Does your garage reach what feels like sub-zero temperatures during the winter? You are not alone. Many garages, particularly ones separate to your home, or older garages, suffer from poor insulation. This means come winter time you may need to wrap up thoroughly before you venture forth. This doesn’t have to be the case. With just a few tweaks you can make sure that your garage is a great place to spend time all year around.
1. Portable heater
One of the most popular methods for heating garages are portable heaters. These are easy to find and can be bought from many major outlets in the UK. They can come in various different levels of complexity and with different price tags, depending on how big your space is and how much you want to spend. When it comes to energy usages this is far from the most economic option, but it is cheaper than other options in terms of initial price.
2. Forced-air heater
Gas heaters are one of the most economic choices for heating garages. There are two common options for natural gas heaters: forced air systems and infrared tube heaters. Forced air systems take a little time to heat up a garage, but offer a very reliable solution to your garage heating issues.
3. Infrared tube heaters or radiant heaters
Infrared heaters offer almost immediate heat and generally cost less to run than other heaters, but come with a higher price tag. It is definitely worth considering if you are planning to use your garage for construction projects. Air systems will blow air, and likely dust, around the area, potentially damaging construction projects, whereas infrared systems do not. These heating devices are also particularly well suited to heating up specific locations, such as a work area.
4. Insulation improvements
By far the most economic, ideal way to improve the temperature of your garage (if you haven’t already) is to improve the insulation in the room. If your garage has poor heat retention or lets in a lot of drafts, using other devices to heat the room will be substantially more expensive and less effective.
Simple improvements such as checking seals on windows and checking your walls, ceiling and floors for any cracks or signs of damp will give you a good starting point. Each opening to the outside is an easy point for cold temperatures to seep into your garage, so ensure that your windows and garage doors are air tight.
These are just a few methods of heating your garage. Depending on the amount of space you have to heat and your budget, your preferences may vary.