Garage Heaters Comparison Table
Out of 7 heaters reviewed at qlabe, below are our top 5 picks.
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| Model: | Cadet Electric Portable Garage Camo Heater | Mr Heater Propane Radiant Garage Heater | Fahrenheat Ceiling Mount Industrial Heater | Dyna-Glo Garage Wall Heater | Dr. Heater Hardwired Shop Garage Commercial Heater |
 | Editor's Choice |  |  |  | |
| Qlabe Rating: | |||||
| Energy Usage: | 5000 watts | 4,000 to 9,000-BTU | 7500 watts | 24k - 30k BTU | 3000 watts |
| Dimensions Size/Height: | 8.2 x 15.8 x 17.5 inches | 7.7 x 13.4 x 15 inches | 16 x 15.6 x 15 inches | 28.1 x 10.5 x 24.1 inches | 14.5 x 14.5 x 13 inches |
| Weight: | 29.5 pounds | 9 pounds | 31 pounds | 28 pounds | 27 pounds |
| Safety Feature: | Automatic overheat protection. | Automatic overheat protection | Tip-over & overheat protection. | Tip-over Cut Off Switch | Automatic overheating shut off |
| Adjustments: | 2 settings | 3 settings | 2 settings | 3 settings | 5 settings |
| Check on Amazon! | Check on Amazon! | Check on Amazon! | Check on Amazon! | Check on Amazon! |
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If there is one thing you do not want to try, it’s working in your garage during the winter without an effective garage heater.
You would need to keep warm and toasty while you work on your car, working on a project or if you have a band, and you use your garage as a rehearsal space, or you would not be able to do anything in a cold or freezing garage.
Click here to estimate the size of the garage heater.
It can also be frustrating to find your car frozen on a winter morning when you want to go out.
This is where a good garage heater comes in. These are heaters that are made specifically for a garage space, to heat it up and keep it warm.
Effective garage heaters keep your car warm, keep the rooms that are above the garage warm, and importantly, keep you warm while you work.
Garage heaters are similar to space heaters, except that they heat more extensive and more open spaces.
Choosing an effective garage heater is essential because you would need it to work effectively in the size of your garage.
Best Garage Heater Reviews (Latest Models)
This article has outlined the best garage heaters you can find what to consider before you purchase one and how to use and maintain them properly,
1. Editor’s Choice: The Cadet RCP402S Space Heater
This very powerful portable garage heater emits a heat output of up to 4000 watts, features an adjustable thermostat, and has two heat settings, which are high heat and low heat.
These features allow you to have control over your comfort according to the garage temperature.
This garage space heater is great for circulating heat through every corner in your garage with its built-in fan that helps spread the heat emitted by the heater.
You do not have to worry about the insulation in your garage because this heater would work effectively if the garage is well or poorly insulated.
This is great if you are taking care of a paint job in your garage, either for your car, a woodwork project, or the walls of your garage.
It will also spread the heat around if you have a lot of people in your garage. It is a great choice that can warm up your garage or even your workshop.
The heater is also highly durable and can last for years as long as it is used properly. The heater features a 20 gauge steel construction that protects the heater from rust and corrosion.
It also has a powder coat paint finish that is bright red and very solid, so it does not fade or get chipped off easily.
The heater is also very versatile when it comes to where to place it. If you have enough space in your garage, you can use put it on a table or the floor away from where it can be knocked over.
If you do not want to use it as a portable heater, it comes with heavy-duty brackets that you can use to mount the heater on the wall.
Mounting the heater on the wall is the right choice because it is out of reach from others and cannot easily be knocked over, but if you want to move your heater around the garage, you should use it as a portable space heater.
Nevertheless, it would work either way effectively. The heater also features an inbuilt safety system that is sensitive to abnormally high temperatures or overheating.
If your garage heater is too hot, the system will shut the heater down so that it would cool down. This heater is sturdy, convenient, durable, and comfortable to be used in your garage.
Features:
- It features an adjustable thermostat and dual heat settings for comfort control.
- It emits a powerful heat output of 4000 watts.
- It has a built-in fan, which allows for optimal circulation of heat. The fan can also be used on its own without the heat emissions during the summer to cool the garage down.
- It is safe to use and has a safety feature that protects itself from overheating.
- It can be used as a portable space heater or a wall-mounted heater, and it is convenient either way.
- Despite the use of fan-forced circulation, this heater is very quiet and would not distract you while you work.
