How to choose the best garage heater

Combustion of fuel in heaters

When burning gas, wood, coal or diesel fuel, carbon dioxide is released and oxygen is burned. This leads to the need to organize ventilation. If this is not done, you can simply suffocate. In addition, any source of flame and flammable fuel carries an increased fire hazard. It will be ideal if you additionally install a fire alarm.

In addition, if the device involves use with a chimney, then it must not only be made in accordance with all norms and requirements, but the draft must also be checked regularly. This is especially true if the heater is installed in a country house or country house.During your absence or after the summer, anything can happen, for example, birds in a chimney can make a nest. Because of this, combustion will be weak and unstable and carbon dioxide will spread throughout the house.

Check the draft in the chimney regularly

Appliance power

Heat output is measured in BTU/hr for a gas garage heater and watts for electric heaters. The higher the indicator, the higher the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room that the device is able to heat.

Before buying, calculate the power of the device for the garage using the formula: Power \u003d volume of the room * temperature difference in the room and outside it * heat dissipation coefficient.

The last indicator depends on the level of thermal insulation of the room and is taken from the table:

Thermal insulation level	Coefficient
High	0,6-0,9
Medium (concrete garage with insulated doors without forced ventilation)	1,0-1,9
Low (concrete garage with metal doors)	2,0-2,9
None (metal)	3,0-3,9

If there is no desire to carry out calculations, a heater with a capacity of 1 thousand - 1.5 thousand W (5 thousand BTU / hours for gas models) is enough for a compact garage. A garage with a pit or a small storage space will require an appliance power of 2.5 kW.

Workshops, boxes for two or more vehicles require commercial equipment with a power of 5 kW or more. (17 thousand-18 thousand BTU/hours).

Types of heaters

There are three types of heating systems that are suitable for use in garages and other areas where there is a significant temperature difference.

gas stove

gas stove

A gas heater for a garage requires compliance with the safety rules for the use of gas, the purchase of a gas cylinder. As a rule, car owners choose portable models - a convector, a honeycomb screen.They have the following benefits:

• quickly warm up the space;
• do not require connection to a centralized network;
• mobile, they can be transported if necessary;
• economy.

Infrared heater

Popular heating system. The unit is usually fixed to the ceiling. As a result, the rays warm the floor, spreading warm air throughout the room.

The disadvantage of infrared heating is the uneven heating of the room, therefore, when choosing such a solution, it is worth considering the installation scheme:

• to maintain the temperature within +5 degrees, put the device with a power of 50 W per square meter of the room;
• if the box is used as a workshop, it is necessary to hang another device above the workplace, turn it on if necessary;

When you need to constantly maintain a temperature of +20, buy a device with a power of 100 watts per square meter of garage space.

Diesel

An indirect heating gun is suitable for the garage. When fuel is burned, combustion products are sent to a special heat exchanger, which makes their operation safe.

At the same time, a constant flow of air should be ensured in the room, since a diesel heater burns a lot of oxygen. Modern models are equipped with an overheating protection system, flame control, and a thermostat.

It is also possible to heat the box for the car with a diesel boiler or a heater for working off, but it will require the organization of a special stationary place, which is not always possible due to the dimensions of the garage.

Convector heater

The most important advantage of a convector heater is its autonomous operation.It is safe due to its design and sensors, which automatically turn off the heater when the device is overturned or the room overheats. A small power consumption for their work suggests that these are the best heaters for summer cottages.

Advantages of convectors:

• safety;
• relatively low power consumption;
• small weight of the device.

Such heaters do not dry the air in the room and are adjustable. This option is the most optimal due to its cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

But convectors also have disadvantages, this is that they cannot be moved from place to place (they are mounted on the wall), and also such heaters slowly heat the air in the room.

But the convector is not suitable for use in cottages only on weekends, since it is impossible to transport it.

Diesel heaters

A generalized description of the "diesel heaters" group will not give the desired idea about these units, the types of which differ in design and technical characteristics. For these reasons, we will consider one model of each type of diesel fuel heaters that are popular with garage owners.

Diesel heat gun of indirect heating BALLU BHDN-20 of the TUNDRA series

Indirectly heated diesel heaters differ from direct-acting units in that their combustion chamber is isolated from the air of the heated room, and the products of combustion of diesel fuel during the operation of the device are removed through the chimney to the outside.

