your garage, you first need to know a few things on the language surrounding these machines.
  • Types of Garage Heaters. ...
  • Calculating Your Garage Heater Size. ...
  • Get the Right Size Heater for Your Garage. ...
  • Build Your New Garage With Danley’s. ...

What size heater do I need for my garage?

What to consider when sizing a garage heater

  • Size of the garage. The size of your garage is one of the most (if not THE most) important factor when sizing a garage heater.
  • Temperature inside the garage. The temperature inside your garage has a huge effect on what size heater you need. ...
  • Climate outside the garage. ...
  • Insulation in garage. ...

How many BTU to heat a garage?

You want to avoid:

  • Gas-fueled garage heaters that are not properly vented (your garage will smell of gas).
  • Bad performing ones. Example: 50,000 BTU garage heater producing 30,000 BTU of heating capacity.
  • Miscalculating garage heating needs. It’s common for people to buy a unit that’s too small to heat the whole garage properly.

What is the best heater for a garage?

The Five Types of Garage Heaters:

  • 1). “Forced Air” Propane Heater. Many consider this type to be the best gas garage heater you can buy. ...
  • 2). “Radiant” Propane heater. Another variety of portable heaters for the garage is the Radiant Electric Heater. ...
  • 3). “Kerosene” heater*. ...
  • 5). 240-volt Electric Garage Heater. ...

How big of a gas heater do I need for my garage?

You can calculate the ideal garage heater for your garage using the formula of size (in cubic feet) times 0.133 times the desired temperature rise. These factors vary, but we generally recommend an 8,000 - 12,000 BTU garage heater for a one car garage.

How do I calculate what size heater I need for my garage?

Roughly the formula comes out to this: (Insulation * Cubic Feet of Garage * Temperature Rise) / 1.6 = # of BTU. In an area of 3,840 cubic feet, with a 35 degree temperature rise with average insulation (or 1) would come out to this: (1 * 3840 * 35) / 1.6 = 84,000 BTU.

How many BTUs do I need to heat a 24x24 garage?

There is a basic rule of thumb for forced-air heaters, which is to heat a two- to 2-1/2 car garage and a three-car garage with 60,000 Btu.

How many BTUs do I need for a 2.5 car garage?

A basic rule of thumb for forced-air heaters is 45,000 Btu to heat a two- to 2-1/2 car garage, and a 60,000 Btu garage heater for a three-car garage. The makers of low-intensity infrared tube heaters say that 30,000 Btu can heat a two to 2-1/2 car garage, and suggest 50,000 for a three-car garage.

How many BTUs do I need for a 1000 sq ft garage?

1-Car, 2-Car, 3-Car, 4-Car Garage BTU Requirements (Rough Estimates)Size Of Garage:Warm Climate (30 BTU per sq ft):Average Climate (45 BTU per sq ft):2-Car Garage (500 sq ft):15,000 BTU22,500 BTU3-Car Garage (750 sq ft):22,500 BTU33,750 BTU4-Car Garage (1,000 sq ft):30,000 BTU45,000 BTU1 more row

Can a garage heater be too big?

A garage heater that is too large for the space will not heat the space more quickly. A heater that is too large for the room will continue to heat for an extended period of time beyond the temperature set point, wasting energy. We call this a temperature swing.

How many square feet will 40000 BTUs heat?

1,000 sq ftArea = 40,000 BTU / 40 BTU per sq ft = 1,000 sq ft In a standard climate, 40,000 BTU is enough to heat a 1,000 sq ft area. Obviously, if you live in colder climate, a 40,000 BTU heater will heat an area below 1,000 sq ft.

How many square feet will 18000 BTU heat?

1,000 square footCalculating the number of BTUs needed to heat an area For example, a 300 square foot room typically requires 7,000 BTUs to maintain a comfortable temperature, while a 1,000 square foot room requires 18,000 BTUs.

How many BTUs do I need for a 900 square foot garage?

Calculate the BTUs You Need As a basic rule, the figure will be between 30 and 60 BTUs per square foot.

How big of heater do I need for my shop?