- It is easy to set up, and it is lightweight and compact.
- It is highly durable with its steel casing.
Cons:
- It only works with small garages and cannot work effectively in a big garage.
2. Sophisticated and Powerful: Mr Heater MH9BX Garage Heater
This propane-powered heater has an impressive heat output of 4000 BTUs to 9000 BTUs, and the heater emits radiant heat, which makes it work faster than other heaters with a different power source.
The radiant heat warms up the objects and people in the garage before heating the air, and so it would keep you warm quickly before going on to keep the room warm.
This heater is ideal for a medium-sized garage, and you do not have to worry about spending too much money on propane gas that the heater uses to operate because the heater is known for its fuel efficiency.
This propane garage heater consumes about 0.044 gallons to 0.099 gallons of liquid propane every hour, and so the heater does not in any way consume too much propane for the heat output level that it delivers.
You must have noticed that this is a propane heater and so you would have to buy liquid propane regularly.
Thankfully, liquid propane is a cheap, safe to use and environmentally friendly gas, and since this heater can only consume as little as a few pints at night, the heater would not be expensive to operate.
For safety purposes, this heater also has an automatic shut off feature that turns the heater off once it has been tipped over or if the oxygen level in the room is below the average rate (Oxygen Depletion Sensor).
Because this heater uses liquid propane, they can be dangerous if tipped over. Such an accident can waste your fuel, cause an electrical hazard, or start a fire.
This heater is rapid in heating spaces or, most of all, people. It is also powerful, cheap to operate, fuel-efficient, and very reliable.
Features:
- It has a very generous heat output and can work in medium to large garage spaces.
- It emits radiant heat, which makes it work faster in warming up a room.
- It makes use of propane, and so it does not add to your electricity bills.
- It also consumes meager gallons of liquid propane, and so your fuel would last very long.
- Propane is also very cheap and is readily available to purchase.
- The heater is environmentally friendly.
- It is safe to use because it features a tip-over protection feature that turns the heater off once it has been knocked over and a shut-off feature that turns the heater off once the oxygen levels have reduced.
Cons:
- The heater cannot work in places with low oxygen or poorly ventilated garages.
- The heater would shut off when it is 7,000 feet above sea level so it cannot be placed in high places.
3. Efficient and Highly Reliable: Fahrenheat Ceiling Mount Industrial Heater
This garage heater is called an industrial heater because of how quick and effective it is in warming up your garage. It can warm up a garage that is as large 1300 square feet.
This industrial garage heater would keep you warm and toasty while you work in your garage, paint, or even when you are making music.
The heat can make your garage feel like a warm den for working, and it works perfectly in a large garage.
The heater does not get in anyone’s way because it is ceiling mounted and so you can move around your garage freely without worrying about bumping into it or knocking it over.
You can decide to mount it on your ceiling in a vertical position or a horizontal position.
This choice allows you to pick a position that is more comfortable for you.
This industrial garage heater has a heavy-duty construction that works like its being used in an industrial area.
The heater also features a built-in adjustable thermostat, which allows you to control the heat output to your desired level.
With this, you do not have to operate the heater consistently.
This feature would also keep the heater at a particular heat output level until it reaches your desired temperature.
The heater is also powered by electricity, so you do not have to purchase natural gas or liquid propane while using the heater.
The heater is also very durable, and it protects itself from rust and corrosion with its epoxy finish.
The paint is also durable and would not rust or chip off easily. This industrial garage heater also works effectively in damp or stuffy environments.
The heater is ideal for large garages or even workplaces, it is mighty, and it is also safe.
This industrial garage heater comes equipped with an overheating protection feature for safety purposes.
This feature would turn the heater off when it reaches the desired or appropriate temperature to prevent it from overheating.
A unique feature of this heater is that when it reaches the appropriate temperature and turns off, the fan mode of the heater is activated.
The fan would blow out air to cool the heating element down so that it would not overheat.
This heater is a great choice to keep you comfortable in your large garage.
Features:
- The heater is very powerful and is ideal for large spaces up to 1300 square feet.
- The heater is also highly durable. The epoxy coating prevents rust and corrosion, and the industrial-like, heavy-duty construction allows it to last for a very long time.
- The heater features an adjustable thermostat and dual heat settings at high heat and low heat. This allows for comfort control.
- The heater can be mounted vertically or horizontally on the ceiling, and this keeps it away from being bumped into or knocked over.
