Electric heater floor in hangar?

[RickWoodall]

Renovating an old hangar and pouring a new concrete floor. Considering putting a drive way snow melt type heated cable in cement pad under plane and work bench that can be fired up when going in to work in the really cold times.
Anyone used something like this? Pros or cons? As I get older cold concrete really isnt much fun. Just looking at ideas. Done need hangar hot, just take the deep chill out.

[Mike S]

What about a hydronic system??

Whatever you use, insulate under the slab with some rigid foam board.

[emsvitil]

You'll run it a few times, get the electric bill and then never run it again.


With hydronic, you have the option of solar water panels on the roof..........

[Canadian_JOY]

As others have mentioned, electric bills will cause heart stoppage, thereby invalidating your pilot's medical!

Hydronic is the way to go in our climate. Insulation under the slab is a must.

Keep in mind that you're trying to heat up a very large thermal mass. Heated floors work best when asked to keep a constant temperature. It's definitely not the kind of heat one would use if one wanted to turn it on at lunch so one would be warm working in the hangar in the afternoon. Turn it on at lunch two days before you want to work!

If you're looking at "bang for the buck" some of the best things you can do is to ensure you have insulation under your concrete slab, run hydronic heating lines in the slab for that time when you win the lottery and can afford to heat your hangar all winter long. These provisions won't cost you very much (ok, the insulation is expensive but very worth it). To make your work life a little better, consider laying down an insulating layer on the floor and using overhead radiant heat to keep you warm.

In our hangar (which is far more like a farm implement shed or pole barn) I have asphalt on the floor. Atop the asphalt is a layer of cheap chipboard. Over the chipboard I've installed used carpeting. It doesn't look all that good, but this combination really increases comfort in the winter. Plus the carpet ensures that washer or nut you dropped doesn't go rolling across the hangar!

For radiant heating, consider using a setup much like an I.V. pole... A wheeled trolley with a vertical rod terminating in a Tee... One or two inexpensive electric radiant heaters may be installed on this mobile heater, allowing you to move it to wherever you are working.

[rockwoodrv9]

Rick,
If you use a pex pipe system in the slab, you will get good floor heat but it will not heat up fast. You can maintain temp if you are going to use it all the time.

I am a big fan of radiant heating in homes. It is the best and probably the most efficient. As Mike said, you have to make sure you use rigid insulation at least 2" thick under the slab and down the sides of the foundation. That will make a huge difference. If you have access to natural gas or propane if it is reasonable cost, you can get a high efficiency boiler and it will work great - if you keep it running.

For hangars and garages that get occasional or even regular use of less than 8 hours a day probably would be better with a ceiling tube radiant heater. The floor insulation is still a great idea. This is just a sample to consider. I am having 2 tube heaters put in a pool house at one of our apartment complexes we are building. I can send you info if you want. Good luck https://www.grainger.com/product/7AR...U4CJF:20500731

[jnmeade]

In-floor hot water does not have a fast recovery time. My 36X48 shop in Iowa has it and the doors need to be really sealed well in the winter when the cold wind blows. I can't speak to electric tape heat.
If I were to do it over, I'd use overhead radiant heat. Faster recovery, more controllable.
I set my thermostat to 60°F and it's all you need because there is no air movement.

[RickWoodall]

The hangar is getting new concrete and they are suggesting vapor barrier and then apparently spray foam 2" insulation under slab, 2" foam along door foundation wall 4' deep.

There is no water or gas available sadly. There are driveway snow melt systems out there that are pretty cheap, just wires that get buried 2" under concrete and plan was to set it at a very min temp and turn it on or up 6 hours before any hangar work days just to remove the deep cant feel your feet chill. Certainly a space heater or two would work but cold concrete isnt much fun. Will likely use some industrial carpet of rubber floor product to help a bit. thank you

[daveyator]

I believe you can buy heated socks at Bass Pro stores.
Cheers DaveH

[Mike Buckler]

I put in radiant heat one tube in front of Hangar door. My hanger is 50 x 50 I keep it at 55° through the winter and the cost is usually under $100 a month to heat the Hangar. I am up here in Canada in southern Ontario so I put 3‘ x 2“ thick of insulation around the entire exterior of the hanger, I’ve had the hangar for 10 years the floor has never heaved or cracked.

[PCHunt]

Aussie Dave beat me to it!

I was gonna say get some insulated, battery-powered heated boots! You can buy a lot of batteries for what it would cost to heat the entire hangar floor!

Maybe rechargeable batteries?