Heater Size Based on Garage SizeSize of GarageWarm Climate (Zone 3)Very Cold Climate(Zone 7)10 x 20 (small garage)8,000 BTU12,000 BTU12 x 20 (1 car garage)9, 600 BTU14,400 BTU16 x 20 (2 car garage)14,400 BTU21,600 BTU20 x 20 (2 large car garage)16,000 BTU24,000 BTU2 more rows•Apr 25, 2022

What type of heater is best for a garage?

Comparison of the best garage heatersMakePower sourceBest kerosene garage heaterSengokuKeroseneBest garage heater for small spaces/best garage heater for insulated garagesDr. InfraredElectricBest portable garage heaterMr. HeaterPropaneBest garage heater if money is no objectModineNatural gas4 more rows•Feb 15, 2022

Where should heater be placed in garage?

To be most effective, garage heaters should be placed in the coldest corner of the room and directed towards the center.

How to calculate temperature rise for garage heater?

To calculate the temperature rise you need your heater to supply, subtract your cold outdoor winter temperature from your preferred indoor garage temperature. For instance, if you want to prepare for winter days that reach 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and you want your garage to be 65 degrees, you need a temperature rise of 50 degrees. 6.

How to figure out how much space you need to heat a garage?

Your first step is to figure out the area, in square feet, of the garage you want to heat. You do that by measuring the length and width of the space, and multiplying them together. So, for instance, if you have a garage that is 20 feet long and 15 feet wide, your square footage is 20 X 15, or 300 sq ft.

What is BTU in heating?

BTUs are a handy way to compare the effectiveness of different heater types, so that you can easily decide on the energy source that’s best for you: a natural gas or propane heater, electric heater, and so on. Air conditioners also use BTUs, as a measure of how much heat they can remove from the air.

What does BTU stand for in a garage heater?

Each BTU is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. Even though your garage heater is heating air, and not water, this unit of measurement is the standard way of discussing heating capacity.

What to do with a garage that is ice cold?

When a garage is ice-cold in the wintertime, it can be hard on your vehicles and anything else that you store in there. Furthermore, you may want to use that area for a home workshop or laundry room, as an extension of your living space. To choose a heater that will turn your garage from an oversized refrigerator into a comfortable, welcoming place, you need to pay attention to BTUs. Here’s how to use these units to calculate the right size garage heater for your unique situation:

What is a forced air space heater?

Forced air space heaters are easy to move around between ordinary outlets, and great for bringing comfort to a one-car garage or smaller work space. Combination btu heater / air conditioners provide year-round climate control for your garage, using heat pump technology.

How many BTUs per square foot?

Once you have completed steps 1 through 5 above, you’re ready to calculate the BTUs you need. As a basic rule, the figure will be between 30 and 60 B TUs per square foot. This part is simple, because you can just plug your information into your free and easy BTU calculator just below, and let it do the math for you. As you can see, it’s not going to be an exact result, because every building is a bit different. Even the color of your roof can have an effect on how much heat you need. However, plugging in your information will give you a result that is sufficient to help you select the right size heater. You can add an extra safety margin, just in case you overestimated the quality of your insulation.

How many watts does an electric garage heater use?

Since it is unlikely we could find an electric garage heater rated for 19,354 watts, you would either need to install a gas heater or multiple electric heaters to heat the space to your desired temperature.

How to save money on a new air garage heater?

The best way to save money on a NewAir Garage Heater is to buy one the right size for the space you want to heat. Too small, and it will run up your power bill trying to heat a space beyond its capacity. Too big, and you’ll waste money on heating power you can’t use. Garage heaters also become physically larger as they increase in size, and a large heater in a small space is cumbersome and difficult to mount. Fortunately, estimating the right size garage heater that you need is easy with a few simple measurements and a bit of math.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of gas garage heaters?

On the one hand, they’re far more powerful than electric heaters and often the only feasible way to heat large garages in exceptionally cold climates. On the other hand, they’re not as efficient as NewAir electric garage heat ers, where 100 percent of the electricity used is emitted as heat. Gas heaters burn off some of their fuel as waste fumes like carbon monoxide. Up to 20 percent of the gas is burned off, depending on the model, and has to be vented in order for the heaters to be used safely indoors. Ventilation equipment may not only be time consuming and expensive to install, but it also robs some of the warmth from the heat exchange. It’s pulled up through the vent along with the waste fumes.

