I've just got a workshop and am looking for recommendation on the best way to heat it.

The workshop is 7m x 7m x 2m. Concrete base and timber construction, uninsulated (the landlord said he will insulate it in time).

There's only single phase on site, so large electrical heaters are out of the question. Although I could get away with a coupe of 2kw fan heaters (but this wouldn't be enough to heat the space - only to complement a main source of heating).

Ideas I've considered are a diesel space heater, infrared diesel space heater, propane heater, 2x cheap Chinese Webastos at either end of the workshop.

There is a garage selling red diesel just down the road.

I've read online that a propane heater would produce a lot of condensation. I'd also be concerned about the running cost considering 13kg is about £65 - giving about 24 hours burn time in an 8kw burner.

Suggestions / recommendations? 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

The chinese webasto's are a good choice, they can burn old engine oil / chip oil etc so are very cheap to run. Get the largest output size, they run really well you will probably find one is enough.

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Loads of users have added a central heating radiator to the exhaust with huge benefits. BMW i3 Electric Car
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I have no knowledge of this product, but remember seeing it advertised recently and thought you may be interested to see it.

Mike. G reg 2.5VM Vogue Portofino red 1991- 1999
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My garage is a similar size to yours (6x9M) and I've found that the so called 8 Kw heaters are a waste of time on their own. It will take so long to warm the shed that you'll have given up and gone home before you get anything done on a cold day.
I've got an old XR75 diesel space heater, 15 mins gets the temp up even when there's a frost, then I use the little heater which at best stops the temp from falling too quickly, using a short blast from the space heater if needed. Both run well on Kerosene so don't cost much to run particularly if you know someone with oil powered central heating.

I guess also it depends how you are going to use it. If you are going to be using it daily 9-5 then effective insulation will be absolutley essential before you think about heat and a low power indirect heat source will be OK but for short periods of time just to make it usable a gas space heater will get it up to temp quick. Also if you are storing tools or anything likley to rust it needs to be maintained at a reasonable temp 24/7 to prevent condensation. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

garyRR wrote:

There is a garage selling red diesel just down the road.

Would 2x cheap Chinese Webastos (8kw is the max for one) not work, plus a 2kw electric fan heater? I could then mix and match depending on how cold it is? I'd prefer not to leave the door open, which is required with space heaters, as there's no exhaust to direct outside.

The cheap 8kw webastos probably put out 4kw in reality, so 4+4+2=10kw=34,000 BTU, about the same as a space heater.

I have a plentiful supply of used engine oil, but the costs of a permit are (deliberately) prohibitively expensive, so i'd stick to diesel/kerosene/HVO (if available). 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

Last edited by garyRR on 12th Dec 2023 10:53pm. Edited 1 time in total

This keeps me toastie. After about 5 minutes I’m down to a t shirt but I wouldn’t say it is cost effective.

Click image to enlarge

Hi,

another option if you have a supply of wood or logs is a wood burning stove

Mate has one in his workshop, 1 side of the shop is warmer than the other
but they even get to cook lunch and have the kettle on most of the time

I have a propane space heater for our garage but yes you do get condensation,
as already said its more to give a Blast to get the temp up quick and start working

Me and my brother have just started looking into heating his garage....

Used webasto off ebay, fuel pump, w-bus module to turn it on, few used house hold rads off ebay and a bit of pipe work, he's going one step further and adding a wifi module so he can tell alexa to turn it on an hour before he goes in.

One central heating system....it's basically the same setup thats used on narrowboats but they charge £££ for the kit, the parts can be had for peanuts off ebay, we priced it at no more than a few hundred quid to do his.

as for red diesel anyone can still legally buy it, just pull up at a pump and fill your container, it's how you use it after thats changed. If you aren't commercial crack on and burn it, if you are commercial just use industrial heating oil

Quote:

If you were using red diesel (gas oil) for commercial heating and lost access to rebated fuels from the 1st of April 2022 as a result of the duty changes, you need a cost-effective fuel to help keep your heating bills low. IHO is a drop-in alternative to diesel that’s made specifically for use in commercial boilers, dryers and heaters.

Please note that industrial heating oil is a fully rebated product and must only be used for heating.

if you get a wood burning fire i think you'll be sitting around it toasting marshmallows all day..  ... - .- -.




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and as it's nearly Christmas, heating up the Gluehwein, when the boss isn't in the man cave

Ok, I have opted for the Chinese Webasto option.

The landlord has now insulated and boarded the workshop for me. We had a cold morning this morning and 2x 2kw electric fan heaters was enough to get the workshop to a comfortable temperature, but it did take a while.

I got 2x 8kw chinbastos, on the assumption actual heat output will be around 4kw each. So, I think 8kw plus a 2kw fan heater where needed will be ample.

I have also found a supply of red diesel, no questions asked by the station.

My question is should I mount them inside on a shelf or outside and build a makeshift shelter for them from the remaining ply offcuts and waterproof membrane i have laying around? I was thinking that if mounted inside, on a cold day they are heating from a warmer ambient temperature, whereas outdoors, their intake will always take in the colder air and therefore use more fuel.

However, I was also thinking that it would be circulating warmer and humid air and potentially give issues with condensation, and fresh air from outdoors being heated and routed into the workshop would ensure better ventilation and lower humidity.

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