Pole Barn Heating Options This Winter

[rswyan]

Did you make a grate for the bottom? Seems to me it would fill with ash fairly quick otherwise.

I did on mine (double barrel) ... first one was made with rebar ... lasted about 10 years.

Just built a new one this last year ... used either 5/8" or 3/4" solid round.

How many hours of burn time do you get? How much wood do you put in?

Varies ...

I'm heating a 900 sq. ft. masonry block shop ... it has an 8' insulated drywall ceiling, walls/overhead door are uninsulated.

I run a cheap 20" Wally World floor fan hanging on chains next to mine to circulate the air.

It will keep my shop very comfortable even in the coldest weather, assuming good seasoned wood to burn and a clean stove pipe.

In less than extreme cold (20's, 30's) it will actually run you out of the shop.

If I'm up there working in the winter, I generally keep it in the mid 70's ... I was up there this past week working on a cooler day and it got up to 80 inside the building ...

 

[old gray]

I plan to have a Pole barn built next year or year after. Metal sides and roof. Do you guys have a problem with heating the interior causing condensation with a un isulated building? I did not plan to insulate and want to heat with a wood stove and torpedo.

 

[MMagis]

I don’t have any personal experience, but I don’t know how you would NOT have condensation.

 

[TractorGuy]

Did you make a grate for the bottom? Seems to me it would fill with ash fairly quick otherwise. How many hours of burn time do you get? How much wood do you put in?

I bent a piece of expanded metal for a grate and also put one on top of the top barrel for cooking. We use to put venison stew in a boiling bag in a pot on top when we went out and had it for lunch at midday. Stoke it up in the morning and it would still be putting out heat midday. When I had it in my shop I put old brake rotors and starters and other metal in the top drum. Those would get hot and retain the heat for a while after the wood burned down. It makes a mess shoveling ash out of any wood burner but the heat is worth it.

 

[Garycw]

I would try to dedicate a corner or area for tack room/ workshop.with walks & ceiling. Something you could knock the chill off with a ceramic or infrared heater. Nothing with s flame or red hot coils

 

[KennyG]

I plan to have a Pole barn built next year or year after. Metal sides and roof. Do you guys have a problem with heating the interior causing condensation with a un isulated building? I did not plan to insulate and want to heat with a wood stove and torpedo.

Heating will REDUCE the potential for condensation. Condensation occurs when the temperature drops below the dew point. Pole barn condensation problems occur in warmer, humid weather when the temperature cools down outside and the metal gets colder. You will be starting at cold temperatures and warming up the inside.

Your only concern will be needing massive amounts of heat with no insulation (and, I assume, no ceiling or vapor barrier). Even if you can't spend the money on insulation, I would suggest looking into a vapor barrier and some kind of ceiling. My experience with a torpedo in an uninsulated building is that you can make one small corner minimally acceptable and that's about it.

 

[MMagis]

Heating will REDUCE the potential for condensation. Condensation occurs when the temperature drops below the dew point. Pole barn condensation problems occur in warmer, humid weather when the temperature cools down outside and the metal gets colder. You will be starting at cold temperatures and warming up the inside.

Your only concern will be needing massive amounts of heat with no insulation (and, I assume, no ceiling or vapor barrier). Even if you can't spend the money on insulation, I would suggest looking into a vapor barrier and some kind of ceiling. My experience with a torpedo in an uninsulated building is that you can make one small corner minimally acceptable and that's about it.

You’re saying that when cold air hits the heated metal siding, it’s not going to sweat? Ever slept in a tent when it’s cold out? (I know its not the same, just using it as an example).

 

[Garycw]

If you don't use the vapor barrier under the metal roof, it'll be like its raining inside. I used the shinny stuff on big rolls from the metal supply co.

 

[MFWD]

Hello,
Your post didn't say how much closed cell foam that you were getting. I got the ceiling of the first floor of my 2 -story garage building sprayed last spring. I want to keep any gas or oil smells from going up to my 2nd floor woodworking workshop. Then we put R-38 batt insulation on top of the foam. I got the minimum amount that they said they could spray.....they charged me for an inch, but they said that was hard to do so I really got 1.5 and in some places 2". The reason I bring this up is that closed cell insulation is only 7.5 R per inch. It really does a great job of sealing things up, but the insulating value is only 7.5 per inch of thickness. So, that is something to find out and to think about. Good luck on your job !!!