- It has a unique feature in which the fan cools down the heating element to prevent overheating.
- The heater is useful and provides comfortable heat in your garage, even when it is drafty or stuffy.
Cons:
- The heater does not work quietly because of its technical nature and its integrated fan.
- The heater does not display the temperature level, so you would not be aware of the temperature level.
4. Safe, Affordable and Tidy: The Dyna Glo IR30PMDG Wall Heater
This garage wall heater would provide you with safety and quiet but efficient heating while you work in the garage.
The heater is very efficient because it makes use of infrared heating technology.
This technology can be likened to the feel of the warm sun heating you up. Infrared technology warms the objects in the room up first before warming up the air.
This means that it would be very fast in keeping you warm because it does not waste time or energy warming up the garage.
The heater features a generously full output of 6000 BTUs to 30,000 BTUs, and this can warm up a garage that is large as 1000 square feet.
The heater also has an adjustable thermostat and multiple heat settings for versatility.
The heater has low heat at 6,000 BTUs, medium heat at 18,000 BTUs, and high heat at 30,000 BTUs.
With these vast choices, you can decide on the output of the heater, depending on how cold it is outside.
For easy use and controls, the heater also features a control knob that allows you to pick your desired temperature or adjust the temperature for convenience.
This wall-mounted garage heater would not affect your electricity bills because it works with liquid propane and not electricity.
This would keep you warm and toasty in the case of a power outage or if there is no electricity in your garage.
This heater also provides you with the choice of making use of a fan.
The fan is not included with the heater or integrated into it, but it can be purchased separately for optimal circulation.
The use of a fan would distribute heat through the whole garage. The heater is easy to mount with the provided brackets.
The heater is also safe, and because it makes use of liquid propane, it has a built-in oxygen depletion sensor.
This safety feature would turn the heater off if the oxygen levels are below the regular rates since propane emits little carbon dioxide, the heater is not harmful, but in the case of too much carbon dioxide, the heater would turn off.
The heater also features a one year warranty, and it consumes less fuel like the previous liquid propane heater.
Features:
- The heater makes use of infrared heating technology that warms up the people and objects in the room effectively.
- The heater also makes use of little fuel, and so it does not increase the running cost.
- It does not make use of electricity, and so it can be used in the case of a power outage or in a place where there is no electricity.
- The heater features a control knob that allows you to change the temperature of the heater easily.
- The heater also has an impressive output of up to 30,000 BTUs and can warm up a large room.
- It also had multiple heat settings that have a wide range for comfort control.
- The heater does not need a chimney because it emits minimal harmful gases and the oxygen depletion sensor, which would protect you would take care of the few toxic gases that are emitted.
- It comes with an optional fan for the distribution of heat.
Cons:
- It makes use of radiant heating technology so you would have to stay close to it so it would warm you up quickly.
- It does not allow you to convert fuel.
5. Small But Mighty: The Heatstar by Enerco
This natural gas-powered, a garage heater can warm up a garage space of up to 500 to 600 square feet.
The heater is unique and highly purchased because it promises that it does not only work in a garage but can also work in other large areas that need heating up such as in a shop or a warehouse to keep the workers heated up or in a poultry house or a barn/farmhouse to warm up the animals there and keep them toasty during the winter months.
The heater promises to be 99.9% efficient, and it also changes all the energy it uses by converting fuel to clean heat.
This way, the natural gas does not act as a threat to your health.
It also does not depend on electricity to function effectively, and so you do not worry about adding to your electricity bills.
The heater also features a thermocouple valve that would maintain the adjustable thermostat.
This heater also makes use of infrared heat technology, which allows it to work very quickly and warm up people and objects instead of wasting energy with warming up the air.
The heater is very easy to maintain, and it is very durable. It can last for a very long time as long as you make use of it properly.
The finishing of the heater protects it from rust and is made of materials that cannot destroy.
This allows you to make use of it during a lot of winter months and put it away without worry during the summer.
The heater is wall-mountable, and the heater is easy to use and install. All you have to do is connect it to the gas, prepare the thermostat, mount the heater on the wall and turn it on.
Apart from its secure installation method, the heater is also quiet while it is operating.
It is also odor-free despite the use of natural gas.
Natural gas also allows you to use the heater in the case where there is no power supply.
The heater is useful in smaller rooms, highly effective, and provides a lot of benefits.
Features:
- The heater changes fuel to clean energy, so there is a low risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- It features an adjustable thermostat for comfort control.
