In the middle of winter, there are few small luxuries that compare to a heated garage. With a heated garage, you avoid the unpleasant, icy blast that hits your face on the most frigid of mornings. Instead, you’ll walk into a space that’s the same as the rest of your home: warm and comfortable. With a garage heater, you could turn those dreadful early winter mornings into something more manageable.
During harsh winters, garages without heaters become unusable, and the cold can cause a lot of damage—especially if you store equipment and cars inside during the colder months. By installing a garage heater, you can enjoy a comfortable space and save yourself plenty of money on needless repairs and replacement items that could have been saved with the right garage environment. However, there are so many other essential benefits that come with a quality garage heater.
If you’ve been interested in installing a garage heater but haven’t made the decision to call a residential electrician near you, then read on! We’ll explore five of the many benefits of installing a heated garage in your home, including how it can transform the usability and functionality of your space. Let’s get into the first and most obvious benefit: the improved comfort and use of this space once the place is heated like the rest of your home.
#1: Enjoy Enhanced Comfort and Usability
If you hate those cold mornings when you have to climb into your frigid car and feel like your face is frozen, then a heated garage is just the upgrade you need. Living in the Midwest in a state like Minnesota, we’re not averse to some pretty cold days. It’s not uncommon for us to see days that are below zero, but there’s no reason that you need to suffer in your garage before you even step foot outside.
Make Your Garage a Comfortable Space For All Tasks
When you install a heating system in your garage, you’ll enhance the comfort and usability of your space, ensuring you can continue to work, store, and move about the space without needing to grab your warmest winter weather gear. Not to mention, you’ll also shorten the time that you need to wait for your car to heat up because a heated garage will make sure that it never drops below a specific temperature, meaning warm interiors and a quick exit for your morning commute.
Additionally, one of the downsides of living in a place where all four seasons occur is that many people experience a lack of comfortable time outdoors or in sheds and garages when the temperature drops. If you don’t have a heated garage, then an entire part of your home is also unusable for a large portion of the year! If you’re a DIY enthusiast, this means you have to get fully dressed just to go and work on projects, which can be a real drag.
However, with the help of a licensed electrician, you can enjoy uninterrupted use regardless of the weather. That means a warm, comfortable space for DIY projects, exercising, hobbies, or even storing and working on your car during the colder months. A garage heater essentially gives you back a space that you should have access to all year round.
#2: Protect Your Vehicles and Equipment
Truthfully, a heated garage is not just necessary for hobbies and DIY projects during the dead of winter, but it’s also what you need to avoid costly repairs and other vehicle troubles.
Avoid Costly Repairs and Get Heating for Your Garage
You may already know the risks of leaving your cars in cold weather for too long. Here are just some of the risks of putting your vehicle in a cold space, like an unheated garage, for long durations:
- At freezing temperatures, a car battery loses 35% of its power.
- Tires lose 1 PSI for every 10-degree drop in temperature.
- Rubber components like hoses and belts become brittle in freezing temperatures.
Not to mention that moisture can seep through the door seals and locks, which has the potential to freeze and lock you out overnight. All in all, it’s obvious that cold garages do more harm than good!
When you choose to install a heated garage, you can avoid issues like:
- Frozen windshield or wipers
- Thick engine oil
- Reduced fuel efficiency
- Frozen fluids
- Cracked hoses and belts
- Dead car batteries
The same goes for other equipment that you might keep in your garage. If you have a garage heater, you can avoid some costly repairs or even dangers on the road. Replacing windshield wipers is not hard, and a car battery may only cost you $100-$200. However, if you struggle with cracked hoses and belts, that’s when the repairs can begin to add up. If it’s the timing belt, you’re potentially out $1,000 or more, especially if the engine has suffered damage, too.
So, if you want to avoid unexpected vehicle maintenance—or worse, replacing your equipment after the cold weather may render it useless when spring comes around—it’s best to consider getting a heated garage. A garage heater only costs around $1,500 to start. Compared to the cost of all of the other car repairs you might have to endure, calling your local licensed electrician near you might be the best idea!
#3: Benefit from Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings
The newer garage heaters not only help you save on car repairs and make your space more comfortable, but they are also a great deal more energy efficient than the machines of the past. The machines and appliances manufactured today have to fit certain rules and regulations, often developed to present maximum efficiency and to reduce overall energy waste. In other words, you get more out of your machine, waste less energy, and ultimately, it will save you money in the end.
Take Advantage of the New Energy-Efficient Tax Breaks
This is excellent for those who are looking to not only make their homes more energy efficient but also for homeowners who want to enjoy excellent cost-savings over time. As you may have heard, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 was passed and provides plenty of financial incentives for homeowners who want to install energy-efficient upgrades. That means if you install a heated garage, there’s every chance that you could receive a bit of a tax deduction for your home improvement project.
The deduction does depend on a few factors, but even a home energy audit can be reported for a tax credit, and you could also receive credits for upgrading your garage. So, in short, what you invest in today will ultimately save you money tomorrow. Not only that, but you’ll enjoy more energy efficiency and a machine that lasts you and your family many years. Even the best electrician near you would likely agree: today’s garage heaters are well worth the money for the value that they provide!
When choosing the best garage heater, electrical contractors near you can help you determine if a natural gas heater, electric heater, or portable option might be the best for your home and budget. No matter what you choose, you’ll be contributing to a better planet and more long-term savings in your bank account.
#4: Add to Your Home’s Value and Appeal
If you want to improve your home’s value, a heated garage can be just the thing that adds a little bit more to the price tag. A garage heater or heated garage can help you while you’re living there, but when the time comes, and you have to move, or you decide to downsize or get a larger place for your family, this can be a valuable upgrade that makes your home that much more marketable.