This design feature is especially important for a garage - a room with a limited volume, the content of carbon monoxide in which, when heated by a direct heating diesel gun, will reach dangerous values ​​in a matter of minutes.

Diesel heat gun of indirect heating BALLU BHDN-20 of the TUNDRA series

Characteristics:

• dimensions - 89x67.5x44 cm;
• weight (without fuel) - 22.0 kg;
• maximum heat release power - 20 kW;
• fan capacity - up to 500 m3/h;
• supply air temperature - 95o C (at 20o C in the room);
• Efficiency - 78-82%;
• maximum heating area - 200 m2;
• consumed fuel - diesel fuel;
• average consumption of diesel fuel - 1.9 l / h;
• fuel tank capacity - 24 l;
• time of continuous operation on one gas station - 15 hours;
• power supply voltage - 220-230 V;
• cost - 32-37 thousand rubles;
• manufacturer - China.

Advantages:

• high level of security;
• high-performance fan;
• ignition - 2-electrode;
• electronic ignition with a powerful spark;
• high-precision electronic flame control based on a photocell;
• durable heat exchanger and combustion chamber (heat-resistant stainless steel);
• anti-corrosion and heat-resistant paint coating of the body;
• molded rubber tyres.

A more complete picture of liquid-fuel heat guns of indirect heating will help a video demonstrating the Aurora TK-55 ID diesel garage heater - a unit identical to the Ballu BHDN-20 described above:

Liquid fuel heaters of the company "SolaroGaz"

The line of heaters of this manufacturer is represented by five main models, differing in power (1.8 - 2.5 kW) and slightly constructive (reflector geometry, material of manufacture of the furnace).

The dimensions of these compact units are in the range of 30-40 cm, which does not require much space when placed and allows you to transport heaters in the trunk of any car.Heaters of the "SolaroGaz" line, with a modest size, allow maintaining a comfortable temperature regime in rooms with an area of ​​​​20-25 m2, consuming an average of only 0.2 liters of fuel per hour.

Liquid-fuel mini-heaters produced by "SolaroGaz"

The volume of fuel tanks of heaters, depending on the model, is different (2.5 - 3.5 l), but on average ensures continuous operation of the device for 10 hours, and in economy mode up to 18 hours.

The unit is started in the following sequence:

• raise the divider with the emitter grid;
• using the regulator, open the fuel supply;
• set fire to the wick with a lit match;
• lower the spreader.

Infrared liquid fuel heaters: on the left - PO-2.5 Mini; on the right - PO-1.8 "Caprice"

Advantages:

• versatility (two types of fuel used);
• functionality (heating and cooking);
• compactness and low weight with sufficient power;
• efficiency - low fuel consumption;
• ease of use;
• affordable cost (3-5 thousand rubles).

Flaws:

• factors of open fire, including the need for periodic ventilation of the premises;
• relatively slow exit to the operating mode;
• when using diesel fuel, the release of odor during ignition and shutdown.

The safest types of heaters

Electric heaters are considered the safest, namely:

1. Infrared and mikatermicheskie- in them contact of the person with dangerous current-carrying parts is practically excluded. In addition, they heat objects and people in the room, not the air, and do not dry it;
2. Convectors - the heating element does not touch the body, while the body itself heats up, but not so critically that it cannot be touched. The risk of fire is less than that of analogues;
3. Oil coolers - heating elementThey are insulated from the housing by oil. Low risk of electric shock. In operation, the case is hot, but not so hot that the fabric or something else catches fire from it. The hand is quite tolerant of such a temperature.

What the Law says about heating garage buildings

Having decided to equip the garage with heating, you should be aware that not only the result, but also the procedure for your actions must comply with the current legislation of the Russian Federation.

The main legislative act regulating fire-fighting measures in the Russian Federation today is the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. “On the fire regime” No. 390 dated April 25, 2012 (as amended on November 18, 2017).

Consequences of non-compliance with fire safety standards in garage structures

However, there are other fire safety instructions that contain more detailed requirements for the prevention of fires in garage buildings for collective and individual use, which are mandatory. For example, the 2018 “Instruction on Safety for Garages” on 22 pages.