How does a gas heater work?

In a gas heater, propane or natural gas is fed through a gas valve inside the heater and ignited by a sparker or pilot flame. The burning fuel warms a heat exchanger, which activates a fan that blows air through it and out into your garage. The heat from the exchanger warms the air as it passes through, and transfers it to you.

How much gas is burned off in a gas heater?

Up to 20 percent of the gas is burned off, depending on the model, and has to be vented in order for the heaters to be used safely indoors. Ventilation equipment may not only be time consuming and expensive to install, but it also robs some of the warmth from the heat exchange.

What is the R value of a heater?

R-value measures thermal resistance, how well a material resists heat flow. The higher a material’s R-value, the more effective it is as an insulator. Fiberglass insulation, the most common insulator used in residential buildings, has an R-value of 2.9-3.8. R-value is important when calculating heater size because it determines the degree of heat loss and the size of heater needed to maintain a comfortable temperature in your garage.

How many joules is a BTU?

BTU (British Thermal Unit) A British Thermal Unit is the amount of energy required to heat one pound of water by one degree, roughly 1055 joules, or roughly the amount of energy required to completely burn a four-inch wooden match. One watt equivalent to approximately 3.41 BTU.

Step 3. Select a Single-Phase or Three-Phase heater

If you’re replacing an old heater, the new heater’s phasing should match. Check the product label of the old heater to verify the phasing.

Step 4. Select thermostat control preference

The type of thermostat control can impact the performance and wiring requirements of a heater. Select the option that best applies for your application.

Step 5. Select installation type

Decide if a portable heater that can be easily moved around at ground level or a high-mounted permanently installed heater is best for your application.

What is BTU in garage heater?

The heater type, such as radiant or forced air, the British Thermal Unit (BTU) output, your garage's insulation and your available power all factor into your heater selection. For fast heating, choose a forced air over a radiant heater, as forced air heaters will make you feel warmer much more quickly, while radiant heat sources may take hours ...

How to calculate BTU for uninsulated garage?

Divide your total square footage by 200, and then multiply your answer by 9,000 to determine the BTU requirements for an uninsulated garage. Multiply by 6,000 instead of 9,000 if your garage is insulated.

How many square feet are there in a 2 car garage?

Multiply them to get the total square footage of the room. An average two-car garage is approximately 484 square feet (22 by 22 feet), but it may range from 400 to nearly 600 square feet.

Terms to Know Beforehand

Before you can calculate the size heater you need for your garage, you first need to know a few things on the language surrounding these machines. Understanding these terms will allow you to more accurately choose the heater that is best for you. The machine’s power is often quantified by the amount of wattage.

Types of Garage Heaters

There are roughly two types of garage heaters you can expect to find – gas and electric. Electricity is the most common and is heated via a metal implement – the electricity passes through this point and heats up the surrounding air.

Calculating Your Garage Heater Size

There are two ways to calculate the heater you require for your garage – either by wattage or BTU. Watts are easy enough to follow as they can be quantified by 10 watts per square foot of space. For example, in an area that is 20 feet by 24 feet you would need 4800 watts of power (it’s just the total square footage, 480, multiplied by 10).

Get the Right Size Heater for Your Garage

Getting the right size heater for your garage isn’t necessarily a difficult thing as long as you know what to look out for. Knowing the differences between BTUs and watts is usually quantified by the differences between gas and electric. While both machines work well, electric heaters are much more energy efficient.

1-Car, 2-Car, 3-Car, 4-Car Garage BTU Requirements (Rough Estimates)

We can roughly estimate how many BTUs you need to heat a garage by using a heating BTU calculator. Basically, you will need anywhere between 30 BTU to 60 BTU to adequately heat a garage; based on where you live.

Climate Zones For Garage Heating

The colder it is, the bigger heater you will need to keep your garage warm. That goes without saying. The real question is quantification, namely:

Garage BTU Heating Calculator

To calculate how many BTUs you need to keep the garage warm, just input square footage, ceiling height, and pick the climate zone.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9