Exercise is a great struggle when the mind doesn’t want you to get out of the couch. Moreover, any workout becomes a real challenge, especially in the winter season when you are snuggled inside a blanket near the fireplace. In that case, the only thing that can motivate you to exercise is your warm garage gym.
The best way to heat your garage gym is to install a space heater if the garage isn’t connected to the central heating system. Installing a space heater is undoubtedly an affordable and reliable solution to warm the cold garage efficiently.
This guide reviews the best space heater for a garage gym. In addition, the bonus buying guide will help you find a suitable garage gym heater according to the size of the space available.
Our Recommendations:
- Best Overall: Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX
- Best Ceiling-Mount: Comfort Zone CZ230ER
- Best Electric: Fahrenheat FUH Heater
- Best Propane: Mr. Heater MH60QFAV
- Best Natural Gas: Mr. Heater F260560
- Best Portable: Lasko Ceramic Heater
What Type of Heater is Best for a Garage Gym: Electric vs. Propane vs. Natural Gas
Based on the fuel type, you have the following three types of garage heaters available in the market.
Electric
As the name suggests, you need an electricity connection in your garage to run an electric heater. Since most of the garages have electrical power, many people opt for electric heaters as they are convenient and portable.
However, using an extension cord increases the chances of tripping over and creating a disturbance in the garage.
On the downside, you can’t use an electric heater in case of an emergency power outage.
Nonetheless, the electric heaters don’t require any regular maintenance. All you need to do is clean them with a dry cloth to remove the dust from the louvers.
Propane
You need to connect a propane tank for the smooth operation of this type of heater. Some propane heaters also need an electric connection to operate the fan to blow the warm air into the surrounding.
Many people buy propane space heaters because they are portable and lightweight. It means you can place them anywhere in the garage for directional airflow.
Moreover, you can find different sizes of propane heaters that offer 30,000 BTUs to 125,000 BTUs per hour.
A portable, non-electric propane heater is the only option in an emergency if you don’t have electricity or natural gas connection. However, these heaters are generally noisy due to the presence of the fan to blow out hot air.
Natural Gas
If you have a natural gas connection in your garage, a natural gas heater is a perfect choice. Alternatively, you need to hire an expert to install the gas piping to ensure your safety.
Many gas heaters feature a versatile design allowing you to mount them on the wall or the ceiling, which is a great convenience, especially when the garage space is limited.
Lastly, a natural gas heater is the most cost-effective solution to warm your garage.
List of the 6 Best Heaters for a Garage Gym
1. Heat Storm Wi-Fi Infrared Heater
If you want to buy a stylish wall-mounted heater, the Heat Storm WiFi infrared heater won’t disappoint you. The entire heater and the front grill are safe to touch to ensure your safety and protection.
The good news is that you can remotely regulate the heater’s temperature via your smartphone thanks to the integrated Wifi technology.
It’s a versatile heater that offers you two heat settings to regulate the garage gym temperature accordingly. For instance, you can select the eco setting to ensure power saving as the heater consumes only 750 watts of energy. Alternatively, the Heat Storm heater requires a maximum of 1500 watts of power.
The Heat Management System (HMS) technology combines with humidity in the room to offer gentle and safe heat within the garage gym. Hence you can ensure the humidity or the oxygen levels don’t go down, allowing you to continue working out.
To sum up, the Heat Storm heater offers a space-saving design, perfect for a small garage gym.
2. Comfort Zone Electric Ceiling Mounted Heater
The Comfort Zone electric heater is a robust garage gym heater made of heavy gauge steel. Moreover, the motor is enclosed within the chassis to ensure smooth operations even if the garage is dusty.
Since it’s a ceiling-mounted heater, you can save floor space to keep your gym equipment. Furthermore, mounting the heater to the ceiling is safer as no one can accidentally touch the heater or trip over.
One of the greatest benefits of installing the Comfort Zone electric heater is the targeted heating. The fan-forced design offers direct airflow to the cold spots within the garage. Similarly, the attached louvers also facilitate directional heat flow.
Furthermore, you can use the digital thermostat to regulate the temperature as desired.
The Comfort Zone heater comes with a built-in overheat protection sensor to guarantee your safety. The sensor detects the overheating inside the heater and automatically turns it off to prevent any accident or damage.
3. Fahrenheat FUH Electric Heater for Garage
Featuring a wattage rating of 5,000, the Fahrenheat FUH electric heater for garage is an advanced heater that you can mount either on the ceiling or wall. It comes with the ceiling mount bracket, so you don’t have to spend extra money buying them.
