The pole barn is my refuge... for about 340ish days each year. When it is above freezing, it is fine to work, workout, or hangout in the barn. I have a shop area, a gym area, a lounge area and three two-deep bays. Round these parts, no months average below freezing for highs and only 3 average below freezing for lows... so this is really an isolated problem such that resolving it should not be like finding D heads (there is a set posted online btw, if you are looking)... Of course, what happens in the barn, stays in the barn... hence, I hate the days (and several are in the 10day forecast) that I know I am stuck in the house.

So, what are you all doing for heat?

I am open to temporary solutions or permanent solutions... I just want to hear the good and bad of your experiences! The roof is insulated; the rest is not (though I am working my way around as I acquire leftover foam board or other insulating materials). I am not looking to turn it into a house or heat the whole building with any regularity... this is really just a take the edge off on a month or less of days... make it possible to work when I otherwise would not and keep the barn cat warm enough to work!

Thanks for any insights you have!

 

Something like this is probably the most economical for you. Inexpensive, and it will heat a very work area.
Heat Fast Kerosene Forced Air Heater, Fuel Type Kerosene, Max. Heat Output 75000 Btu/hour, Heat Type Forced Air, Model# HF75K | Northern Tool

 

If you can stand the smell of the kerosene heaters. I prefer the propane burners. I have one of the propane torpedo types with forced air. Heats up 1200 square feet from freezing to a comfy 55 in less than 30 minutes.

 

1. Hang a single layer of plastic on the bottom of the rafters to keep heat down lower.
2. The first thing is to find where you can buy kerosene or get propane tanks refilled.
A. If you can find kerosene, buy (2) yellow 5 gallon containers.
B. If you find someone to refill the gas grill sized tanks, buy two and get them filled. You'll have one to run on and a spare when you run out. .

 

I have lots of wood available so I have a $100 Vermont Castings wood stove in mine....but I haven't finished insulating so I haven't hooked it up.

What is your ceiling insulated with? I found 1-1/2" used foil faced insulation for the walls and I'm almost done installing that but I haven't decided what to use for the roof

 

Build it in Florida?


-peter

 

In Texas I have a Lennox hvac system. Atta boy Dave.

 

Hi,

I'm in process of getting a barn built, but currently use my buddies 34x60 pole barn, actually his hoist and heat being in Michigan, but he has one of these and it is insulated

https://www.modinehvac.com/products/...wer-vented-hd/

Think he keeps is 50-60 all the time and when he goes to do something kicks it up, and doesn't take long to get t-shirt warm.

Regards,
Jim

 

I heat my 40x64x14 pole barn with a natural gas fired forced air furnace. I keep it at 62 degrees. Plenty warm to work in a sweatshirt.

 

i have an old dayton hanging furnace,120000 btu for my 30x40 barn, has 1" insulation on walls and ceiling. ceiling also has plastic first then insulation and then old paneling. turned the paneling backside out and it all matched.just had to buy 3 more sheets. also the paneling was in the back of an old box truck i got for free,so it was cheap

 

Awesome... exactly what I was looking for! I am unscrewing the panels and prepping for a move to Florida...!! lol

Seriously, thank you and I am looking at each of these options and have asked to borrow a kerosene heater to see how that goes for a week or so.

I would like to go with a natural gas corner heater... but that would require running a gas line that is a bit more than I want to undertake for such a small problem...

Any of you use fans or exhaust to deal with the summer heat?

Thanks again for all input!!

 

x2 on the modine I have a hd-75. Just kick it on when I need it. brings my 4 bay insulated garage from 40 up to 55 in a half hour or less

 

I switch mine over to cool.

 

I've got a small shop fan that I use in the garage for summer. I also have pull down stairs that I wedge a rattle can cap into to open a few inches and let some of the heat escape.

 

i have a huge industrial fan from fisher body, apx 2' across,and if needed 3' cattle fan. usually just the 2' one

 

Walls and ceiling insulated with 4" polyiso board. 40' x80' building heated with 4 ton Carrier ductless split heatpump.warm and quiet.

 

Yellow is supposed to be diesel. Blue is the ""official"" color for Kerosene

 

Thank you. I guess you can tell I haven't used the Kerosene type heaters for a very long, long time.

 

I can punch my "OSHA Safety Bubba" card for the week! Back to using an angle grinder without eye protection.

 

I appreciate the helpful correction. That is one thing I like about this site....genuine, sincere help.