shop insulation and heat loss?

Irocaz

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Thought Id ask here since a lot of you have garages/shops for all your toys

I got a 36x26x10 shop with a 75,000 BTU forced air heater. There's a 8" thick pony wall on 2 sides of the shop with a total of 66feet long x 4 feet tall (3 feet below grade an 1 foot above grade). The walls are 2x6 with R20 bats and the attic has R35-40 blown in.

Does anyone know how to figure out heat loss of the concrete walls? I'm try to figure out if I should just leave it as is or not... the contractor made a hell of a mess with the concrete walls, they are very uneven and the forms blew out in one spot.

I hate to lose precious floor space to cover up the wall. framed in with 2x4 to straighten the wall out id lose7-8"
 
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Irocaz

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gunner3006

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I installed a 75,000btu bigmax running off natural gas

Sorry didn’t see that in your original message. I would insulate it right to floor. Your not going to notice the loss of space. You will be surprised at how well that heater does with that size of space. Even a 2” foil back insulation on that concrete would cut down a tonne of heat loss.
 

skegpro

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What's on the outside?
If your gonna backfill, spray foam the pony wall on the outside and backslope with dirt.
 

niner

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You should definitely insulate the Concrete. Should have been done on the outside with styrofoam. If you don’t insulate it will frost up bad. Styrofoam on a the inside works well also. Could shoot on 2x4 then use 1 1/2” styrofoam.
 

MarkCos

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I got charged $157 bucks for carbon tax this months gas bill
wtf
I’m going geothermal this Sumer
F the government

heating is gona b a hole new game now
 

gunner3006

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I got charged $157 bucks for carbon tax this months gas bill
wtf
I’m going geothermal this Sumer
F the government

heating is gona b a hole new game now

There getting bad. I’ve been doing hvac service for almost 17 years and I never thought electric would make a comeback. But all these extras there adding to a household bill are getting out of hand. I really contemplated going to a 60 gal electric water heater when I replaced my last tank. No boards or moving parts. Just two elements. I’m not saying that electric is cheap either but a guy can’t read into the “energy efficient” appliances like they market it to be.
 

skegpro

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There getting bad. I’ve been doing hvac service for almost 17 years and I never thought electric would make a comeback. But all these extras there adding to a household bill are getting out of hand. I really contemplated going to a 60 gal electric water heater when I replaced my last tank. No boards or moving parts. Just two elements. I’m not saying that electric is cheap either but a guy can’t read into the “energy efficient” appliances like they market it to be.
Drop your gas utility all together.
 
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gunner3006

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Drop your gas utility all together.
Geothermal is a great idea but over the last 3 years the parts cost have went thru the roof. Cost of repairs have sky rocketed. A general rule was a heat pump was good to -20. Anything below that you needed supplemental heat. Like gas or electric. No jokes. We’re coming full circle. Right back to wood heat.
 

skegpro

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Geothermal is a great idea but over the last 3 years the parts cost have went thru the roof. Cost of repairs have sky rocketed. A general rule was a heat pump was good to -20. Anything below that you needed supplemental heat. Like gas or electric. No jokes. We’re coming full circle. Right back to wood heat.
Yeah I wouldn't go geothermal.

I was moreso thinking electric hydronic heating, don't know if it would be economically feasible or not.
 

LUCKY 7

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wood heat is the way to go if there is plenty of wood around imo. my gas bill is about 35 bucks per month and that is for the gas water tank.
 

BILTIT

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Wood is cheap but alot of work and a bit messy. I might put a wood stove in the new garage though. Even here in sask with no carbon tax, nat. gas is going up alot.
 
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ferniesnow

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Wood is cheap but alot of work and a bit messy. I might put a wood stove in the new garage though. Even here in sask with no carbon tax, gas is going up alot.

If you plan properly for proper covered storage, ease of access with regards to the appliance, and having the appliance situated so that clean-up is easy, wood heat is the way to go. Forced air wood furnace with water jackets to heat hot water and you will only use it in the coldest months as your house will be too hot. In the warmer months, a free standing wood stove to take over.
 

skegpro

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If you plan properly for proper covered storage, ease of access with regards to the appliance, and having the appliance situated so that clean-up is easy, wood heat is the way to go. Forced air wood furnace with water jackets to heat hot water and you will only use it in the coldest months as your house will be too hot. In the warmer months, a free standing wood stove to take over.
Gotta be a carbon tax coming for wood burning appliances.
 

gunner3006

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If you plan properly for proper covered storage, ease of access with regards to the appliance, and having the appliance situated so that clean-up is easy, wood heat is the way to go. Forced air wood furnace with water jackets to heat hot water and you will only use it in the coldest months as your house will be too hot. In the warmer months, a free standing wood stove to take over.

This is becoming popular. Wood burning stoves or furnaces had a tonne of wasted heat going up the chimney. There are great ways to harness it now. If your set up and have the wood I think it’s the way to go.
 
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