- It makes use of natural gas, and so it does not add to your electricity bills in any way. It also consumes less fuel, so you do not spend a lot of money on operating the heater.
- It is highly durable. It can be stored during the warm months for a long time without getting rusted or corrosion.
- The heater is very easy to install and does not require expert attention.
- It can be used in other spaces apart from a garage like a workshop, barn or farmhouse and still work very effectively.
- It works silently and does not disturb you while warming you up.
- It does not emit any form of odors while it works.
- It also has an inbuilt thermocouple that operates the adjustable thermostat.
- The heater is efficient, quick with heating a garage, and affordable in both buying and running costs.
Cons:
- When you use this garage heater for an extended period of time, and very consistently, it would lead to an accumulation of carbon monoxide in the air, which can be very harmful to your health.
- To prevent this, you must ensure that there is proper ventilation in the garage so that as you use the heater, you would still have a healthy intake of fresh air.
6. Versatile and Soothing: The Dr. Heater DR966 Garage Commercial Heater
This electrical garage heater is versatile in some of its features and is known for emitting soothing and gentle heat.
The heater would keep you heated up and comfortable while you work in your garage.
One versatile option that it has is its adjustable thermostat and dual heat settings.
This heater emits a wattage up to 6000 and has two heat settings, which are high heat that emits 6000 watts, suitable for freezing winter days, or low heat that gives out 3000 watts, and this is suitable for chilly days where the weather is cold but not unbearable.
The dual heat settings provide comfort control and allow you to pick the level of heat ideal for you at that moment.
Another thing that makes the heater versatile is its mounting options. It is not a portable space heater, but instead, it provides opportunities for you to mount it on the ceiling or on the wall.
The mounting process is easy and straightforward, and the heater comes with brackets for the mounting.
This heater provides a lot of convenience and comfort control with its five adjustable louvers.
This allows you to control the direction in which the heat would go towards first and control the airflow.
The heater also features an eight inches fan. Although it makes a constant, whirring, fan-like sound, this feature has a useful contribution.
It would spread the heat evenly through your garage.
Although the louvers control the airflow in a particular direction, the heat would still spread throughout the garage.
For installation, this heater does not come with a cord or a plug, and the heater must be hardwired into your home’s main electrical supply.
This keeps the heater secure and prevents the accidents of tripping on the cord.
The heater can also be installed by being connected to a power outlet close to where you mount the heater, but you must check the power of the outlet to ensure that it can take the number of wattages the heater would emit.
If you are mounting the heater on the ceiling, you can easily ask an electrician to hardwire the device for you, but if it would be on the wall, it is much more advisable to use the closest power outlet.
Either way, the installation is straightforward, and so the electrician costs would below.
The heater comes with a one year warranty and is very convenient to use as well as efficient.
Features:
- The heater emits a large amount of heat, which makes it suitable for heating a large garage rather quickly.
- The heater features an adjustable thermostat and two heat settings at 3000 and 6000 watts, which allow for comfort control.
- The heater is versatile in its mounting options.
- With the two mounting options, accidents such as bumping into the heater or knocking it down would not happen, and this keeps the heater from getting damaged as well as preventing a fire.
- The five adjustable louvers allow you to control the airflow, and the integrated fan distributes air evenly through the garage.
Cons:
- The heater does not come with a power cord, and this complicates the installation process, thereby bringing in electrician costs.
- The thermostat may be challenging to operate.
7. Last But Not The Least: The Modine HD45AS0111 Garage Heater
This eighty percent efficient, propane-powered garage heater is ideal for those who want to warm up large areas while using low cost.
The heater would solve any problems that you have had before relating to the overly constant purchase of propane and the wastage of fuel because it consumes a little amount of fuel for its operation.
The heater is more effective than a lot of other propane heaters and has an enormous heat output.
It emits a British Thermal Output of up to 45,000 BTUs, which is way more than all the other liquid propane or natural gas-powered garage heaters on this list and in the market.
The heat output is very high and generous, making the heater ideal for use in large garages or workshops.
You can decide to use this one heater in a garage that takes up to two to four cars because of the tremendous heat output.
This heater is also ideal to be used industrially and not only residentially.
You can decide to use it in your large workshop, art studio, or a side of a factory, depending on where you work.
Its high-efficiency level keeps it working in all these other areas too. The heater operates quietly and silently.
It would not disturb or interrupt you while you paint in your garage or work on your woodwork project.
