A little warmth in a cold studio

[Firelilly]

I've been waiting to see how this thing was going to work out before posting anything about it.

As seems to be the case with many others that I've read about, there isn't a source of heat in the studio space that I'll be using at home here. We were going to try to install a heater like you see in Kalera's pics of her beautiful new studio space, but we ran into problems with the propane people saying they refused to come and fill a propane tank that was to be used for the purpose of one of those heaters. So now the idea of using a propane heater is up in the air at least for now.

But we did get a couple of these...
http://www.eheat.us/

I have to say that I don't believe these panel heaters will be enough to keep this room warm on the coldest of, below freezing, winter days around here. But we do notice that having one panel on the wall is making a noticable difference when the outside temps are around 40 degrees and up.

This room is roughly 12'x17' and for that size space we're supposed to be using two, which we are not yet. Also there is an open staircase in this room that leads to another very large unheated room above. I'll be curious to see how the room will feel once the second panel is going. And I can't help but think that a small, well insulated space that didn't have an open staircase for heat to fly to, would be a totally different story too.

I think we're going to install the second panel, that I'll switch on and off as needed, on the wall under what will be the work table. Which I can't help but think will keep my legs and feet plenty warm. It might end up being too warm. I can't tell yet. At any rate they're easy enough to move around. But I'm hoping the two panels, plus the torch, plus the kiln going will be enough to stay warm in there in the winter.

Anywho, I just thought I'd toss the info out there for others to take a look at. Oh, and it's got like a clay, ceramic kind of surface that you can paint on so it's not just a big ugly white square on the wall.

:waving:
Lil

[encantado]

Thanks for sharing- those look pretty neat! I had seen something like that advertised in a magazine, and I was pondering the idea for my garage or shop! Thanks again!!!

[Just Nancy]

Huh. Funny what one supplier will do but another complains about. Our propane suppliers sell wall units/space heaters. We bought ours someplace else but they were the same basic thing.

We are kicking around the idea of something electric near my feet, so I'm glad to see the link. Thanks.

[robinbrown]

LIL,,, Did you see that you can get it painted?

That would be cool for your logo or something like that.
You're avatar would look perfect on it!

Cool Idea, thanks for sharing.

[Firelilly]

Yepper, Robin...We figure we'll paint something on there. O:)

For what we're asking these panels to do, we're not unhappy with them. I'm more than a little curious to see the next electric bill though. That might make a difference as to how much I like them. :P I have my fingers crossed.

Lil

[DiPat]

I work out in my garage studio.
For my feet, I bought one of these...
I can't remember from which supplier, but I can check if someone needs...

http://www.matsmatsmats.com/commercial-industrial/HEATED/heated-foot-warmer-mat.html

I got one of the larger mats. It doesn't get super hot, but it really does do a good job keeping my feet and legs warm.

[Firelilly]

Those look like a great idea! Usually if I can keep my feet warm the rest of me will be ok too!

Lil

[Firelilly]

Well, we have both of the panels plugged in now. It's 37 degrees outside and 64 degrees in the workroom. It's plenty comfortable. No kiln or torch going yet...which will make things even warmer I should think. I'm stoked...\\:D/

Lil

[DiPat]

Excellent! Keep us posted on how they function...
And what your electric bill turns into...
Hopefully you won't see a major difference!

[maddog1050]

I'm so glad I saw this post. My studio is 12x16 with electric baseboard. I usually turn it on to take off the chill and then when torching, turn off the baseboard and have an oscillating ceramic heater on. I'm becoming obsessed with trying to cut the electric bill!

I might just order two of these. Since I usually have a friend in the studio--like to mix socializing with torching--I need to keep the entire studio comfortable, not just the area near me.

[e. mort]

Now, if they could just come up with something as efficient to keep your studio cool when it is 95 degrees outside with high humidity and you are pulling 600 CFMs of outside air make up for what is going up your hood.

I also find that the parabolic dish radiant heaters work really well at keeping you warm when you are pulling a lot of cold air from outside. The torch keeps your hands and face warm, and I angle mine so it hits the back and side of me that is facing the incoming cold air. Of course the coldest it has been outside when I have decided to torch is 30 degrees so it may be totally useless for you "frozen chosen" out there. :)

Eric

[Firelilly]

Well, I'm thrilled to say that even with temps dipping into the teens and low 20's while I've been in the studio, I've been very comfortable. Once everything is fired up in there the room stays in the mid to upper 60's. I can live with that! Still keeping my fingers crossed on the electric bill. ...

Course now that I think about it, I won't really know what part of the bill will be from the heating panels, what's from running the kiln, the fan, or the concentrator. :P Ahh!...I hope it's not God awful high.

I know what you mean about the heat, Eric. We get awfully humid days here too. I don't have a window to stick an AC into yet. We're supposed to put a couple windows in at a later date.

Lil

[Firelilly]

Well... 14662 We've been in a consistant cold snap of temps in the mid teens. Yesterday the temp in the studio hovered at 60 degrees. Still able to work in there...

Such a cold night last night...10 degrees outside this morning and 47 degrees in my room. Too cold for me to be in there now. Waaaaa!

Lil

[PaulaD]

I might try these. Let us know about the electric bill...Paula

[Firelilly]

Well, the electric bill came. 18098 hehe

It's not horrible news for these panels I don't think. I wish I could break it down and really know how much the heating panels added exactly but I can't.

I can only say that the bill is 100.00 to 150.00 dollars more than a typical winter month bill before the studio activity. Why the heck we've had as much as a 50.00 difference in our bill in the winter months of past years I've no clue!

Anywho...In the past month we've been running these additional items; they have all contributed to the rise in our bill:

The two heat panels in the studio on 24/7
2 overhead lights on an average of 12 hours a day
1 additional task light on an average of 12 hours a day
1 air compressor on an average of 12 hours a day
1 chili pepper on an average of 12 hours a day
1 squirrel fan on an average of 12 hours a day
1 electric space heater in our bedroom...cuz with being so sick this last month I just could not freakin' get warm for nuttin! :roll:

I can't say I'm freaked out by the bill. Considering how much more stuff we've been running, I don't guess the heat panels alone are causing a huge hike. And it's made the studio warm enough to work in so I have no complaints.

:waving:
Lil