Which option should I choose when it comes to heating my garage, construction site, or outdoor source heat?
We are going to be taking a deep look at our recommendation of ways to use heaters in different scenarios. We are mainly going to be talking about forced air or “torpedo” style heaters.
Forced air heaters are a lifesaver for some people, people that live in the far north sometimes rely on these types of heaters to survive. Others may rely on them for heating a business, maybe an outdoor mechanic shop in the winter. We all aren’t lucky enough to live in a state with a mild winter. I’m going to compare some units in this article, but I’d really like to talk more about the differences in a kerosene/diesel forced air heater versus a propane option. Both units work with great results and depending on the specific unit it can heat a very large area. However, There are some real dangers with both the kerosene style units and the propane gas units.
Carbon monoxide is number one, you really have to take this danger seriously. Carbon monoxide is only a real danger in un-ventilated and/or enclosed spaces. The reasoning is because it expels the carbon monoxide gas as a by-product of the burning of the fuel into the room or area and needs to escape.
The second major danger also occurs when the fuel burns. The fire consumes the oxygen in the room. This is a separate risk from the carbon monoxide, we breathe 21.0% oxygen in our natural environment. After 10 min of use with a forced air heater in an enclosed space, that oxygen level can drop below a dangerous 19%. The carbon monoxide level can reach 8-9 which is a dangerous Level as well. So using one of these units in a un-ventilated area could be extremely dangerous. In the right situation using these heaters irresponsibly could even cause Death. On most of the boxes, it states it’s safe for indoor use and that is true if you use it correctly and crack a door or window to allow for ventilation. Be smart and use good judgment and place the heater well away from anything flammable or combustible. These heaters can pack some serious heat behind them and melt or explode objects within their reach.
Fuel Consumption- Everyone knows that diesel and kerosene burn at a slower rate than gas. most large equipment run on diesel, as do many large trucks, And generators. The reason a lot of these industrial products use diesel is just that, the slower burn rate. In return of the slow burn rate, the cost of operation is usually lower & you get more done while burning less fuel. From my research, I’ve found the same result with these forced air heaters. Based on an hour run time the diesel unit used .3571 gal/hr while the propane used 2.5lb in a hour propane being around $1 per lb and diesel being $2.35 per gallon it really comes down to dollars and cents. How much will you be running it? Will it be running all day in a garage setting or a warehouse. Will you be using it on and off around the house? If you’re not using it for a commercial application maybe you shouldn’t worry too much about the fuel consumption or spending aspect. At the end of the day it’s not a massive difference in price or burn rate, however, the diesel/kerosene/multi-fuel does win by a slight margin here. A Propane forced air heater will run and heat on low for 65 hrs typically, or on high it will last 24hrs usually.
Practicality- I look at the practicality first from a mobility standpoint. Can I move the unit around if I need to? Some units have wheels while others don’t. Most all units plug into the wall or a standard extension cord which allows for more mobility. Some of the diesel units sit solidly on the floor due to the fuel tank being the base. Are you in condition enough to move a fully loaded kerosene heater? It may be tough for some elderly or women to move. I have seen plenty of diesel units with wheels at a similar price to the stationary units. I do like how with the propane heater can simply unhook at the tank, and the heater and tank can be moved separately. The propane unit has very little smell of burning fuel while the unit is on, while the diesel unit obviously smells of diesel fuel. If you’re accustomed to the smell it may not make a difference but to me personally using my heater on a home building project and being in enclosed spaces I opted for the propane, it seems to burn cleaner left no smell behind. The sound is something I wanted to quickly address, there isn’t a forced air heater on the market that isn’t loud. They all sound like a fighter jet taking off at full throttle. The sound is just something that you have to accept. The liquid aspect also comes into play, having to pour the diesel into the unit and then having to store the fuel elsewhere. The propane fuel is self-contained and much easier to deal with, and also more widely available, you can exchange a tank at almost any gas station, Walmart, or most grocery stores even, kerosene may be a bit harder to find and don’t forget your wallet cuz it’s more expensive as well.
