Garage Heater Types Explained

A garage heater can make a typically underutilized space in your home a usable workshop all year round. Knowing what is right for your garage or workshop can mean the difference between working in comfort or being out in the cold.

There are two general ways to heat a room:

Convection Heating

Convection heating circulates warm air into a room. Air is blown over a heating element, out of the unit, and directed into the room. Although home heating systems work this way, extending your existing ductwork from your home into your garage is not advisable. Doing so allows carbon monoxide, car exhaust and other hazardous workshop fumes to drift back into your home. A convection heater is best in garages which don’t require much ventilation. If ventilation is necessary for your workshop projects, the heated air will be exchanged for the cold outdoor air.

Radiant Heating

Instead of warming the air, radiant heating warms objects and people in the same way the sun does, with heat simply radiating off a hot source material. The heat can warm you quickly, like walking in and out of sunlight, but requires you to be near the heat source or within its heat path to feel the benefits.

Once you’ve decided which heating option works best for your space, consider your energy source options for powering your garage heater. These may include:

Electricity

Electric garage heaters are the easiest to install, since they do not require venting, and electricity is already present in every home. Although they typically cost less than other units to purchase, they are more costly to operate.

Natural Gas

If your home is already served by natural gas then this might be a good energy option for you. Natural gas units cost more up-front, but operating costs are less than with electric garage heaters. These units need to be located near an exterior wall in order to vent exhaust to the outside.

Propane (or Liquid Petroleum)

Like its natural gas counterpart, propane heaters need to be located near an exterior wall for venting. If you don’t have natural gas service, these units might be a good alternative because their operating costs are similarly low and they can be powered by a portable propane or liquid petroleum (LP) tank. However, propane generates carbon monoxide, soot and moisture as it burns, so correct installation is imperative and can be costly.

Wood Burning

Like a campfire, wood burning stoves take time to heat up but will continue to generate heat long after you stop tending them, making them good for day-long projects. While wood is a less expensive energy source than electricity, gas or propane, wood stove installation can be costly and involved because wood stoves need a proper flooring underneath, called a hearth, usually made of stone or brick, a chimney or flue to direct smoke out of the room, and proper clearance. Permits might also be necessary for installation in your city or county.

If your garage is large, you may want to consider combining heating options—convection heating for general room temperature and radiant heating near your workspace to keep you extra warm on those cold winter nights.