MFWD

 

[windy acers]

You will not be able to heat the space with a open ridge vent. You will probably end up needing a ceiling.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I would try to close in a small area in a corner for winter workshop with ceiling and insulate that room ceiling and walls. Then maybe by next winter you can put in a ceiling with insulation.

I don't think it's practical to do what you are planning.

And cats don't need insulation or heat
Just a a place to get out of the wind and maybe a 2 to 4 bales of straw or hay to hide on.

 

[KennyG]

Youæ±*e saying that when cold air hits the heated metal siding, itç—´ not going to sweat? Ever slept in a tent when itç—´ cold out? (I know its not the same, just using it as an example).

If you sleep in a tent when it's cold, you are breathing and giving off moisture in a small space, raising the humidity. When that air comes in contact with the tent, it can condense. In a pole barn in the winter, you start with air at say 25 deg F that may be at 100% humidity. Heat it up to 60 degrees and the humidity is going to be 20 or 30%. The only way it can condense is if it comes in contact with something colder than the outside air temperature. Breathing won't make a difference. The only time I've heard of condensation inside a building in the winter is if you have a humidifier or are using a ventless heater.

 

[BoylermanCT]

As many others have said, heating the barn without full insulation on the walls and ceiling will be a lost cause. For the cats, get some heated pet beds. They cost penny's to run and are cat magnets! My barn cats love them.

 

[prichard]

If you sleep in a tent when it's cold, you are breathing and giving off moisture in a small space, raising the humidity. When that air comes in contact with the tent, it can condense. In a pole barn in the winter, you start with air at say 25 deg F that may be at 100% humidity. Heat it up to 60 degrees and the humidity is going to be 20 or 30%. The only way it can condense is if it comes in contact with something colder than the outside air temperature. Breathing won't make a difference. The only time I've heard of condensation inside a building in the winter is if you have a humidifier or are using a ventless heater.

I don't understand that. Isn't one of the reasons for vapor barrier because warmer air hitting a colder surface causing condensation. Also what happens when The inside or outside humidity changes or when the temp outside goes below the starting 25 degree point?

 

[MMagis]

If you sleep in a tent when it's cold, you are breathing and giving off moisture in a small space, raising the humidity. When that air comes in contact with the tent, it can condense. In a pole barn in the winter, you start with air at say 25 deg F that may be at 100% humidity. Heat it up to 60 degrees and the humidity is going to be 20 or 30%. The only way it can condense is if it comes in contact with something colder than the outside air temperature. Breathing won't make a difference. The only time I've heard of condensation inside a building in the winter is if you have a humidifier or are using a ventless heater.

Sorry, that's simply not true. When cold meats warm ,you get condensation. I just did a quick search to come up with one example, but there are plenty more out there for anyone interested. And this may not be the perfect example, just the first one I copied.
Help Fix my Condensation Problem in Pole Building - The Garage Journal Board

 

[KennyG]

Hold on guys. The cases you are talking about is when there is a moisture source inside the building. You get condensation only if you are introducing moisture. If you are heating the inside, filled essentially with outside air, it can't get cold enough by contacting the walls to condense unless you are humidifying it somehow. I've heard of this happening with a well sealed building and a vent free gas heater and I guess it could happen if you used a torpedo heater without much outside air (which is not recommended - I never saw it happen before I insulated and added a wood stove in my pole barn).

The garage journal case appears to be extreme - Seattle, constant rain, running unvented propane heaters in a closed building with new (still drying) concrete.

 

[MMagis]

You make a good point, there does have to be moisture. But I thought we were talking about a torpedo heater, which does introduce moisture into the air. And there’s always going to be some moisture in the air.

 

[Garycw]

Re: moisture my barn is dirt floor except for tack room. Some moisture naturally raised from dirt, rain run off that sometimes comes in, plus one end is open. This is for the horses and neighbors cows ( another story) to come in. There breath and manure crest slot of moisture too. OP senario may be much different, but I don't really have a problem with condensation because we used the tool out shinny carport barrier under roof metal.

 

[ovrszd]

waste of time....in Ohio you will not be able to heat that building without complete insulation walls and ceiling and a big heater and a big fuel bill
I assume you have a dirt or gravel floor? Best you can hope for is heat from a heater while directly in front of it . I live right down the road in Greene county been there

I agree. Without completely insulating the structure you are trying to heat a pop can. Pointless. With the thermostat set at 50 it will never turn off once the temps go below freezing. Your fuel supplier will like you though.