OT- Electric or nat. gas garage heater

The electric utility is offering a $99 deal on a 17000 btu garage heater installed with off peak meter.

I figured the heater would have to be at least 45000 btu to work well.

So I would have to buy another 17000 btu electric heater at $235 to make it heat up the garage in less than an hour.

I'd like to keep the garaage at 35 degrees or so. this winter(southern MN) and then kick it up to 60 when I need to work out there.

Would I be better off just using a nat. gas heater? (about $550 for the heater)

Ideally, I'd like to tear out the garage floor and install a radiant floor heating system...but the cement is only a year old..

Granted, he should have instantly turned off the pilot light but evidentily he had other things on his mind. I didn't ask those kind of questions since I assumed it was one of those things he didn't particularily want to discuss since of course, everyone could see what should have been done after the fact. It was all too late seconds after the blast. He never had a chance to even slow down the flames. He just barely escaped with his life. If you have children or someone else who could be in there the danger only increases for the likelihood of such and event or worse tradgedy to occur.

I keep my shop at a comfortable 68 or 70 degrees all the time via a wall mount thermostat.

Had the local heating company build this little 230 volt, 8,000 BTU heater with a furnace blower from scratch.

Been running it for the last year and have yet to notice it on my electric bill ('course it is there, but it is small). I just cannot say enough good about it.

Allan

The problems with Electric hear are the initial cost if you have to upgrade your service panel and any additional wiring. Off peak rates here are competitive with other fuels at their current prices. The other consideration is that “off peak” also means that when it’s cold as blazes out; your heater probably will have been shut off by the power company. Bummer!! (At least in SE SD it would be.) I have a wood stove in my garage, to solve that problem! =:o)

If you want to base it strictly on economics, figure out how much it will cost for electricity and gas to produce a BTU and go from there.

My nickel’s worth (actually may only be two cents)