If a garage for individual use that is not adjacent to buildings of an identical purpose, then its heating is equipped according to a project developed by a design organization licensed for this type of activity.

If the structure is part of the cooperative, the arrangement of this room with heating is carried out after agreement with the chairman - in accordance with the instructions he has on fire safety measures, containing calculations and rules for a particular organization.

Thus, all independent actions of garage owners for the installation and use of heating devices are carried out by them at their own peril and risk.

fuel storage

Diesel heating needs the organization of a tank for storing fuel and supplying it to the equipment. The place for its placement is determined for reasons of fire safety. There should also be a convenient access to fill the tank.

To organize a place for a fuel storage, you can dig a pit, the bottom of which is covered with a cement-sand cushion. This is a layer of about 20 cm. This distance should remain between the walls of the tank and the walls of the pit. The pit is filled with cement-sand composition. Compaction must be done every 20 cm, water must be added.

Do not save on containers for heating equipment. If you make it yourself, cracks may occur, the result of which will be fuel leakage, which means high costs. Therefore, it is recommended to use certified containers.

You can use not one diesel tank, but several, tying them with a special strapping. Tanks made of polyethylene lined with steel sheet are very popular now. You can also use a fiberglass reinforced container.

If the diesel boiler is below the level of the tank, then a gravity feed system can be used. If the level is the same or the capacity is slightly higher than the burner of the diesel stove, the burner pump is able to independently suck in the diesel. If the level difference is more than 5 meters, additional assistance is needed.

If there is a rather large distance between the tank and the boiler, the fuel line runs outside, it must be deepened into the ground by 1.5 meters. This is necessary to prevent freezing.

Infrared heaters

In fact, this is also an electric heater, because it requires electricity to function. To ensure maximum efficiency, infrared heaters are suspended in a small room under the ceiling. They, perhaps, heat up the garage most quickly, or rather, the place where the radiation is directed.

Special lamps in the heater emit infrared waves, the waves heat up all kinds of objects in the room, and only then the air temperature rises from the objects. The infrared heater works silently, does not emit harmful odors and does not take up usable space, as it is at the top, it is quite convenient to use. If the garage has a ceiling height of up to 2.5 meters, then low-temperature IR heaters are used.

If the room is spacious, it is desirable to have at least two IR lamps. It should be remembered that directing infrared lamps at flammable objects is prohibited.

Which heater is better to choose

To choose the right heater, you need to determine exactly what room it is needed for.

Heater for an apartment

When choosing a heater for a small apartment, consider factors such as:

1. Room area.
2. number of windows.
3. Power and serviceability of the central heating system.
4. The number of residents in the apartment.

For a small apartment with airtight windows and weak central heating, a convector or oil heater is suitable.100 W of device power is spent on heating 1 sq / m of area. Therefore, if the room is 10 sq / m, a device with a power of at least 1 kW is needed to heat it.

If the apartment is occupied by 1 or 2 people, you can choose a fan heater or an IR heater.

Home heaters

For a large house, one device is hardly enough. Convectors are the most efficient choice for private houses. They can be hung in different rooms, they will not violate the aesthetics of the interior and will not "eat" too much energy.

An oil cooler is also quite suitable for heating one particular room. If the house has a veranda, an infrared device will allow you to enjoy fresh air, feeling warm and comfortable.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with our rating of the best heaters for your home and apartment.

For giving

In summer cottages, as a rule, they do not spend much time in winter. For suburban areas, fan heaters or IR heaters are suitable. They almost instantly give heat and quickly heat the room.

For those who live in the country for a long time, an oil appliance can be recommended. It will gently warm the air and, if there is a timer, will not require too much energy.

For children

Wall-mounted convectors are recommended directly for a children's room or for an apartment with a small child. They are as safe as possible: they do not burn, do not roll over, do not make noise. The devices have multiple settings and allow you to adjust the temperature at any time.

For bathroom

The bathroom has increased humidity and is non-residential. So, you need a device that quickly warms up and reduces the level of humidity. Fan heaters work best for this purpose.

For the bathroom, models with a high degree of tightness and isolation of the electrical system are suitable.

Home heaters

Choosing a heater for your home is a difficult task. Before you buy it, you need to evaluate the safety and energy consumption (the more economical the device, the lower the monthly electricity bill).

