"mgarvie" wrote in message
m...
I'm getting ready to finish the inside of my garage here in Central
Illinois. I want to be able to heat it comfortably to work in it during
the winter. Figured I should think about heat before I do the wiring and
drywalling. I first thought about using natural gas, but figured electric
would be better when using chemicals and such. Just wondered what other
people out there are using and what to avoid. Any advice?

Electric quartz infrared is a good choice especially if you want fast heat
but need it only infrequently. I have three 1600 watt units in my insulated
2-car garage. As a bonus, you get plenty of light along with the heat. The
lamps put out both short and long-wave infrared so objects are heated rather
than the air. Good for drying paint. I can leave the garage door open, in
fact, and keep warm in the garage unless the wind is blowing. It's great
for melting ice off the cars too.

Installation is easy. Just mount the units on standard electrical boxes
high on a wall or ceiling where they can "see" the area you want to heat.
They require 240 volt power. I've got mine wired through thermostats, but
usually just switch them on when I'm in the garage and want heat.

The lamps are mounted in what look like light fixtures. They're available
through electrical distributors. Lamp life is very long. I've never
replaced a lamp in more than 15 years.

TKM