furnace in garage shop ..

[BigDaddy]

What do all of you think of a standard natural gas furnace in a garage shop? .. I can get a 4 year old 80,000 btu electric ignition, natural gas furnace installed in my shop for about $1100 .. venting and gas line install included ... I was originally looking at the hot dawg units and calling around various companies when one said he had a 4 year old house furnace that he will warrant for 1 year after install ...

it isn't a closed flame, but i won't have many chips flying around with my dc system installed ...

it will be installed near my planer and jointer, not sure if that's going to be that big of a problem and will have it's own dedicated circuit ..

does this sound like a good deal? is there any real possible problems of having this type of furnace in a woodshop?

[carl civi]

Hi, I don`t think that would be a good idea these days with all that we know.There is another issue and that is the fumes we give off when finnishs are used.For 1100 bucks you can put a gas unit in that is designed for work shops,taking up less space.Gas furnaces are only about 600-800 new,so i don`t know if thats a good deal after all.Just my thoughts. Regards, Carl

[TDHofstetter]

My take... is that I wouldn't worry at ALL about installing an open-flame gas heater in the shop. I had one such in my shop for years before we moved to this house, and now I'm too cheap to install a woodstove in the shop. Well, the chimney would be an issue, so I'm not just too cheap...

It really does take a pretty heavy buildup of fumes to ignite... and that's not likely while you're working. It COULD be a problem (and a very serious one!) if you're prone to leaving containers open overnight while you're not there, though. Leave a lacquer thinner can open, for example, and you'll most defintely reach a concentration sufficient to cause detonation. That's not COMBUSTION, that's DETONATION. Had a neighbor do that once.

While you're working, though, you're very unlikely to get anything like a combustible concentration... without long before having lost consciousness. In fact, it'd probably kill you before it ever caught fire - so what you worry? :)

Far's price, that's hard to say. A client of mine bought a gas furnace at the beginning of winter, and it cost $7,000 new with NO ductwork (I just designed & installed the ductwork myself a couple weeks ago). That's DEALER price, from a local gas company.

Prices can vary widely from area to area, though, so what's competitive up here may not be competitive where you live.

Would that be for ventless, direct-vent, or normal-vent? Ventless, although much more efficient, can cause problems in shops because water is a major part of the exhaust - and that water'd become water vapor in your shop... not a great way to keep wood at a stable moisture content.

-- Tim --

Don't walk in front of me, I will not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I will not lead.
Walk beside me, and be my friend.

[BigDaddy]

Tim,

thanks for the reply, those are my thoughts exactly. it's a vented system, it has a air return, but we aren't going to use it or need it.. and the guy suggested putting a filter on it to avoid chips and sawdust from getting into the system ...

price wise is right on track, any of the new hot dawg or ressner (sp?) hanging units cost about $600 over the counter, and i called about 10 different furnace companies and quoted anywhere from around $1400 - $2000 installed ... this one the guy is giving me for $1100 installed .. so the furnace itself he is probably giving me for a couple hundred bucks plus a days labor ..

I think I got a good deal on it, and the unit is 4 years old, but only used for abougt 2 years he said ... I have the unit already in the shop, waiting for install on Monday, and all systems look in great shape .. no rust or wear on them. i think this type of furnace will last longer than the hanging units and be of better quality ... plus, easier to repair when the time comes ...

now, just to cap off the holes in the ceiling we had to put in for the garage door opener and when I had my attic leak, and to insulate the attic above ... last two things to do in the shop before the renovation is complete!! :D

[carl civi]

Tim, that must some very special gas furnace,most i ever seen them is for 600--1000,did a google search and thats what i came up with.You know i had a basement shop once where there was gas heat,i had no problems,but i was always worried about it.That was in a basement i`m not sure how safe it would be in a garage. I bet codes in some areas would be against it.My view is i just wouldn`t advise it if you were gong to pay and install i go with the better shop heaters. Regards Carl

[BlueMeanie]

You should be concerned about the vapors from laquer, stain, etc causing a potential explosive environment. It will take a lot of vapors to create a deadly environment. In this case, you might want to look into a sealed compustion furnace. As the name suggests, the combustion chamber is completely sealed. It pulls air from outside the house to fuel the furnace. This should provide a safer environment.

2 bits

Dan

[daddo]

If this furnace is to be installed with only a plenum on top and the gas line is near the installation, and the contractor is building the platform, I would say it is a fair deal. If an open flame is a concern, I would see about installing it in an add-on closet on an exterior wall and ducting it to the space.
You may check into a filter system called "Space Gard". This is a 5" thick pleated filter which will trap even the finest dust. A pre- filter would help keep it from clogging prematurley. I've installed a few of these in shops and find them to work well and you never need worry that the heater will get dirty. Vacume the inner front of the furnace regularly.

[brent]

I wonder if making the platform that the furnace sits on ##### tall as possible would be a good idea? I don't know about all vapors, but some like gas collect on the floor.

EDIT: The ##### was supposed be be "AS". Must have had a typo.

[TDHofstetter]

Extra "S". :) :) :)

-- Tim --

Some day, I'd like to be a wise man.
Like when I grow up or something.
Maybe it's a fool's wish, but it's mine.
For now, please bear with me,
I've got a lot of learning to do
Before I get there.

[greg]

A couple of things that will make it safer. If possible, can this furnace accomidate a closed combustion chamber using exterior air? obviously that would be the safest. No flame for the fumes to get to.

If not, how about enclosing it in a closet and adding outside venting to the closet for the combustion air. May be a little less efficent using the colder air, but again safer.

Third idea. Build and enclosed finishing/painting room and add a duct for heat into that room. Put a heppa filter at the outlet and no return air from the finishing/painting room.

I would not only worry about fumes but also about dust. If you have never seen a dust explosion, you can't imagine how devestating they can be. It does not take a lot of dust either.