13 replies to this topic

[terry tibbs]

I’m really sorry, seems a stupid thing to start a topic over but we recently moved to a house with a garage that I’m going to put my Mini in once it’s restoration has been completed. We are having various bits of work done through the house and one thing I thought of was adding a radiator to the garage next to where the car will go. Is this a good idea? Would it be a waste of time/money or would it help the car whilst it’s laid up over winter etc.? Just wanted to get some opinions of whether it would be a worthwhile thing to do.

Thanks all, appreciate any comments you may have.

[Icey]

Depends on the structure of the garage. If it's like mine - single skinned, flat roof, up-and-over door - there's no point putting a rad out there as it'll be trying to warm the world and will likely only result in a <1deg warming in the space.

 

Put it this way, when I'm out there on a cold day, running a 2kw convection heater and a 500w IR heater will only raise the temp by 3-4 deg during a full day.

 

If you really want to protect the car, look at one of the 'carcoon' type things so you're heating/managing a much smaller air space.

 

 

All that said, if the garage is part of the main house structure, insulate the walls, fit a roll-up door (you can get insulated ones) - basically turn it into a proper room - and it would make it a better work space.

[Steve220]

Stick it in a airflow chamber/carcoon, it'll look after the bodywork a lot better. Warm air tends to hold much more moisture. You could always get a dehumidifier?

[GraemeC]

It'll depend how well insulated and draft free the garage is.

 

My garage is part of the house and so putting a radiator in has worked well, but the two external walls are 'house standard' with cavity wall insulation and the ceiling is lounge/kitchen floor.  The only really drafty/uninsulated area is the door.

[Ethel]

Might not be a bad idea to at least put a couple of pipes through & cap them off, it'd make it an easy option if you upgrade the door & insulation. They could also serve as drain cocks, if your pipework is under floorboards 

 

A radiator can eat in to valuable space, if it's on the side wall of a single garage. You can get fan convector heaters that work much like the one in a car.

[blacktulip]

Are you literally storing the mini in there or do plan to make a workshop? If just storage you could insulate the roof and walls and fit a vertical aluminium rad. We sell these at work and the heat output is amazing plus they are not so intrusive from the wall outwards.

[terry tibbs]

Thank you all for your comments. Apologies I should have detailed the structure - it’s part of the house with a bedroom above so it’s fully brick built and well insulated, the door is a standard up and over though so not fully air tight! I plan just to have it as a store rather than a workshop (maybe when all the kids toys and bikes are out of it I might change my mind!!). I just thought taking the coldness off the space might help keep it in a bit better shape.

[blacktulip]

I would fit a rad and run a dehumidifier

Edited by blacktulip, 21 January 2021 - 03:03 PM.

[imack]

I've got a dehumidifier and a fan heater set to come on at its lowest 'frost' setting. It comes on at 3-4 degrees and prevents any of the condensation on the car I used to get, and tools no longer go rusty. It also makes the garage bearable to work in in the winter, fan temp can be increased if need be.
Not particularly cheap to run but helps protect the car in the long term.

[some1158]

In an integral garage, if it can be positioned without taking up valuable space (i.e., perhaps on an end wall), I'd fit one, especially if you are having other work done anyway. You can of course leave it on a low setting or off altogether. I have heating in my garage (albeit electric) which is most welcome when I am working on the car, and which is then otherwise turned off the rest of the time.

[pete l]

I had an electric dehumidifier on all the time in my basement / garage. It caught fire, took out 2 freezers and melted my MG TF bumper, and the smoke damage was horendous., I will never use one again unless I'm in the room with it.

[Maccmike8]

I have an electric oil heater on 24/7 and an electric fan heater on only when Im in there.

[cal844]

Car coon garage thing and a couple of strip heaters on the garage floor inside it, leave the windows down slightly. Also make sure you run the car to working temperature once a week.


I use a full car cover with a duvet between the cover and the paint of the car then if I want to I remove the cover and run the car for an hour.

Edited by cal844, 21 January 2021 - 05:07 PM.

[GraemeC]

With the garage as you describe it may be worthwhile as it is effectively free heat once installed (you’ll be running the house heating anyway).

I would glue Celotex type insulation to the back of the door and fit rubber or brush seals around the edges to at lease reduce the drafts.  If you don’t intend to open the door often you could also use pipe insulation to fill the gaps in.