For ventilation purposes in your garage, this garage heater does not make use of a roof or sidewall venting, but instead, it makes use of a tiny vent pipe.
This pipe is much less complicated than other forms of ventilation, and it is secure.
The pipe transports harmful gases that might have been emitted into the garage, outside, before it even gets a chance to come out.
The heater is cost-effective and efficient in its heat output and operation, making it ideal for those who want to save money and use the right heater.
Features:
- It has a large heat output, the largest on this list, making it ideal for large garages or other spaces.
- It is highly effective, and it does not consume a lot of fuel.
- It is quiet and would not disturb anyone while working.
- It can be used in industrial areas.
- It keeps the garage well ventilated and prevents harmful gases from getting into the garage.
- It makes use of a single pipe to ventilate the garage, keeping it uncomplicated yet profoundly efficient.
- It is a perfect heater and highly recommended.
Cons:
- It is not ideal in any way for use in small garages. It would be too stuffy.
- It is not very durable and stops working after continually being used for a lot of hours.
Why Do You Need A Garage Heater?
The garage can almost be classified as a room in the home that is the most prone to cold during the winter months because of its open nature.
A lot of people spend quite a lot of time in their garage, either fixing something, working on a woodwork or art project, or having band practice.
But you can not do any of these if your garage is freezing. You also would not be able to use your car because that would be frozen too.
The priority of your garage is that it keeps you warm while you are there.
It would be very uncomfortable and harmful to your health to work in a garage that does not have a heater.
You would not get much work done, and you would have to wear so many layers of clothing that would not allow you to work freely.
When you heat your garage, you do not have to worry about all of these. Investing in a garage heater is affordable and brings back excellent returns.
A garage is also the main home for your car, and the heater helps you out with that too.
During winter days, especially the harsh ones, leaving your car out in the open would only damage the car, but when you park it in your garage, it is away from harm.
When you park it in a heated garage, there are a lot of benefits that you would enjoy.
The heater would keep your car warm, and when you want to use it, it would not be freezing.
There would be no ice or snow on the windows, and your car would not wear out quickly since it is not freezing.
It would also increase the durability of the car. Another benefit of the heated garage on your car is that the oil would be less viscous, and despite the cold temperature outside the garage, the coolant of the car would remain warm.
You also would not go through the frustration of not being able to start the car, and having frozen doors or locks that would get stuck because of the cold temperature. The heater protects your vehicle and provides attractive benefits.
Apart from being used to warm up the content of the garage, a good and useful garage heater can also warm up any bedrooms or other rooms that are located above the garage.
Even with the existence of a central heating system in the home and the insulation these rooms can have, they remain cold.
When you use a powerful heater in the garage, the heat can go a long way and warm up those other rooms.
It also provides warmth to any pets you may own or plants that you are keeping in the garage or rooms above the garage, which can end up freezing without constant heating up.
What To Consider Before Purchasing A Garage Heater
Although the heaters mentioned above are highly efficient and reliable, the one you decide to purchase depends ultimately on some certain factors and personal preferences.
These are the things that you are advised to consider when making a choice.
You must first consider the type of heater that you need. Garage heaters come in different types, such as the conduction heater, convection heater or the radiant infrared heaters.
A radiant heater warms up the garage by warming up the objects or people in the garage directly rather than using its energy to warm up the air.
Radiant heaters are considered the fastest kind of heaters because of this method, but they are more costly.
If you are looking for something more affordable, the convection heater is for you.
This type of garage heater would emit hot and cold air while warming up the garage.
The heat that it emits goes to the bottom of the space it is being used in before flowing upward and distributing the heat.
The conduction heater warms up the garage by keeping the surroundings, such as the floor, the walls, and even the air.
You should also consider the type of garage heater in terms of the fuel type. Garage heaters would always require operating costs.
You can have an electrical garage heater; this would add to your electricity bills and so you would have to use it efficiently.
You can also use a heater that is powered by natural gas and liquid propane.
This kind of heater does not add to your electrical costs, and all you have to do is purchase the fuel.
Propane is cheaper than natural gas, and so it is more popular and highly recommended.
Most of these garage heaters also promise to consume little fuel and so this makes it more cost-effective.
The heaters also differ in their mounting types. Some of these garage heaters are portable space heaters, which means that they are placed on a flat surface such as a floor or a table, and they can be easily carried about.
Then we have the wall mountable garage heaters that can be attached to the wall by being mounted or installed in the wall by being recessed to it.
