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Working in a garage

daenterpri

daenterpri

New Member
Most of my business is internet based so I don't really require a commercial location at this time. However, I am outgrowing the loft in our house very quickly. One idea is to move into our insulated, but not heated garage. However, it can get very cold in the garage during the winter months, and it can get pretty hot in the summer.

Is this a danger to my Gerber Edge 2, foils, vinyl and vinyl plotter?

If so, is there an easy way to manage the heat in my garage? It's just a typical 2 car garage. Any recommendations or ideas would be greatly appreciated :)

Thanks!
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
just add a vent to the garage off of your mains system. you can close it when you don't need it. that's what i've done. a big one. so big that when i open it, it steals about a third of the flow from the rest of the house. of course, if your garage is detached then you'll need to chop a hole in a rear wall. i've done both. currently have a auxiliary vent running to the garage.
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
You could always leave one car inside running with the heat on full blast and use the trunk of the car to set up the Gerber? Just be sure to run a hose from the exhaust pipe outside the door or you will have a short career!
 
daenterpri

daenterpri

New Member
SignManiac said:
You could always leave one car inside running with the heat on full blast and use the trunk of the car to set up the Gerber? Just be sure to run a hose from the exhaust pipe outside the door or you will have a short career!
Click to expand...

Hahahahahaha... right. That's something to consider ;)
 
TheSnowman

TheSnowman

New Member
Why wouldn't a hotel room type heater/air unit work? I'd think that would be a simple solution. They also make window units that have A/C and a Heat Pump in them if you HAD to have something smaller.
 
daenterpri

daenterpri

New Member
bayshorecreations said:
I will assume you have electric in the garage unless you are running the gerber off a real long extension cord...
A) Cut a hole in the wall and put in a window.
B) Go to Sears and buy a window AC unit.
C) As far as heat is concerned, I have a whopping 34,848 Square inch shop that I work out of. i use one of these to heat it with: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Click to expand...

Great ideas! According to the specs that heater would probably work great for my shop.
 
daenterpri

daenterpri

New Member
As far as the equipment, foils and printing is concerned, what would happen if the garage ever went unheated? Would I ruin anything? Or would I just need to make sure everything got up to a good temperature before doing work?
 
AUTO-FX

AUTO-FX

New Member
Temperature fluctuations are bound to cause problems. Think about it - expansion and contraction is certainly going to cause a problem with roll goods at the very least.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
EdenPURE heaters are the best for a situation like yours and it's on wheels, so you can go anywhere with it. We have two at our home and got one for my stepson. He has cut his heating bill down tremendously using it. Consider getting storm windows and insulating at some drafty areas and you should be fine.
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
daenterpri said:
I believe all the walls are insulated... not sure about the big door, but I think it has insulation in it as well...
Click to expand...
pretty easy to know if a garage door is insulated or not. i have a 10 ft x 12 ft INSULATED door. it has insulation(sorta like Styrofoam)inserted in each 2 ft section!!!!! if the door is finished in side, get a 1/8" drill bit, find a spot on the inside panel drill mo more then 1/4" deep and if its insulated, you will either fiberglass wraped on the drill bit or drill bit will throw out white or blue styrofoam .........then just put a little caulking into the drill hole to close it.
HOW MANY SQ FT IS THIS.....garage? how tall, and is it all dry walled, ceiling and walls? i got this 30,000 btu propane/natural gas heater in my 24 x30 x 16' tall garage. i wouldnt try taping into your existing heating ducts, because the house heating/a/c was configured for sq ft of HOUSE ONLY!!!! by accessing existing duct work, you will diminish the heat/cool capacity in your living space.
1. get someone to make sure garage door closes as tight as it can. sides & floor!!!! if its not insulated, you can add 1" or 2" stryofoam sheets to inside of door with liquid nails and some metal tabs to hold it in place.
2. DO NOT USE A PROPANE NON VENTED HEATING DEVICE!!!
3. the floor is concrete, which will be the conduit for the outside temp. i would get those 2' x 2' rubber like these(http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...=en&sa=N&tbs=isch:1&ei=gB1kTbztGcL88Aa6v8zfCw) they will help keep the heat in the garage.
 

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CentralSigns

New Member
saktrnch said:
Wood stove. If it gets too hot, open the door to the house.
Click to expand...

Wood stoves are certainly cheap but I wouldn't bank on it, you would need a backup plan for when no ones around the shop. Wood is a good fuel and is cheap we heat our whole house in the Canadian winter for a couple hundred bucks. $1200 for a logging truck that lasts 4 to 5 years, way less than the guy next door. He pays $300 a month for electricity, every month. We have a oil backup plan if it gets too cold or we are away.
 
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