I guess I have a question and an observation. First, how did you go from
a
45,000 BTU gas heater to a 19,000 BTU electric? Seems like a large
disparity. I would have guessed you needed the 45,000 BTU since a 30,000
BTU Hot Dawg is also available.

Todd-

That's the one disparity that didn't completely make sense to me. I came
across one website that indicated that 10W were needed for every square
foot...approximately. So for my 20' X 20' shop of 400 square feet that
comes to 4000W. The unit I purchased produces 5600W, which supposedly is
equivalent (don't know the conversion factor on this one) to 19,000 Btu. I
guess I'll just have to wait and see how I fare. The price difference
between this and the Hot Dawg 45,000 Btu unit was $300 (not including the
venting and the thermostat for the Hot Dawg), and installation of that Hot
Dawg would've increased that difference.

The other factor was that I was told by one contractor that if my gas unit
caused a fire and I didn't pull a permit, my insurance company wouldn't pay
for anything. So pulling permits would've tacked on even more money. I'm
"comfortable" with having a person I know do the electrical work for the
electric heater without pulling a permit, but I was a little leary about the
gas unit when you consider the factor of the gas lines, the electrical
lines, combustion in the heater, and the proper exhausting of the
by-products. I guess I've got a little fear of the unknown to not pull
permits in that case...and so I went with the safer, cheaper option.

This is not likely going to be a permanent home for us, so I thought a
temporary, cheap solution might be prudent in this case, especially given
the complexity of decisions and the money involved with going with a gas
unit.

Thanks,
DW