These heaters are usually out of reach and do not pose as many risks as the portable space heater because it can not be knocked over.
Lastly, the ceiling-mounted type which is entirely out of reach and safe to use.
They are usually hardwired to the electrical system of the home, and they are more like a permanent fixture, so if you have a permanent residence, you can purchase a ceiling mounted heater.
Another thing that you should consider is the output of heat that the heater emits.
This energy output is always specified by the manufacturer to inform you of the level of heat you should be expecting. When you know the production of heat, you would also be able to figure out if it is ideal for the space that you want to use it in.
Garage heaters that are powered by electricity use wattage to measure their heat output, but as for those that are powered by fuels like natural gas or propane, the heat output is measured by British Thermal Units (BTUs).
A heater with an energy output of 40,000 BTUs is ideal for large garages that are meant for four cars.
For the heat output between 30,000 to 40,000 BTUs, it would do very well in three-car garages.
With a heat output of 13,000 to 20,000 BTUs, it can warm up a two-car garage, but as for small garages, 4,000 to 7,000 BTUs would suffice.
Most garage heaters are very easy to install, and on the list above, there are no garages with complicated or expensive installations.
Before you purchase your garage heater, check out the installation process that is convenient for you. Some heaters like the portable space heaters or the wall-mounted heaters are easy to install because all you have to do is plug them in and, for the latter, use the brackets provided to mount it.
Others like the wall recessed or ceiling mounted garage heaters need to be hardwired most of the time to the home’s electrical power supply.
For the propane or natural gas heaters that emit radiant heat, they are also easy to install.
You usually need to connect the propane or gas tank to the heater and ignite it.
You should read the manufacturer’s guide before installing the heater, and if you think that you cannot do it, employ the services of a professional technician. When the heater is not well installed, it can be damaged or even cause a fire accident.
A right heater must also be highly efficient when it comes to the amount of energy it uses and the amount that would end up being wasted.
To measure the efficiency of heaters, you should take note of the amount of fuel it would consume every hour.
When it consumes less fuel while working powerfully, then it is efficient, but if it absorbs less fuel and emits low heat, which is not efficient.
You should look out for radiant heaters that are eighty percent efficient and above.
This means that as it works, it only uses up eighty percent of the fuel put into it while the other twenty percent is wasted.
If you want to purchase convection or conductive heater, it can be above seventy percent efficient, meaning that the heater would make use of seventy percent of the electrical voltage imputed in the heater.
This is an important feature to look out for before purchasing the heater so that you do not spend a lot of money on the operating costs.
If you need to save space in your garage or carry your garage heater around in the case of a space heater, you should lookout for a portable garage heater.
No one wants a heater as large as a furnace taking up all the space in their garage and so if you’re going to save up space, especially if your garage is a small one, you should get a small heater.
A small heater does not necessarily mean that the heater is weak, though, and you should keep that in mind.
You should look out for an ideal portable garage heater, which means that it is lightweight, compact and would not take up too much space whether you are using it by placing it on the floor or mounting it on the wall.
For portable garage space heaters, some of them are very light and come with carrying handles, bags, or caster wheels for easy maneuver around the garage or any other place that you wish to make use of the heater in.
The lightweight feature of the heater is not only about carrying it around in your home but also about the shipping costs.
Shipping a heavy garage heater would be more costly than when you are sending a lightweight one, and it is even worse when you have to return it.
When it comes to garage heaters, you must lookout for the most critical safety features.
For electric garage heaters, the overheating protection feature is essential.
If you use your garage heater for a very long time, probably because you spend a lot of time in the garage, your heater might eventually overheat because it keeps trying to warm up the garage as time goes on.
This can pose a risk to you and your family because it can eventually spark or catch fire.
For safety purposes, the overheating protection feature would turn the heater off once it is overheating or emitting heat higher than the set temperature.
This would protect the heater from damages and also protect you from an accident.
For garage space heaters, you must look out for the tip-over safety features. This is because they can be knocked over or tipped over accidentally, and this is dangerous.
The tip-over safety features would shut the heater down immediately, it gets tipped over or if it is not standing upright.
For garage heaters that are fueled with liquid propane or natural gas, you must lookout for the Oxygen Depletion Sensor feature.
This is because, no matter how safe these radiant infrared heaters are, they would still emit carbon dioxide, and when this accumulates, it can poison whoever is in the garage.
