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Whether you need a warm garage to work easily or have an outdoor gathering, a natural gas garage heater makes a worthy investment. They dissipate enough heat to keep your garage toasty at a cost-effective price. The advanced garage heat covers more area and is highly portable and lightweight, delivering precisely the heat you need with an excellent control mechanism. Today, some manufacturers produce top-notch garage heating units, and choosing the right one for your needs might not be easy. Also, there are several factors to consider to make a confident purchase. From the size of the heater to the garage’s size, its kind and fuel type, there’s a lot to think about.
Read on!
This handy buying guide will help you learn about different types of natural gas garage heaters available in Canada and a few of the most significant factors you need to consider. Read on for garage heater reviews!
The type of garage heater is a more crucial element than its make and model. Generally, there are three types of garage heat – forced air, radiant, and natural gas. Here’s what you need to know about each.
These are the most popular garage heaters due to their easy installation. It works like a forced-air furnace. The fan catches cold air from the garage, warms it, and sends out warm air. The fuel type for these heaters is usually electricity. They operate over an electric source to convert cold air into warm air. Your entire space heats up equally well as it produces warm air evenly. They come in different models. You can easily install them on the wall or ceiling for even heat production. However, forced-air garage heaters also come with natural gas or propane. So, you can choose the fuel type as per your suitability. The price varies from model to model and generally depends on the brand, fuel type, and installation method.
Radiant heaters are efficient at heating the nearby space. They do not use the forced-air heating method and so operate gently. When it comes to installation, you can use it as a wall-mounted unit or a simple portable heater. They are usually the best option for people who need a quick and close heating source. Radiant heat is ideal for people who work in their garage workshops, as you need not worry about dust running through your paint or settling on your woodwork. It is also great for those who want to prevent allergens as it does not draw in dirt or debris from the surroundings. Different radiant best garage heaters use different fuel types, i.e., electricity, natural gas, or propane.
While forced-air and radiant offer flexible fueling options, these only rely on propane or natural gas. Propane and natural gas offer efficient heating and are highly cost-effective. You can use your home gas line for mounted units to fuel these heaters, making them less expensive. On the other hand, the portable units come with a detachable fuel tank that you can refill as needed. However, one thing you need to keep in mind is that propane and natural gas heaters require enough ventilation. These may not be very feasible to use in closed spaces, say small garage workshops, as carbon dioxide builds up and can be dangerous, at times even fatal.
By now, you must have a good idea of the different fuel types for like, for example, electric. Other important things to consider are:
Power Output
How much heat does your unit produce? That’s the thermal power output of your garage heater. Usually, BTU is measured for natural gas and propane heaters and in watts for electric heaters.
The higher the power output, the higher the amount of heat produced. You can go for a heater with a low power output if you have a small garage. Always consider the size of your garage – square feet when choosing the power output of your heater.
For a garage that measures up to 225 square feet., 5000-9000 BTU or up to 1500W heat is excellent. For a garage as oversized as 500 square feet or more, you can move to bigger units producing 10,000 BTU+ or up to 5500W of heat.
Portability
If you want to move your heater around now and then, you must look for a portable unit. These do not require installation and are lightweight, thus easy to move.
On the other hand, non-portable units are fixed and require professional installation. You cannot move them from here to there as desired.
When looking into the portability factor, always consider the ease of power supply. If you have an electric source nearby, you are good to go for a portable heater with a long cord. However, propane and natural gas mobile units make finer options.
Safety Features
All the garage heaters from well-reputed and reliable manufacturers come with some safety features to prevent any damage from overheating, power surges, low fuel, etc.
When buying a garage heater, always consider the safety features it has to offer. Usually, natural gas and propane garage heaters come with a tip-over feature to turn the unit off automatically if it knocks out.
The overheat protection feature in electric heaters cuts the power supply if the unit overheats. An auto shut-off heater protects against electrical power surges to keep the unit and surroundings safe.
Now that you know what factors to consider, you are ready to make an informed decision. Here are in-depth reviews of the seven best garage heaters for 2024. You can pick the right one for your requirements with different safety features, fuel type, and power output.
1.Fahrenheat FUH Electric Heater
Just like all the other quality electric heater, this heating unit from Fahrenheat prevents any heat loss despite its open windows style. As this is a wall-mounted heater, it is quite easy to install.
The best thing about this garage heater is that it is adjustable, and so you can mount it to any wall. It rotates to dissipate heat in every direction.
It features a customizable output range and so allows you to control how much heat it produces. With this flexible control system, you are good at staying in charge of your needs. Its metal frame ensures durable construction. Additionally, it comes with an alternate heating mode, i.e., a fan for forced-air heating. This results in longevity in the lifespan.
It also comes with an auto shut off safety feature if it trips or experiences an electrical power surge. The only downside is that it needs professional help for installation. Make sure you choose the right location as once fixed; it cannot move.
Specifications:
Cost: Expensive
Fuel Type: Electric
Portability: No
Area coverage: Up to 500 sq. ft.
2. Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Radiant Heater
This unit is Amazon’s choice for propane heaters. mr heater uses propane for heat production. Featuring radiant style, it is ideal for heating up small spaces. Allowing portability, this heater weighs 9 pounds only, and so it is easy to move from one place to another. Its folding handle on the top further adds to the ease and convenience of portability.
mr heater ,With its adjustable settings, you are in complete control of the heat output. Whether you need heat only in the closer area or in, the wider space, mr heater makes a reliable option. Also, it is safe for allergy-prone individuals.
Its two safety features make mr heater stand out among the propane best garage heater Canada. It has a low-oxygen feature to detect the amount of oxygen in the room. If it is too less, it will automatically shut off to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.
The other feature is tip-over shut off. If the heaters knock over, it automatically shuts off.
Specifications:
Cost: Inexpensive
Fuel Type: Propane heater
Portability: portable garage heater
Area coverage: More than 225 sq. ft.
3. Modine HD45AS0111 Hot Dawg Garage Heater
Coming with the natural gas as its fuel source, this Hot Dawg garage heater is the most user-friendly on the list. Also, hot dawg is highly cost-effective and makes a powerful unit. It can run on both natural gas and propane.
With 80% efficiency and 45000 BTU per hour thermal output, hot dawg can be a great option for heating up larger spaces and is ideal for commercial and domestic use alike.
You can either mount it to the wall or fix it to the ceiling and so, is not a portable heater. Either way, it is safe as it comes with built-in ventilation. It comes with an automatic shut off feature. If the heat surpasses the set limit or the heater produces a flame, it will shut off.
However, it does not offer an adjustable thermostat, and so you only have the on/off control in hand. Also, it is very expensive and requires higher upfront costs.
Specifications:
Cost: Very expensive
Fuel Type: natural gas garage heaters or propane heater
Portability: No
Area coverage: Up to 1000 sq. ft. square feet
4.King KBP2046 best electric garage heater
King KBP2046 is a perfect heater for mid-sized garages and areas where you need customized power output. It uses electricity as the power source and offers a high output of 13,000 BTU. Coming in 950 or 7500 watts models, you can easily pick the one that goes right with your circuit panel.
It offers different heat settings, and so the control is completely in your hands. When it comes to portability, it is not portable and mounts to the wall. However, you can also use it on the ground. As it does not have a remote control, you must mount it where you can easily access the temperature adjustment.
As for the safety, it comes with a tip-over feature for automatic shut down in case it knocks over. Also, it turns off if there is a power failure or overheating.
Specifications:
Cost: Expensive electric garage heaters
Fuel Type: best electric garage heater
Portability: No
Area coverage: Around 225 to 600 sq. ft. square feet
5.Lasko 675919 Stanley Utility Heater
Lasko Stanley is a great combination of powerful heating and ease of portability, making the best garage heater. With more than 1500 watts of power output, it is an efficient unit and can be rotated in any direction.
Its ranged thermostat allows you to control the heat output. With a steel base and pro-ceramic construction, it is a durable and strong heater. You will never have to worry about any wear or tear.
Also, it is very lightweight and can be moved around with great convenience. With that, you need not hire any professional for installation. It does not require any assembly wither, so it is ready to operate right out of the box.
It features a thermal cut offsetting that prevents overheating, offering safety and quality also putting it in as best garage heater canada.
Specifications:
Cost: Mid-range
Fuel Type: Electric
Portability: Yes
Area coverage: more than 200 sq. ft.
6. Newair G56 Garage Heater
As far as a wide range of features goes, the Newair G56 heater stands atop the list. It is an electric garage heater operating on 240V. It is very conveniently portable and comes with a handle to carry around with great ease.
With its 6 ft. long cord, you need not worry about having a power source right near. Featuring 5600 watts power output, it heats up the entire space quickly and efficiently. Its built-in control allows you to adjust the heat manually.
When it comes to construction, it is a sturdy heating unit. The steel grill secures the fan, making it durable and safe. making it a contender .
Its safety features include overheating protection and tip-over protection. However, the tip-over protection feature only works for floor unit installation.
Specifications:
Cost: Mid-range
Fuel Type: Electricity type of heater
Portability: Yes
Area coverage: More than 560 sq. ft.
7. Patton Milk-House Utility Heater
Last but not least, Patton Milk-House Utility heater is another perfect choice for garage heaters in Canada. Coming from the house of a well-reputed manufacturer, it has received great reviews over the year.
It is a forced-air garage heater which heats up space efficiently and evenly. The cold air blows in, coverts into warm air, which passes out from the heater wire grid. With its customized controls, you can choose how much heat you require as the output.
However, it is best for heating smaller spaces. Overall, it makes a great heating unit with overheat protection and a tip-over feature.
Specifications:
Cost: Inexpensive
Fuel Type: Electric and forced air type of heater
Portability: Yes
Area coverage: Up to 250 sq. ft.
Garage heaters make a worthwhile investment. They are great options for homeowners and people who love working in their garage workshops all year. A garage heater keeps your garage warm and protects your tools, car batteries, wipers, etc.
Not only this, but these heaters are safe, compact, and convenient, which further adds to their usability and feasibility. However, consider all the significant factors to enjoy the higher value and long-term benefits.