radiant heater for residential garage

td3201

Hello,

I'm looking for help in choosing the right heater and mounting location for a garage. I have attached an image of what it looks like with dimensions. It's a 3-car garage. The left side is used for a shop and the right has 1-2 cars. The top of the image is the entrance to the house.

I've had a forced air hot dawg heater before that worked well but didn't like how loud it was or how it lost all heat when the garage door was opened and immediately closed. That's why I'm looking into radiant heaters.

I'd prefer not to have to vent it. I'm strongly considering Mr. Heater MH40NG:
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_20858_20858

I'm considering mounting this kind of in between the "shop" and the double car side about 4 ft from the back wall (by the house). I've marked this on the attached image with yellow.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
TD

Zman

I would not put a ventless heater in any house or attached structure.
The heater you are considering has very limiting clearances to combustables, 34" top, 30" side/back and 68" to floor.

Radiant is a great idea. Just get a vented one and check all the clearances.

td3201

I appreciate the comment. I forgot to mention I have 11' ceilings and I would mount this at 34". This would give me 98" to something. The closest thing would be a car hood and it's not close.

Why not ventless? I'm new here.

Edit:
I'm not in love with this heater. I can easily run a vent up through the attic and out the side of the garage. I just really like the idea of the radiant heater based on my original post. Other than that, I'm open!

Zman

A ventless unit is dumping the combustion byproducts into the space. I can't see how that could be a good idea. They are not allowed in some some areas, check with local codes

GroundUp

And also, heaters of the ventless variety are a humidity factory. The windows will be frosty and the walls dripping. Please get a vented unit, for safety and comfort. Those ventless ones are for corn cribs and patio heaters IMO

td3201

I appreciate the nudges. I'll find myself a vented one. Can anyone recommend one for my installation location and size of garage? I'm in Nebraska for an idea on climate. It will get below zero here easily.

hot_rod

just for parking cars? Radiant heaters are line of sight. Warm and comfortable when you are underneath them, not ideal if you want even heat across the space.

A unit heater with a squirrel cage type fan is much quieter, similar to a home furnace. Modine and others offer them

HVACNUT

A ductless heatpump system could work too.
And A/C in the summer.

hot_rod

Rinnai has a small direct vent wall heater, around 20,000, maybe

td3201

Which Modine has that squirrel cage fan? I used to have one and it was a traditional fan.

PhilJay

HVACNUT said:

A ductless heatpump system could work too.

And A/C in the summer.

Wouldn't the heat pump work as AC too or am I missing something?

It's a good suggestion either way!

hot_rod

> @td3201 said:
> Which Modine has that squirrel cage fan? I used to have one and it was a traditional fan.
PDP are propeller
BDP are blower option
mainly the commercial line

Jack

You do not say where you are. Minot or Miami, it does make a difference. That said, I would suggest the Rinnai EX22C. That unit will modulate from 8,200-21,500. Cool to the touch and you will not hear it run. 2.5" hole for the direct vent kit which is supplied with the unit. Heat a t floor level. I can tell you that when it is 0* out and you are laying on a creeper welding in floor pans, that air across the floor is sweet. Very reliable.

HVACNUT

> @PhilJay said:
> A ductless heatpump system could work too.
>
> And A/C in the summer.
>
> Wouldn't the heat pump work as AC too or am I missing something?
>
> It's a good suggestion either way!

Yes, definitely.
One system for heating and cooling. I recommend Daiken.

td3201

Jack said:

You do not say where you are. Minot or Miami, it does make a difference. That said, I would suggest the Rinnai EX22C. That unit will modulate from 8,200-21,500. Cool to the touch and you will not hear it run. 2.5" hole for the direct vent kit which is supplied with the unit. Heat a t floor level. I can tell you that when it is 0* out and you are laying on a creeper welding in floor pans, that air across the floor is sweet. Very reliable.

I said above I'm in Nebraska. I appreciate the recommendation!

td3201

After further consideration, I'm leaning back toward a Hot Dawg. I wish I could hear one of the new ones in action. My last one was so loud. The description on the new ones say it is quiet. Not sure what changed. It appears the only one with the centrifugal blowers is the water heater? So confused on that.
https://www.modinehvac.com/web/products/residential-gashydronic-unit-heaters-hotdawg/hot-dawg-h2o-low-profile-horizontal.htm#

What the heck is that used for? The pictures they show just appears to be a normal heater.

hot_rod

I don't see a noise rating in any of their info? Looks like they do use a squirrel cage type blower which is generally quiet.

I know the hydronic versions have a multi-speed motor for some adjustability.

td3201

I get the H2O version of it. Took me a while to understand. Not what I'm looking for.

This is the one I'm targeting:
https://www.modinehvac.com/web/products/residential-gashydronic-unit-heaters-hotdawg/hot-dawg-power-vented-hd.htm

Looks like it does not have a squirrel cage blower. Funny the brochure says "hush puppy quiet (see table)" but no table that talks about how loud it is.

hot_rod

Sure looks like the gas fired Hot Dawg is available as a propeller or blower model? This is the I&O on the link you showed.

If you had a blower type, I wonder if you were hearing the burner inducer motor?

td3201

Oh I see now. The HD is the propeller fan and the HDB is the blower. Crazy it's about double the cost for the HDB over the HD. The BTU goes from 40k to 60k but still, that's a lot.

Really wish I could hear these things in action.