The Oxygen Depletion Sensor would turn the heater off once the oxygen levels in the garage are below the normal rate. It is also advisable to have a well-ventilated garage so that the harmful gases would escape.
Another thing you should consider is the maintenance of the garage heater. You must ensure that the heater is easy to clean and would not require a lot of maintenance.
No one wants to spend a lot of time and especially not money with maintaining a garage heater.
Although you should constantly call in the electrician to maintain it, this should not be too often.
You should look out for heaters that have a solid construction, a grille to take in air, and a fan motor that is already permanently lubricated.
These features would ensure that you do not have to maintain the heater constantly.
If there is one thing that is very important and should not be taken for granted, it is the durability of the garage heater.
You do not want to purchase a heater that would stop working after one winter season and so you should ensure that the heater you want to purchase would work effectively for a long time and not just for a short period of time.
In propane heaters, when looking out for durability, you must consider how long-lasting the burner is and how strong it is in exchanging heat.
In electrical heaters, it depends on how durable the components that make the heater work are.
You should look out for those heaters with features like steel or epoxy finishing because these do not rust or corrode easily.
You should also look out for those that have strong paint that would not easily chip off. It may not be easy to be sure of the durability of the heater, and that is where the warranty comes in.
You should also inspect the heater before you start using it, just in case you have to return it.
A warranty on your garage heater is the manufacturer’s guarantee of a reliable and good product. You should look out for those that have a one year to five years warranty.
This warranty reassures you of the efficiency of the product and makes things easier for you.
If your heater breaks down or just stops working within the warranty period, you can easily take it back to the manufacturer to be fixed, replaced, or exchanged.
You may even get some of your money back, depending on the manufacturer. You should also read through the conditions that the warranty is based on.
For example, a lot of manufacturers would not honor the warranty agreement if you or an electrician tampered with it after it stopped working before taking it to them.
One thing you should look out for is the garage heater with a keep quiet feature.
As you work in your garage, especially if you are painting or having band practice, a constant whirring noise can be very disturbing, distracting, and even interruptive.
You should check the heaters that work quietly so that your heater would be convenient when you use it.
You should also look out for the garage heaters that feature a built-in fan. This integrated fan would spread or distribute hot air through the garage and increase the efficiency of the heater by warming up the room very quickly.
Some of these garage heaters also allow you to use the fan without using the heating element.
This is the fan only mode. This means that during summer or warm weather, your heater can act as a fan to cool you down while you go about your activities in the garage.
One minor feature that you should look out for and not rake for granted is the mounting brackets.
If you are purchasing a wall-mounted garage heater or a ceiling-mounted garage heater, you should purchase the heater that comes with a mounting bracket so that you do not have to purchase it separately.
Another thing you should consider is the adjustable thermostat feature. This allows you to pick the temperature that suits you in that moment and time.
This feature allows you to have control over your comfort. You should also get a garage heater with dual or multiple heat settings.
This feature would save energy because you can reduce the heat output during cold weather.
Another feature you can look out for is the automatic shut off feature that would turn the heater off once it reaches the set or desired temperature.
You can also lookout for a garage heater that has a multifunctional remote control and an automatic shut off timer for ease of use and convenience.
Some of these heaters also have an LED display to show you the temperature and heat output at every point in time. These features make it easy for you to use and operate your garage heater.
You would consider your budget, and the price of these garage heaters depends mostly on the brand, the type, and the heat output.
It can also depend on the fuel type, heating type, input, quality, durability, smart features, or mounting options. The point is that price differs from heater to heater.
Electrical heaters can be as expensive as $700 or as cheap as $400 and below, propane heaters can also be as expensive as $600 but as cheap as below $300.
The point is that most of these heaters, despite their different price ranges, still offer similar benefits and have similar features.
Do not purchase a heater that is unreasonably more expensive than another one with the same features. You should consider your budget before purchasing the heater, and do not go over it.
Different Sources Of Power
There are three sources of heat or fuel that garage heaters use. Firstly, the electrical garage heaters.
These models are either hardwired to the power source of the house, or they are plugged into an outlet.
They can be either wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, or space heaters.
They are usually easy to install, and the only extra costs are the ones added on the electrical bills.
You can also purchase a garage heater that is powered by natural gas. If you already have a gas line at home that is easy to access, this is an advisable option because it would be easy to install and more affordable.
Natural gas is easy to buy and usually readily affordable. If you already have a furnace, oven, or even a dryer that makes use of natural gas, you can easily connect the heater to the existing gas line to save money.