The main types of economical heaters for the home:

• Convector.
• Oil with automatic temperature control function.

Using these models, the consumer can independently set the desired temperature, which will be automatically regulated by the system. Power must be selected according to the size of the room for which the radiator is intended. In less frequented rooms, it is advisable to install with a spiral that quickly heats up the temperature.

The modern models used to heat the house include ceramic heaters. Although their price is higher than similar devices, but the efficiency and economy with a long service life compensate for the high cost.

Other selection criteria

• Air exchange. This indicator is important for heat guns. The higher it is, the more powerful the device accelerates the flows, which means it warms up the room faster.
• Fuel consumption. Key economic indicator. Approximately, 100 grams of fuel should give 1 kW of power, or 1 liter - 10 kW.
• Direct and indirect action. Direct-acting heaters require increased ventilation, since combustion waste is not removed here. They cannot be used in small enclosed spaces. Indirect devices are equipped with a filtration system, but are not as economical as the first ones.
• Change of modes.For heating, it is extremely inconvenient if the heater is capable of operating at a constant power. If it is possible to regulate the intensity of heating, this is not only convenient, but saves fuel (some devices with minimal heating can work up to 14 days without refueling).
• Timer. Allows you to turn on intensive heating for a short time, followed by turning off the device without human intervention.
• Noise level. The hum from the operation of a diesel heater is inevitable. If this indicator is important, you need to specify in the data sheet exactly how many decibels the model gives out (an indicator of 45 dB can be considered good).
• Wheels. Most large appliances are equipped with wheels. It would be useful to be able to block them. In addition, in the characteristics it is worth looking at what load they are designed for.

When choosing a heater for the home, many prefer the practicality of its use. In this regard, quartz heaters for the home with an efficiency of almost 100% showed themselves well.

We will talk about the features of choosing a ceramic heater for the house here.

In the field, comfort is also important, especially if you have to spend the night in a tent. In this article, we will consider which heater for tents are better.

9. Scarlett SC 51.2811 S5

• maximum heating area 28 sq.m
• heating power 2900 W
• thermostat
• number of operating modes: 2
• overheat shutdown
• installation: floor
• number of sections: 11
• dimensions (WxHxD): 48x62x24 cm
• mechanical control

But this oil heater is already more powerful - it can heat the air in a room up to 28 m2 in size. And it has more capacity by about two and a half times compared to the tenth place in the rating.It has 11 sections, in addition, the manufacturer installed a small fan heater in the device so that the air in the room heats up faster. There are two modes of operation (as usual, faster and more voracious or slower and more economical).

And although it’s hard to imagine that such a simple design could cause problems, the manufacturer has provided protection against oil leaks and overheating.

Pros: for a large room, there is a fan, two modes of operation.

Heating elements of heaters

The principle of operation of the heating elements of fan heaters, fireplaces, convectors and oil radiators is based on Ohm's law and the Joule-Lenz law. When current flows through the heating element, heat is generated, which is due to the high resistance of the element. All heaters of similar types are arranged in a similar way. As the main functional part, a conductor with high resistivity is used, for example, nichrome filaments or spirals. The same ones are used in electric stoves and irons.

For example, heating elements can be installed in convectors:

1. Tape or needle type. They are a nichrome thread fixed on a dielectric base. It is laid in such a way that it wraps around the base of the exits on each side, forming loops that vaguely resemble needles;
2. heating elements - tubular electric heaters, presented in the form of a metal tube, in which a high-resistance coil is placed, through which current flows. To isolate the spiral from the outer tube, it is filled with a dielectric material. The tube on the outer part has fins - this is necessary for better heat dissipation. special case heating elementov are monolithic heaters - they are distinguished by large fins.

In fan heaters, an open spiral is most often used, located opposite the fan. In some appliances, there are ceramic heaters, which are a common heating element, enamelled.

In infrared devices, IR emitters act as a heat source. They also come in different types:

1. Carbon heater - a spiral in a protective quartz tube;
2. Ceramic emitter;
3. Halogen;
4. Tubular.

They are also divided according to the type of emitted waves:

1. Short - 0.74-2.5 microns;
2. Medium - 2.5-5.6 microns;
3. Long - 5.6-100 microns.

On a note! In everyday life, long waves are most often used for heating over long distances, and, for example, when the heater hangs from the ceiling, at a height of 6 meters - short waves.