Boost Your Home’s Price Tag to Prospective Buyers
Imagine prospective buyers who find that your home has the right number of bedrooms, a great backyard, a sizeable kitchen, and—on top of it all—a heated garage, so they don’t have to deal with the frigid wintery days that Minnesota is known for. Real estate agents often highlight functional garages as a significant selling point for buyers in colder climates. If you have a heated garage and you’re one of a few in your area that does, this could make your home that much more attractive.
Buyers view these upgrades as a premium feature that will set your home apart and take it from “checks all the boxes” to “the top of the list.” It gives them the peace of mind that their winters are a little bit cozier and that all of their DIY projects and stored items will be safe from potentially freezing during the holidays. It’s a win-win for both you and the buyer: you get to enjoy the garage heater now, while they get to enjoy it after they close on the home and you move into your new property.
If you’re eager to get a heater in your garage as soon as possible, you can hire same-day electricians in the Twin Cities area who will come in, assess your space, and provide you with recommendations. For those who want to improve their home value and appeal, it might be an option worth looking into before you contact that realtor soon!
#5: Ensure Your Garage’s Safety and Reliability
While space heaters often have their appeal, garage heaters can be a great deal safer for your property and your family. One of the downsides of using a space heater is that they don’t support heating your entire space. The average two-car garage is around 360 square feet, but most space heaters are only able to heat up to 150 square feet. If you have a two-car garage or an oversized garage, a space heater is only suitable for so much space, which means you might still feel that winter chill in the morning.
Eliminate Fire Hazards and Use the Right Machine to Heat Your Garage
Additionally, some space heaters can also be major fire hazards in your garage. With so many items in your garage that might be flammable or do best away from these direct heat sources, there are plenty of reasons not to use a space heater for your garage. On the other hand, if you go with a garage heater, these modern systems are usually professionally installed and can reduce fire risks while also providing you with a consistent, reliable form of heat throughout your entire space.
Using a licensed electrician near me ensures that the heater is safely installed and adhering to local codes, and also makes sure that you can enjoy the machine for many years to come. Some of the best garage heaters can be used for spaces up to 800 square feet while still remaining portable and durable. Some even come with automatic shutoff to help you reduce fire risks and limit your electric bill spending every month.
So, not only are garage heaters reliable and safe, but they are also the best option to support the comfort of your entire space. With the help of a licensed electrician near you in Shakopee, Minnesota, you can make your garage a comfortable, safe, and reliable space for all of your equipment, vehicles, and DIY projects.
How to Choose the Right Garage Heater for Your Space
Now that you know the benefits of heated garages, how do you choose the right product for your home? We’ve established that space heaters are likely not the best option. However, when it comes to garage heaters, you have to know the right machine for you, which comes down to your garage size, insulation, and the type of heater you want. Here’s what you should do before you choose a garage heater.
Assess Your Garage Size and Layout
With the help of a local electrical contractor near you or on your own, you can measure the square footage of your garage and estimate your heater’s approximate size. You also need to account for vertical height, as this will determine what sort of airflow you’ll need to help with ventilation and how easy or difficult it will be to heat the space with particular models.
Evaluate Your Insulation and Climate
Next, you need to understand the durability and strength of your insulation. If you have a well-insulated garage, you might not need that strong of a machine, as it will be able to retain heat that much easier. However, if you have a poorly insulated garage, your garage heater should be stronger. Living in colder climates like Shakopee or the Twin Cities will require a higher-capacity heater—especially on the coldest of days!
Decide What Heater Type You Need
There are three main types of electric garage heaters that you will want to consider: infrared heaters, convection heaters, and fan-forced heaters. An infrared heater will generate heat by using thermal radiation but often takes time to heat and is small in size. On the other hand, convection heaters use the air’s motion to ensure that the area is properly warmed, improving heat retention over time. Finally, fan-forced heaters are widely used for garages because they are quick to warm up the space and do so evenly.
Determine Your Budget
One of the most important things to consider is your budget. With the help of a local electrician, you can determine the initial and long-term costs for your chosen garage heater. You can also invest in energy-efficient machines, as we talked about earlier, to help you save money over time, even by getting tax deductions in the process!
Consider Safety Features
Many heated garages include specific features such as built-in thermostats or auto shut-offs. These can be particularly helpful if you’d like to keep a consistent temperature during the winter or if you’d like to ensure that the garage heater does not continue heating the space after reaching a certain temperature. Hiring a licensed electrician near Shakopee, Minnesota, to help you get it properly set up is a must so it will be seamless and hassle-free for you to use.
With all these factors in mind, you can choose the right garage heater for your space and ensure that your space is properly heated—even during winter!
Call Twin Cities Today to Install Your Heated Garage or Garage Heater
If you’re eager to get rid of the cold mornings in the winter and want to upgrade your home’s appeal for potential resale in the future, then it’s time to contact your local electrical contractors near you. Twin Cities Electric offers electrician services and has helped over 1,000 homeowners solve their electrical concerns, giving them peace of mind and comfort with safe, secure, and reliable electricity in their homes.
With over a decade of experience, we also handle much more than garage heaters and installations for residential buildings. From panels to circuit breakers to inspections, we’re here to help you make your home the safe and secure place that it’s meant to be. All you have to do is give us a call, and we’ll visit your property, even for same-day electrician services, to provide you with a quote and a consultation. Call Twin Cities Electric today or fill out a form to ensure your electrical needs are addressed.