The best and most recommended option to power your garage heater is liquid propane.
One reason is that it is very easy to buy. Propane can be bought in places close to you, from local hardware stores to gas stations.
They also burn cleaner than other types of fossil fuels, and they are less flammable, so it reduces the risk of a fire.
Propane is also an odorless gas, and so it does not smell while it works, it only smells when something is wrong with the heater.
Another thing about propane is that you do not have to use a lot of it when powering your heater.
Propane expands, and so you should only fill the tank eighty percent full. This means that eighty percent of the tank would work the whole hundred percent.
Gas Garage Heaters or Electric Garage Heaters
These two types are both efficient, reliable, and affordable, but in the same way, they still have their benefits and disadvantages.
Garage Heaters that are powered by natural gas or liquid propane can warm up large garages or workshops.
It can warm up a space that is as large as 5000 square feet depending on the British Thermal Unit, which is way larger than electrical garage heaters.
One disadvantage is that they constantly need ventilation and they give out poisonous gases, but this can be controlled.
Gas heaters are cheaper than electric heaters in operating costs.
Electrical heaters, on the other hand, can heat space we large as 500 square feet, which are way less than the gas heaters.
They do not require ventilation, though, and you do not have to buy and fill the gas or propane tank constantly.
Safety Guidelines
Garage Heaters are designed for safety and efficiency, which is why they have different safety features that make it safer for use.
Despite that, there are still some guidelines that you must follow so that you can remain safe while using your heater.
A lot of accidents that happen because of heaters are because of mismanagement and misuse.
Firstly, for electrical garage heaters, you should plug the garage heater into the power outlet directly.
You should ensure that the power outlet is capable enough to carry the heater.
You should never use an extension cord to plug in your heater because this can lead to overheating, electrical shocks, or even a fire.
You must also be careful with the plug of your heater.
Inspect it before using it all the time and do not use it if there are any damages or tears on the plug or cord.
When unplugging the garage heater, grip the plug tightly and pull it out gently.
Do not yank the cord out because you can damage it.
For liquid propane or natural gas garage heaters, ventilation is highly important if you want to remain safe.
Your garage heater would require proper ventilation in the garage to avoid the accumulation of harmful gases or fumes in the garage.
It is also not advisable to use the existing system in your house to warm up your garage, but it is considered very harmful and a health hazard, so you are advised not to do it.
When you install your gas garage heater, the heater should vent outside the garage so that carbon monoxide would not be emitted into the garage, but instead, it would go out.
You are advised to purchase a vented gas garage heater to vent the gas out.
Generally, an important thing you should know when it comes to safety is that you should not place anything on or in front of your heater.
Do not use your heater as a table or use it to dry your clothes. Keep objects or furniture away from the front of your heater.
When you place something in front of your heater, this obstructs the airflow from the heater.
This does not only make your heater work twice as hard in warming up the garage, but it can also cause the object in front of it to catch fire because of the accumulation of heat between the purpose and the heater.
Keep your heater away from your car, and other flammable and combustible objects.
Flammable and combustible objects include furniture, upholstery, paper, wood, clothing, perfume, alcohol, oils, rags, and other objects that can easily catch fire.
You also have to consider the space of your garage and where you would place the garage heater.
This depends on where you would work mostly.
When you mount or place your garage heater close to where you are working, it would consistently get in the way and can cause you to have injuries, burns, bumps, or even get electrocuted because you keep on bumping into or tripping over the heater.
You should also ensure that you are not using an old garage heater because this is a safety hazard on its own.
Purchase the garage heater that is listed or certified by different labs such as CSA or UL.
These labs test the heaters before approving them for indoor use, and so this would assure you of the quality and safety of the product.
Keep your children and pets away from your garage heater, especially if it is a space heater or is mounted close to the ground.
Do not leave the heater unattended, and since you would not spend all day in the garage, ensure that you turn the heater off whenever you leave the garage.
Conclusion
The best thing about garage heaters is that they can also be used in other spaces like construction sites, farmhouses or barns, man caves, and poorly insulated homes with low ceilings.
Garage heaters make your garage or workshop more comfortable to be in during the winter, and with that, you can get more work done.
You also get to protect your car during the winter and prevent it from getting damaged.
Garage heaters are safe, portable, and very efficient. Picking the right one can prove to be difficult, but we hope this article would help you out when you are choosing your garage heater.
