Considering Ventless or Infrared Heaters -- How do you heat your shack?

[Polish Wizard]

I have a 60,000 btu propane torpedo heater that I tried in my 32x48 garage at the beginning of winter while last-minute grinding and brush painting a mower deck for family.
Even with a gable vent fan running, lots of air from the other gable vent as well as at the eaves, and the garage door propped open on a 2x4 I still felt "weird" working in the warmth of the heater.
I know those aren't nearly as efficient as "ventless" heaters (not to mention noisy), so I'm a bit reluctant to try the torpedo in the very vented shack/barn.

I found https://www.mrheater.com/30-000-btu-...ne-heater.html and oddly it has an optional fan to somehow blow warm air from the radiant plates.
Seems sorta against the little I understand about radiant vs convection, but it must work or the manufacturer wouldn't offer it.
The price can be as low as $179.99 at a place roughly 20 miles from home.
Nice thing about this unit --- I can either hang it permanently or leave the feet on and use it as a sorta "portable" heater anywhere I feel the need --- even in my house in case of power failure with all-electric heat.

The whole purpose for a heater really boils down to me being warm and comfy since this IS supposed to be fun and not a chore.
Any other benefit would be just that -- an additional benefit of a heater.

A friend has this brand vented heater over his antique vehicles http://www.robertsgordon.com/garage-heaters-infrared and a bigger version in our firehouse.
Nice stuff, but the ceiling in my pony barn is too low.

While we're speaking of "comfort", does anyone have a modern TV in their unheated shack? What type of screen, and how does it do for longevity and viewing?
Last year I put in an old cathode ray tube version left over after Mom left us in 2012. Works decent with a digital converter and plate antennae in the rafters, but takes up a lot of room and faces on the screen are slowly turning green.

[therealtreehugger]

If you are getting an RO Bucket, they are really compact, and don't take up much room. They are also very easy to pick up and bring inside, if you are worried about freezing. This way, you can heat your shack when you are out there, but don't have to worry when you are not. If you get an RO bucket kit, you can mount it on a portable board or something that is easily picked up and moved.

So, don't let the fact that you are planning on getting an RO bucket, dictate what you do for heat.

[TapTapTap]

I have a 60,000 btu propane torpedo heater that I tried in my 32x48 garage at the beginning of winter while last-minute grinding and brush painting a mower deck for family.
Even with a gable vent fan running, lots of air from the other gable vent as well as at the eaves, and the garage door propped open on a 2x4 I still felt "weird" working in the warmth of the heater.
I know those aren't nearly as efficient as "ventless" heaters (not to mention noisy), so I'm a bit reluctant to try the torpedo in the very vented shack/barn.

Whatever you do, make sure you read/follow instructions for the heater. In addition to fire hazard, make up air is important, although not likely a problem with your overly ventilated shack. But if you seal things up, any combustion heater can deplete oxygen from the space and create a health/safety hazard.

I have a Modine HotDawg propane unit in my kitchen/RO room. I also have a CO monitor and a web-based temperature sensor in the room to make sure the heater doesn't create a hazardous environment, or fail to fire and create a below-freezing condition. The sensor would also send an alert for high temperatures in the room.

Ken

[anchorhd]

Empire makes direct vent propane heaters. There are others making them also.You need some battons to cover the openings between the boards.

[MISugarDaddy]

Polish Wizard, in regards to your question about having a modern TV in their sugarhouse, we have a 34" LED Samsung in our sugarhouse. The sugarhouse is only heated during the syrup season and the cold has had NO effect on the TV. When we built the sugarhouse in 2013 we installed a DirecTV satellite dish on it so we could have decent TV reception. During syrup season we take the DVR that we use in our shop and put it in the sugarhouse.
Gary

[DrTimPerkins]

Check your local regulations before you order anything. Some places will not allow ventless heaters in certain situations, and won't run a propane line and will stop servicing any other equipment at your site if you install one. If ventless is allowed, be sure you have a CO monitor and have plenty of fresh air coming in. Finally, some people are more sensitive to CO, especially kids or people with asthma.

[maple flats]

Polish Wizard, it would help us give you better answers if you gave us your location. Just saying "here" looks like you just want to be funny, it does nothing to get answers that will often be different depending on your location.

[Michael Greer]

I had a friend who installed a ventless heater in a house under construction. The windows and doors were all in place and the building was pretty tight. The heater put out so much moisture that the entire building bloomed green with mould. With the sugarhouse already being a frequently too-damp space, I'd be leery of adding any more.

[West Sumner Sugar]

We just installed an 18K Mitsubishi Heat Pump. We have no power and run 100% on generator and its been working really nice to maintain 60 degrees while working to get in interior of the sugar house finished before the season.

[NhShaun]

I have used a ventless propane heater on several occasions in my sugarhouse and workshop(Insulated) just to take the chill off and make a comfortable working environment. There was certainly a ton of moisture created in the process, but to be expected going from 20f or so up to 60f. Once it got up to temp the heater would kick on about every 30 minutes or so for only 5 minutes at a time. The moisture in the air according to my gauge leveled out significantly at that point. If you're going to keep it heated all season i think you may be better off than starting from below freezing temps every time you want to heat the space. Carbon monoxide detectors and a fire extinguisher as well as the proper insulation/ventilation are very important if you choose to not just install a vented heater.

I'm wondering if anyone has replaced or modified the built in thermostat on these heaters to allow it to be set to around 40 instead of the lowest option being 55 or so. I am just trying to keep it above freezing to prevent my pipes and RO from being damaged. It would also be pleasant to show up in the morning and not be in an ice box before i get the evaporator fired up.