Question:
I would like to work on my bike this winter in my garage.
It's an uninsulated attached garage with a cement floor.
Can anyone tell me what it would take to make it comfortable enough to work
in? if I don't insulate, what kind of heater would I need?
If I insulate the walls, then what kind of heater would I need?
Answer:
Do you need to be able to open the garage door often/at all? If not, use
some sort of insulative material and cover the mess up (everything....door,
cracks, door rails, etc) with 6mil poly. This will eliminate your biggest
'pneumonia hole'.
If you do require garage door access, then do as best you can to insulate
the door. Install a garage door weatherstripping kit, and adjust the kit and
the door to fit tightly. To test your efforts, stnad inside the garage,
close the door during the day, turn the lights off and look for spots where
the light comes in. If light gets in, heat gets out.
Regardless of door usage, install a 'sweep' along the bottom of the door. I
use a strip of 6" rubber floor mat and screw this to the door frame with
about 3" hanging down. When the door is closed, the sweep makes an airspace
that is more insulation. It also helps to prevent ice buildup on the door
and floor.