There is also a separate type of infrared heaters - mikatermicheskie.

Micathermic heater

Most of them look like something between a convector and an electric fireplace. He, like all infrared heaters, is not hot in itself, but spends all the energy on heating the objects around him. This means that heating is more efficient than in other types of heaters, and you will not burn yourself about these devices.

As a source IR- radiation in mikathermic devices is a metal plate coated with mica, it has dielectric properties. This means that the safety of these heaters is high.

Is gas heating suitable for a garage?

Often a private garage today is not just a place to store a car, but also a small personal workshop, a warehouse for spare parts and a room for minor car repairs. It is usually connected to the mains, but not always to centralized heating.

It is too expensive to lay heating pipes along the street to such a structure. Moreover, heating in this case does not need constant, but only seasonal.

Most often, a gas heater for a garage is chosen with a gas supply from a cylinder (propane or a mixture of propane-butane), it is expensive and irrational to pull pipes with methane due to the intermittent use of the heater

If garage heating is organized on electricity, then huge electricity bills will beat off every desire to turn on heating often. And not always existing electrical networks are able to deliver the necessary current for a good powerful heater.

In the case of your own plot and a private house, there will most likely not be any special problems with the required voltage. But in a situation with a garage array in the city, you can not even dream of additional kilowatts. The power supply for such premises is usually designed only for a couple of light bulbs and a socket for a low-power electric tool.

And cheap gas is actually the only alternative to electricity here. The diesel heater is too environmentally dirty.

A wood or charcoal stove for a garage is also not very suitable due to the increased fire hazard, the abundance of soot and the short duration of use. A wood stove takes too long to warm up to be used to heat a small garage workshop for a couple of hours of work.

Gas heaters for a garage powered by a cylinder are good:

• compactness and mobility of the heater;
• low cost of equipment;
• availability of fuel (a cylinder of liquefied gas can be filled at any gas filling station);
• environmental cleanliness and lack of soot;
• relatively low fuel price;
• ease of use of the heater;
• long service life of the device in 15-20 years;
• high heating rate.

Their only drawback is explosiveness and a high risk of fire. However, if you follow the basic rules for handling gas equipment, then such a device is quite safe.

During operation, the gas heater burns oxygen in the room, so before turning it on, you need to take care of sufficient air exchange and good ventilation in the garage

Gas heaters explode very rarely. It takes a lot of effort to bring the situation to an explosion and even a fire during their operation. Electrical analogues burn much more often due to short circuits.

At the same time, an autonomous gas appliance in a closed room is dangerous due to the gradual combustion of oxygen inside the garage. If the ventilation is poor and there is no inflow of outside air, then the gas in the burner may go out. And then, in the absence of protection in the heater that cuts off the supply of fuel from the cylinder, it is not far from an explosion, fire or waste.

This is interesting: Choosing the most economical heating for the garage - comparison of options

More about IR modifications

Recently, an infrared heater in the garage has become popular. This is due to performance characteristics. Typically, such models are mounted suspended at a certain height.When turned on, the floor is heated, which gives off heat throughout the entire volume of the room.

View gallery

There are three ways to place infrared heaters, depending on the purpose of their use:

1. If the garage is intended for a repair shop, the unit is installed directly above the working area, turning it on as needed.
2. To maintain a positive temperature during storage of the vehicle, calculations are carried out based on the calculation of 50 W per square meter.
3. If a temperature of up to +20 degrees is required, 100 W per 1 sq. m, therefore, the number of heat sources increases.

Among the main advantages of the equipment in question, users note a high level of reliability, safety, efficiency and durability.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Overview of gas heating equipment for summer cottages:

Tips from an amateur user when comparing travel heaters:

There are 12 models in the rating, which were positively rated by users. The selection took into account technical characteristics, functionality, ease of use, potential problems. Among them are novelties, and units that have long proven themselves.

When choosing a heater, be guided by the specific conditions of use: one that is great for heating a garage will be inappropriate in field conditions, and vice versa. And remember that safety comes first, especially when using gas stoves and stoves indoors.