Heating Your Garage and Shop

 If you are thinking about building a garage/shop or a shop one of the biggest decisions you have to decide on is how your going to heat it.

One thing that will help you with this decision is what you plan to do in that shop.

If you are planning to use it as a wood shop then you have to be careful if you install a furnace as the furnace will move dust and fumes around the building through the ductwork. Wood dust can be very dangerous as it is a fire hazard. Its not even the fact that the dust can cause problems in the furnace, its the fact that wood dust moving about at high speeds can cause static electricity which can ignite the wood dust in the air.

One of the safest and most efficient ways of heating a shop or garage is to install in-floor heating, this unit can be run off a boiler system. Tankless flash boilers are even better as they are more efficient and only make heat when they are needed.

The heat lines are installed on a layer of foam that is placed on the ground before you pour the concrete pad for the shop/garage. Once the concrete is poured over top of the heat lines then you don't have to worry about them being damaged and you can drive on top of the concrete with any kind of equipment that you desire.

When the system is installed the heating units do not take up a lot of wall space. They only really take up wall space (on an outside wall) as they require venting to the outside. 

When the system is turned on and running in the colder months you just set the temperature and forget it, once the concrete slab has been warmed up it will stay warm and radiate heat from the floor to the ceiling constantly and evenly. Heated floors will stay warm and continue to produce heat long after the heating units have turned themselves off. 

Because you are only heating the liquid that is circulated through the floor when it is needed the cost of running in-floor heating is usually much less then conventional heating units.

Warm concrete floors help to reduce fatigue as cold concrete floors are known to affect workers stamina and cause lower body pain.

So when you are planning that shop/garage think hard about how your going to heat it.

Rob Abbott

Great Lakes Custom Homes Inc.

2015 Trends in Custom Garages

2015 Trends in Custom Garages

Since there is a shift in the market place to smaller more compact homes that are more multi functional, not only for people who are looking to downsize because they are retiring or because they are empty nesters but also for the younger generation as well who do not have the accrued wealth that the older generation has and because of that they want to live in smaller homes that cost less to buy and are far less expensive when it comes to upkeep. One of the places that have become these multi-use spaces is the garage.

Garage Trends

Here is a list of the trends that have stayed the same over the last several years;

• The height of garage ceilings continues to stay and also rise. People are not only using the height because of bonus rooms above but they are also using it to store things like canoes, bikes and kayaks up and out of the way.

• Insulated garages. Every garage built that is attached to a custom home is now insulated, even if the garage is not heated. It’s a convenience so that if you ever want to heat the garage with space heaters it is easily done.

• Large tube fluorescent lighting is still the most popular choice to light up garages. With the ceiling heights growing ever higher it becomes harder and harder to light space below. Fluorescent is inexpensive to install and uses little energy to work.

• Most custom homes have attached garages today. There are several reasons for this, lack of space and convenience for people not having to walkout side in the snow to get to their cars.

• Custom built work benches are common now in every garage. The owners don’t even have to be handy, but it comes in handy for even simple tasks like waxing skis or cleaning gardening tools.

• Larger windows set high up in the walls to let more natural light into the garages. Since the ceiling heights have risen the windows have as well. This allows people the natural light they require and still have the security that people can’t look through the windows and see all their toys.

• Dog showers or wash stations for gardening tools. This isn’t a new thing to custom homes, but it’s a new thing to the garage. It allows people the ability to control the mess before it comes in the house.

• Vinyl slot wall has become one of the most popular choices for the walls of the garage. Because of a more active population people have more sports equipment that needs a safe place to rest when not in use. Slot wall that is made out of materials like vinyl will last a life time without staining or ripping. The endless attachments that come with it allow you to hang any number of things from your bike to your skis.

• Almost all garages have finished drywall even if they aren’t attached to the house.

Here is a list of new trends in custom home garages for 2013;

• In-Floor heating. Garages have become more than just a place to park your car. With homes getting smaller there is need for a place to store things that doesn’t freeze in the winter.

• Garages are starting to take on different shapes then the traditional square box. Because homes are becoming more compact they are being built with odd little corners and other things in them. This allows creative people to have hobby nooks.

• Garages are starting to have multiple rooms in them. Not just a room for your car or boat but also for your crafts and hobbies. People want their craft room to be warm, inviting and comfortable.

• Custom wood ceilings are starting to become popular, especially cathedral ceilings. People want to feel like the garage is part of the house and not just a place to park your car.

Whatever you want to do with your garage can be accomplished these days as people are looking for more ways to use up the limited space they have.

Rob Abbott
Village Builders Inc.

Trends in garages for custom homes 2013

2013- Garages in custom homes

Here are some trends in the garages of custom homes in 2013. Some of the trends have started this year (2013), a lot of trends where started in the 2012 construction year and continued into this calendar year. There are trends that have been sustained year over year as well; they are the long running trends.

Garages in Custom Homes

Here is a list of the trends that have stayed the same over the last several years;

• Custom home Garages are getting bigger. The size and shape of them has increased every year to help accommodate a population that is more active in their advancing years.

• Since bonus rooms are all the rage in custom homes the height of garages has exploded. Once garages where a normal 9 to 10 feet high, now it is routine to find garages with 14 foot ceilings.

• Insulated garages. Every garage built that is attached to a custom home is now insulated, even if the garage is not heated. It’s a convenience allowing you the option to heat the garage with space heaters if you require it easily.

• Large tube fluorescent lighting is still the most popular choice to light up garages. With the ceiling heights growing ever higher it becomes harder and harder to light the space below. Fluorescent lighting is inexpensive to install and uses little energy to work.

• Most custom homes have attached garages today. There are several reasons for this, lack of space and convenience being the most implied.

• Custom built work benches are common now in every garage. The owners don’t even have to be handy, but it comes in handy for even simple tasks like waxing skis or cleaning gardening tools.

Here is a list of new trends in custom home garages for 2013;

• Humidity controlled fans. This is a great way to guarantee that you never have humidity problems in your garage. Since most garages are now insulated even without heat it is more important than ever that the humid air in the garage be removed. This helps prevent the formation of mold and mildew on the ceiling.

• Larger windows are being set higher up in the walls to let more natural light into the garages. Since the ceiling heights have risen so to have the windows. This allows people the natural light they require and still have the security that people won't be able to look through the windows and see all their toys.

• Dog showers or wash stations for gardening tools. This isn’t a new thing to custom homes, but it’s a new thing to the garage. It allows people the ability to control the mess before it comes in the house.

• Vinyl slot wall is all the rage today. Because of a more active population, people seem to have more sports equipment that needs a safe place to rest when not in use. New slot wall technology that is made out of materials like vinyl will last a life time without staining or ripping. The endless attachments that come with it allow you to hang any number of things from your bike to your skis to kayaks or canoes.

• Coated floors that resist staining are an up and coming trend. This is a great way to make your garage look like a stylish piece of the home. The coating helps with clean up and can help keep yourself clean when working on equipment that requires you to be on or near the floor.

• Diamond plating is exploding in popularity. Because of its stylish look and durability people are using it for all number of things in their new garages. They use it for a baseboard, or for a counter top. They are installing it on steps for traction and having cabinets faced with it. It’s a great way to make sure that your garage will look shiny and new years into the future.

These are just some the new trends in the Garages of today’s new custom homes.

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.