For anyone who likes to spend some time in their garage, it’s nice to have one that’s usable in the winter. Sure, this is a non-issue for those in the southern states. But for the rest of us, it’s not enough to have an insulated garage.

You need a heat source.

The question is, what’s the best way to heat your garage? The truth is, you have a few options. What’s right for you depends on what your needs are. Let’s take a closer look at a few choices you have available.

A Woodstove

It might sound a bit old-fashioned, but installing a fireplace in your garage works, and it’s pretty cheap. Before you have anything installed, you’ll want to make sure there aren’t any permits required and that your home insurance allows it. Also, should you proceed with a woodburning fireplace in your garage, you’ll want to be careful with.

Don’t ever leave a running fire unattended. And make sure you’re cleaning out your chimney, or you could end up breathing toxic air.

Electric Space Heaters

Space heaters are one of the simplest ways to heat any part of your house, garage included. They also have the lowest upfront cost. If you’re planning to use one in your garage, you’ll need something a little more heavy duty than what you’d use in your bedroom.

Space heaters aren’t known to be the most energy efficient items, so if you’re going to be running it a lot, you may want to consider a more permanent solution. Lastly, though most space heaters are built with safety features that automatically turn them off, they can still pose a safety risk. Make sure you never have them running near clothe or other flammable materials.

Radiant/Floor Heat

Heated floors have become a popular feature in modern bathrooms, but they’re arguably more practical for a garage. The upfront cost can be a little high, but if you’re planning on re-doing your garage floor, it’s definitely worth consideration.

Once they’re installed, the cost to operate them is low, they’re very quiet, and they do a surprisingly effective job of evenly heating up your garage space.

Radiant heat can also be installed in your ceiling, rather than the floor. Either way, you will want to use a professional for installation.

Infrared Heater

Like the previous option, infrared heaters radiate heat, rather than blowing it around. Since an infrared heater does it from a singular location, it can take a little while for a room to heat up, but once it does, he room should be evenly heated.

Infrared heaters can run on gas, propane, or electricity depending on what type you get. They can get hot to the touch, so you’ll want to be careful around them.

Force Air Heaters

Whether they’re fixed heaters mounted to the corner or your garage, or the portable variety that rest on the floor, forced air heaters used a combination of gas and electricity to blast hot-air into your garage.

They’re generally not too pricey, and they get the job done, though not everyone loves a big stream of hot air blowing against them.

If Heating Your Garage, Insulation is a Must

While insulation alone might not be enough to keep your garage warm on a winter night, it’s the first step you should take. All the heating options listed above will largely go to waste if your garage isn’t properly insulated.

That doesn’t just mean the walls, but the ceiling and garage door as well.

Insulated garage doors not only keep your garage warmer, but they’re studier and cut down on noise. For all your overhead door needs in Ohio, contact Springfield Overhead Door today!