subject: Are Garage Heaters Necessary? [print this page] Garage heaters are becoming more common in newly built homes. And for houses going through remodels, owners are choosing to add heating systems within the garage for one or more reasons. Are garage heaters something that you want to consider for your own home? Before you make the decision, weigh the pros and cons carefully to make any decision.
The Pros of Having Heat in the Garage
There are several pros when it comes to having heat out in the garage. Any vehicle parked inside will always be warmer and then easier to start in the brutal cold winter months. The less frigid air that reaches the car, the better it will be for the long term.
Another pro of having heat in a garage has to deal with the contents of the garage. If your garage houses decorations for the holidays, sporting equipment or tools for a hobby, then having them stay in temperate conditions all year long will be easier on them. Glass can become brittle when it is kept out in super cold days and then also for hot days. Leather and plastic also wear faster when they go back and forth between conditions.
Lastly, a pro to have a heated garage means that you might get to spend more time doing your own hobby. It won't matter if it is snowing and bitter cold, there will be heat on in the garage where one can work. And when you get to work on a hobby more often, one feels happier.
The Cons of Heated Garages
Since you like to spend time in your garage, there are a lot of other that people might, too. Those people might not actually be people, but critters that have make their way in through any cracks or holes and decide to take up residence. The critters could include bugs, spiders and mice. While everyone needs to have a safe home, you certainly don't want to be the safe haven through the winter and cold season to the bugs. If you plan on having a heater in the garage, then make sure to seal up any cracks and holes within the walls and floor of the entire garage region.
Walk along the perimeter of the garage and seal up cracks in the walls, floors and where the seam is from the wall and floor meeting. It might seem minute, but you might be surprised at what can fit in through a crack. Especially when the fall weather moves in, the critters will be looking to move in as well and have a nice warm and secure place to camp out for the rest of the season, creating a mess in your garage and all of the items you have stored in it.
Care for Heated Garages
No matter why you are thinking about having a heated garage, make sure to do it safely if you do. The heat source, whether it is gas, propane or electric, should be installed by a professional. A potable ceramic or kerosene heater can be moved and set up by you. But a furnace system, even a small one, should only be installed by a professional who is trained to hook up furnaces and work with explosive gases.
