How do you heat and convert an attached garage to a year round living space for older people who like it warmer in the winter and cool in summer?
Our Answer
First of all, in the 20 years I spent as a professional home inspector, I have seen these types of conversions many times and they are rarely done well and often detract, rather than add, to a home’s value. So, if you are going to do this project, do it right!
That means that you need to treat this just like an addition. Basics would include removing the overhead door and reframing the opening to add siding from the outside. You’ll also need to build up the foundation so that it is level across the front.
Next, the floor will have to be leveled, as most garage floor slabs slope toward the overhead door so that water that drips off the car can run off.
Once that is done, you can think about the rough mechanicals, including heating the garage. It is not likely that your home’s existing heating system will be set up to easily extend to the garage, so you’ll most likely have to add a second heating zone. You might want to think about using a mini-split heat pump system that can heat the room in the winter and cool it in the summer.
As you can see, this project may be more difficult than you first expected. But done well, it can provide long-lasting comfort and value.
I’ve read that electric garage heaters are more inexpensive than propane garage heaters. What brands can you recommend ?
I have started a small home business, and since we don’t have a lot of room in my house, it has been moved to the garage. During the morning, and during the winter, the garage is so cold it is hard for me to get any work done. I think the forced air garage heater would be perfect for what I’m needing! It’s not too big, and it works really well in a small closed off area, which my garage is.
I found this article at just the right time! We are right in the middle of a new garage construction, and I wasn’t sure of the differences between heaters. I never would have guessed that the burning heaters would add moisture to the air! Thanks for the info!
Heating is an uninsulated drafty garage could be more costly than heating the house.
Several key points were missed here:
1. In many parts of the country, garage cooling is as critical as garage heating. Often both conditions can be addressed in one fell swoop with a thru-the-window heat pump unit, but ideally if one can afford the premium, a ductless minisplit with variable speed fan/compressor should be used, which is much more efficient, can provide heat with colder outdoor temperatures, operates almost silently, and controls humidity much more effectively in the summer.
2. If the garage will be heated/cooled for a substantial portion of the year, consider insulation prior to heating/cooling the space. Most attached garages have insulated walls, whereas many detached garages do not, especially if built after the original home construction.
Most garage doors are not insulated. In most cases, an insulated door with at least R-3 foam panels will reduce heat/cooling loss by 20-50%, as well as reduce noise transfer immensely. If you are already considering a new garage door, specifying an insulated one is a very marginal cost adder.
Most garage attics are not insulated. With the 30% federal rebate, and rebates many electric/gas utilities offer, the cost of insulating your garage attic can be offset nearly 90% (true for me in Austin, TX), and will reduce heat/cooling loss by another 40-60%. Be warned, the utility rebates often will not apply for DIY insulation jobs.
Finally, have FUN!!! My roommate and I fully insulated his 25×25 detached garage/workshop (including attic/walls/door), as well as purchased and installed a ductless mini split heat pump, for under $2,000, with roughly 50 man-hours total DIY labor.
What about those propane heaters I’ve seen advertised for hunters/ice fishermen. The ones I’ve seen are just radiated heat.
I have a furnace in my garage for my house and it has a vent I can open but it doesn’t give enough heat because I do hair out there and I can only get the temp. to @62 would one of these heaters help? if so how much? Thanks
I have a workshop in my garage that I work in throughout the winter. I actually use that same Dayton heater pictured in this article. Works like a charm!