"Userb3" wrote in message
...
"Howard Beale" wrote in
:

Why ceiling mounted and forced air? You can get wall mount or standing
ventless propane heaters for $100-$500 (depending on size) that are very
efficient, and use ceiling fans or box fans (that will also cool in the
summer) for circulation.

Ceiling mounted is pretty much a requirement for space reasons. Most all of
the exterior wall space is devoted to storage and a wall-mount unit would be
in the way. Ceiling fans won't work due to the fairly low ceiling
clearance, and box fans would just add clutter.

I looked into portable propane heaters and they just didn't add up; dealing
with propane is a hassle, and at least at the 20lb tank size it's about 35%
more expensive than electric heat which itself is 25% more expensive than
even our outrageous $1.20/therm natural gas.

The ceiling mount natural gas heaters appear to be made specifically for
hanging in garages, and I like the idea of a permanent heat source that can
be attached to a setback thermostat for constant "above freezing" temps and
programmable and occasional "comfort warm" temps. At least one (the Reznor)
seems to also have a single exhaust/fresh air vent, which solves the
combustion gas/air problem as well, in addition to being horizontally
ventable (roof is rubber flat membrane with a deck on top), another
requirement.

I have a 14K BTU electric heater coming tomorrow which should get me by for
localized heating in the area I'm working this year, and may actually turn
out to be just enough for working that I never bother with a permanent
heater.

Anyway, the natural gas ceiling mount option just seems to solve all the
right problems, except of course the "purchase and install cost" problem.