I went with a mini split. My shop is off the ground so at some point I'll need to insulate the floor or underpin as it can not keep up when its 5 degrees like last winter. It did ok except below my knees. Maybe the room was 10 degrees lower than i set it above the knees. The energy cost has been negligible. The system was an 18k DIY Mr Cool unit from Ingram HVAC. I did put some ac filters on a rack above the unit to pre-filter it but up enough to not restrict thw airflow. I just keep a ledger and blow put the unit ans filters. It would work better if I remembered to turn on my room filter and did not make single cuts without DC on.I'm tired of a cold shop. I want to get a heater for the shop, and I'm leaning heavily towards gas. Advice? Derisive peals of laughter?
I have a Mitsubishi minisplit that has worked great for 8 years and this year it decided not to heat - as you said, probably the reversing valve.I went with a mini split. My shop is off the ground so at some point I'll need to insulate the floor or underpin as it can not keep up when its 5 degrees like last winter. It did ok except below my knees. Maybe the room was 10 degrees lower than i set it above the knees. The energy cost has been negligible. The system was an 18k DIY Mr Cool unit from Ingram HVAC. I did put some ac filters on a rack above the unit to pre-filter it but up enough to not restrict thw airflow. I just keep a ledger and blow put the unit ans filters. It would work better if I remembered to turn on my room filter and did not make single cuts without DC on.
It has worked fine for 2 years but I believe the revealing valve or solenoid is bad as it does not heat now. Having said that, anything is subject to breaking and thw other units on the market were 2000 plus more expensive and at thw end of the day there are only so many component making companies.
Be wishes on the project. Heat is nice. Headed out now to turn on my propane torch blower to knock down the cool and get to work.
Yes I will have the window and door open to vent
I liked Mitsubishi but I was already over budget. I built 2 years ago as all the wood was skyrocketing. Osb was 12 when I started and 42 when I needed 10 pieces. Fortunately they were building houses up the road and trashed a lot of wood that I used to include 4x4 osb.I have a Mitsubishi minisplit that has worked great for 8 years and this year it decided not to heat - as you said, probably the reversing valve.
Fortunately it's on the outdoor unit so they dont have to tear up my shop to get to it.
In the meantime Duke Energy will sell a few more kW-hrs.
Hard to advise unless we know the size, construction type, insulation, power availability , budget and use case.I'm tired of a cold shop. I want to get a heater for the shop, and I'm leaning heavily towards gas. Advice? Derisive peals of laughter?
John, can you clarify (as I'm looking at mini-splits for my future shop) ? When you say, "heated to 61 (that’s the lowest they go) in winter"....I went with 2 Mitsubishi mini-splits for a 1400 sf shop and they’re great. Did it as part of the initial construction a little over a year ago and don’t regret it for a minute - heated to 61 (that’s the lowest they go) in winter and cooled down to 76 in summer. Both run constantly and because I have a separate meter for the shop I know it costs me about $45 / month.
Geez, Chris, there are a dozen people who don't need all that info.Hard to advise unless we know the size, construction type, insulation, power availability , budget and use case.
Buy a second hand woodstove and build a fire. In a woodshop you should have enough scrap to heat it.Geez, Chris, there are a dozen people who don't need all that info.
Budget: Not much
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So, advise away.
Hi Jeremy - The lowest heat setting mine have is 61 F. Because I go into the shop at various times as work allows and they are most efficient when running constantly (according to 2 HVAC guys I spoke with 1 of whom installed it), I leave them running all the at their lowest temp setting of 61. If I could, I’d probably keep them around 55 degrees and just heat it up a bit more when I go in.John, can you clarify (as I'm looking at mini-splits for my future shop) ? When you say, "heated to 61 (that’s the lowest they go) in winter"....
Thanks !
- Do you mean you prefer to keep it on it's coldest setting in the winter and thus if it could go lower you would ?
- OR do you mean when it's cold outside the warmest it can make your shop is 61F that you've found ?
Sounds great, thanks !Hi Jeremy - The lowest heat setting mine have is 61 F. Because I go into the shop at various times as work allows and they are most efficient when running constantly (according to 2 HVAC guys I spoke with 1 of whom installed it), I leave them running all the at their lowest temp setting of 61. If I could, I’d probably keep them around 55 degrees and just heat it up a bit more when I go in.
In case it helps, one day last winter my wife wanted to come in the shop for a while so we kicked it up to 75 when it was low 20s outside and they handled it without a problem. They also do a great job cooling. I wouldn’t do another shop without them.