: Thanks for the even-handed recommendations. Gas is out, I think. I have gas
: to the house, but the garage is not attached. I don't know what it would
: cost to run a line out to the garage, but I expect its not cheap.

I run mine on a 100# portable LP tank. It only runs when I'm actually out in the shop, and I augment it with wood. Running the heater an hour or so a night, helping warm up the space, and then using wood to maintain it, a tank of LP - $40.00 or so - will last me most of the season unless I forget and leave it running all night. Then it only lasts a couple days I need to insulate my roof better . I forget the formula for BTU in LP, one gallon = 100000 BTU? I'll have to verify that. Before I put in the woodstove, running the heater 8-10 hours a week, I'd use two and a half tanks in a season.

: On the other hand, judging by the electrical product specs on the Detroit
: Radiant website, the Lee Valley product I was looking at seems like just a
: toy. Its highest setting is 1500W, ~5100 BTU. Even the least powerful
: electric at Detroit Radiant beats that. So I wonder how much power I'd
: actually use over the winter with a decent electric.

50 BTUH per square foot is a thumnail number, at least around here, for a reasonably well insulated building.

: Thats a good point. I hadn't thought of that. But with the heat off, am I not
: back to square one, dealing with cold temperatures over the length of time
: it takes for the epoxy to cure?

Yes - this is a mistake Ive made. You get little bubbles, and they sand out fairly easily. Precoating helps. It's best to let the 'pox go off past the green stage, and then run the heat. Not having the boat directly under the heater helps also - the infrared warms up the floor and other objects, which in turn warm the air. This is why it's efficient - concrete floors make a good heat sink. Also it heats the area toward the floor - less stratification as you get with forced air heat. Go into an apartment with electric baseboard, and hold your hand up to the ceiling, you'll see what I mean. Infrared doesnt do that, as it's the floor being warmed.

: Point taken. I do intend to insulate (the roof, anyway), if I decide to get a
: heater. The walls are thick - cinder block with an exterior brick veneer
: (don't ask me - it was here when I bought the property) - so I suppose its
: a bit better than an uninsulated wood-frame garage. But the roof is just
: plywood decking & shingles.

Actually, that prime for infrared - it will warm the walls which will hold that heat for a long time. My shop is seldom below 40 degrees, even when it's freezing outside, just because I usually run the heat every night. It'll drop lower if I dont work out there for a night. The infrared will take awhile to warm up the floor and walls, but in the meantime it's quite comfortable to work under. If youre lucky, there is 1-1/2" of styrofoam between the walls and the facia, which will favor the heat being discharged back into the space rather than out into the atmosphere. I can look up the R-value tomorrow for you, too, if I have time. It will be a busy day, so no guarantees.

: Thanks for the offer. When I get a little closer to actually doing something
: about heat, I'll contact you at your work email.

: Ken Chorel