This sleek heater weighs only 24 pounds and comes with dimensions of 12.5 x 12.5 x 14 inches. Another good news is you can adjust the thermostat anywhere between 45F to 135F degrees as required.
In addition to the thermostat, another important feature to look for in a garage gym heater is safety. This heater automatically shuts off to prevent overheating to minimize fire risk. Moreover, it restarts once the temperature becomes normal.
Lastly, you need to check the compatibility of the heater with your existing electrical system. The Fahrenheat FUH heater is compatible with both 208 or 240 volts.
4. Mr. Heater Portable Propane Forced Air Heater
The Mr. Heater portable heater is a forced air heater that uses propane as the primary fuel, unlike the previously discussed infrared and electric heaters. If you want to buy a noiseless garage gym heater, this one is a perfect choice.
Courtesy of the QBT technology, this propane heater ensures a 50% quieter operation compared to a regular propane heater.
To ensure durability, Mr. Heater forced air heater features stainless steel construction and weighs only 13.1 pounds. This CSA-certified heater offers continuous heating for several hours without getting overheated.
Furthermore, the continuous ignition system features an open flame. It means you need to keep an eye on the heater all the time. Most importantly, you shouldn’t let the kids or pets run around the heater.
You can find a dial on the heater’s front to adjust the temperature. This way, you can run a temperature at lower power settings of 30,000 BTUs or a maximum of 60,000 BTUs.
5. Mr. Heater Natural Gas Heater
If you have a spacious garage, the Mr. Heater natural gas heater offers 80,000 BTUs per hour to heat a large area of up to 2,000 square feet. The heater runs on natural gas to pull the cool air from the heater’s rear, heat it, and force the warm air in the garage gym.
It features a low-profile design, making it a perfect candidate to install in a low-ceiling garage. First, however, you need to ensure an 8 feet clearance from the floor to the heater’s base.
You’ll find two angle bracelets in the box, which you can use to mount the heater on the ceiling or the wall. Another great news is the heater can vent the warm air in either horizontal or vertical directions.
On the downside, the heater doesn’t include a thermostat; however, you can always buy one separately if required. Nonetheless, the heater comes with a limited three-year warranty on parts and burners to ensure a safe investment.
6. Lasko Rugged Ceramic Utility Heater
Lasko has been designing home comfort products for over a decade, such as heaters, room fans, low-profile heaters, etc. Read our Lasko space heaters review here.
Featuring three heat settings, the Lasko utility heater is one of the best portable heaters. It comes with a distinct pivot design to distribute the warm air in any direction. Not only that, but you can also adjust the angle for directional airflow.
The Lasko utility heater comes with a tubular steel base and a grip handle, allowing you to place the heater anywhere in the garage gym.
Other safety features include automatic overheat protection to shut off the heater to prevent any accidents. Thanks to the cool-touch housing, your hands won’t get burned if you accidentally touch the heater.
Read Also: Ceramic Heater vs Infrared Heater
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Garage Gym Heater
You need to consider different factors from fuel type to installation while buying the best space heater for garage gym. Here are the few must-have features to look for while buying a space heater.
Location
First, you need to determine the heater’s location within the garage. For instance, if you have a smaller garage, you should select a wall or ceiling-mounted heater.
Alternatively, you can buy a portable propane heater and place it anywhere on the garage floor for directional heating.
Size
One important thing you need to consider before buying the best space heater for garage gym is the size. You need to select a compact heater with a smaller footprint, or you can buy a ceiling or wall-mounted heater.
On the other hand, a larger garage requires a more powerful heater with higher BTUs to warm the place. Similarly, a garage without any insulation certainly requires more heat to stay warm.
Safety
Your safety and protection come first while selecting a garage heater. That’s why many space heaters include the desired safety functions such as overheat protection to prevent an accident.
Other safety features include tip-over protection, cool exterior, and handles. Many advanced space heaters include a low oxygen detector to prevent suffocation within the garage. Furthermore, you can also install a carbon monoxide detector in the garage to enhance your protection.
Related: Are Propane Heaters Safe in Garages
Noise
If you don’t want to install a heavy-duty jet engine in your garage, it’s better to check the noise levels of the space heater. For instance, natural gas heaters offer silent operations compared to electric and propane heaters with fans.
Conclusion
All you need is a robust space heater to convert your garage into a warm gym where you and your family members can all enjoy a daily workout during the winter season. Additionally, installing a space heater is certainly a cheaper and safer option to warm your garage.
The key takeaway of the above guide is to review different space heaters, such as electric, infrared, natural gas, and propane. This way, you can make a well-informed decision before buying a suitable space heater for your gym.
