Model Railroading > Heating a detached structure.

I have a room over a garage that I am turning into the train room. Detached from the house. Need a good heat source to keep it around 50 in the winter so I do not have cold weather issues. Currently there is a wood stove in there. So for those that have a detached shed or other area detached form the house that is the train room; What is the best way to heat it?

Get a natural gas or propane heater or even electric baseboard heat. Depends on which fuel you have available and how much you want to spend on a device.

Hi, it might be useful to mention where you live, as that can make a difference in heat source suggestions, and tell us about the space -- is it weather tight, not drafty, insulated and so forth?

To answer your question in one way, we live in Oregon at the South end of the Willamette Valley in a relatively moderate climate. Our 9 x 30-foot layout room and shop is a separate space attached to our garage but not plumbed to the house forced-air furnace heating system. It's framed with 2x6 walls and very well insulated. We use a 1,500-Watt "oil filled" type electric heater to warm the space when we'll be spending time there in the winter. The heater takes a few minutes to get up to speed but does a good job of keeping things comfortable. We do not leave the heater on all the time as that would become very costly very fast.

I hope this helps.

Jeff Johnston
www.trainvideosandparts.com

HB90MACH Wrote:
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> I have a room over a garage that I am turning into
> the train room. Detached from the house. Need a
> good heat source to keep it around 50 in the
> winter so I do not have cold weather issues.
> Currently there is a wood stove in there. So
> for those that have a detached shed or other area
> detached form the house that is the train room;
> What is the best way to heat it?

Again geographic location would help somewhat.
In any event keep two things in mind. One will you be using the
area in both winter and summer? If the area is
a "standard single vehicle garage, figure 20 feet
in length and roughly 10 feet wide".
Double these dimensions for a two vehicle garage.
Don't forget to include space to get up to the
area above the garage (stairs) as well as an area for
those things which always need space.
If you're going to use the space in the summer,
a large volume air conditioner is best
or at the very minimum two or three
variable speed reversible ceiling fans.
If it's a peaked roof, easier for the fans
which shall move both cool and warm air.

Heating can be as simple as the suggested
oil filled heater plus the ceiling fans or
a spare warm air vent off the main
heating furnace for the house.

Try and have a window to be opened
to the outside world if only to allow
fresh air if you're
using some obnoxious smelling chemical
for a project, oh an you'll need some
portion for perhaps a work bench with
shelves as well.
house.

I am here in south east PA and the room is weather tight. What electric portable heaters can be left unattended? All the ones I have seen can not be left as such. The base board units require 240 service which can not be supplied.