BTU Ranges- According to https://www.servicechampions.com, BTU is a unit of measurement for energy. One BTU is equal to the amount of energy used to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. The range for the standard forced air heaters we will be looking at and that you are most likely to run into at the big box stores, range from 40k BTU all the way to 150K BTU. They do make stronger ones but a 100K-150K BTU propane unit will heat around 3000 sq ft. As far as heat output you’re going to get more heat out of a kerosene unit. Not by a huge margin but it is a stronger burning fuel. That may be something to think about if you’re trying to heat a larger area. They do make larger commercial units that mount in warehouses or larger garage bays but I’m assuming you don’t need anything that large, just be aware if you do they are out there and can be found with a little digging.
Forced Air Heater Systems- I want to go over some of the better units on the market and some I have some personal experience with. These were heaters that I either personally used, or people we interviewed and asked questions relating to these heaters had used.
Dyna-Glo- this company has plenty forced air heaters to choose from. They have everything from small to large kerosene heaters, to propane, and everything in between. They do lean more toward the kerosene heaters. The BTU output is stronger with kerosene and they make a great heat, you wouldn’t be disappointed with any Dyna-Glo heater.
Mr.Heater- This brand is what I would consider as a budget brand. Don’t let the budget word fool you, boy does it kick out some heat. I purchased one of the propane units and I can’t say a bad word about it. I got the contractor series 75K-125K BTU unit it easily heats up to 3000 sq ft. Mr. Heater makes a handful of budget-priced heaters in both propane and kerosene fuels. I would highly recommend one of these to someone who will be using it for small scale to medium scale projects. I’m building a home and we have used it daily and it allows us to even work through the night on some days.
Dayton- I’m not very familiar with this brand, however, I have done some extensive reading on their heaters, consumer reports and blogs are a great way to see other peoples experiences with certain products. Everything I’ve seen proves Dayton is a very well built quality product. I would never include it in my list if I had any reservations about a product. Their gas, electric, and kerosene heaters they currently have on the market, I would say the price is mid-range maybe upper mid-range. In comparison to other models, you do end up getting what you pay for. A unit like the ones Dayton makes will last you for many years to come, you may never need to buy one again.
Craftsman- I can’t leave out the classic 60k BTU Red propane unit, it’s a workhorse, this unit has been around a long time and it’s proven time and time again to work and, work great. It may not be a 125K BTU system but it’s strong for what it is and doesn’t forget about Craftsman warranty program it’s always there if something goes wrong. I had this unit for a long time and it never once let me down. I left it out in the rain, snow, and sun & the thing still fired up and worked like it did on day one. Highly reliable for smaller jobs, it heats around 1500-2000 sq ft.
Hiland 40k BTU shop heater– this unit is also called the AZ Patio HIL-SHOP-LP40– it’s the most budget blower heater I have seen on the market, All the reviews say it’s great for the price and I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be. The system runs on propane it will heat 1000 sq ft respectively with 40K BTU at 40K the propane is going to last much longer than with a stronger unit, this unit may not heat as large of a space but would be ideal in a small home garage or shop, maybe a basement area, or definitely a shed or metal building.
Which heater would I personally use?
Out of all the reviewed units, I’m confident I would use the forced air heater. The toughest is probably the Craftsman 60K BTU propane unit on account of its ruggedness and the torture that I personally put that unit through. If you want to buy one for around your home for small to medium projects look no further. If you have your eyes set on maybe a larger area to heat and still wanna have some $ in your pocket at the end of it all I’d have to go with the Mr. Heater 75K-125K propane unit. Both of my picks have been propane and that’s a personal choice for me I don’t prefer the smell of burning oil fuel and I don’t really enjoy having to fill the fuel tank either, for most of the units you’ll need a funnel or a nice nozzle on ur gas can so u don’t get fuel everywhere and I’d much prefer to just go exchange a tank of propane, it suits my needs better and that’s what you’ll have to determine, which fits your personal needs the best.
I can personally tell you that when we remodeled our bathroom, fall came early, and so did winter that year. On a 20 degree Fahrenheit day, that heater used hardly any propane, and kept the entire crew working as we installed the flooring and the wall coverings that day. I had no complaints what so ever, and when our water freezes up in our tenants trailers, campers, etc, we use the forced air propane heater to do a quick thaw.
Remember, to always use proper safety equipment when you are handling propane, kerosene, diesel, or any kind of fuel. Use the proper eye and hand protection, and make sure you always have a fresh source of air that is circulated to the outside, when some of these heaters are in use. It maybe a matter of life or death in certain situations.