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[slosh250]

My current set up is not working, when it gets 32 or lower it runs all night to keep it at 45 in my shop. I am using a 2 row 3/8's copper tubing old refridgerent coil about 15 x 10. My blower is a 1/3 hp squirel cage with a shroud to the homeade HX. I am wanting to buy a new HX but am not sure what size i should get. My shop is 30x40x10. The walls are blow in insulation 5 1/2 inches thick to the bottom of rafters 10ft . All the tin has that cheap bubble wrap insulation on the backside. The ceiling is just the bubble stuff but i plan on insulating it this winter. 6 inch conrete floor also. What size HX do you think i need to keep this thing about 45-50 at night without running all night. Then just turn it up when im working inside. THanks

[Scott7m]

On something like that I would go with like a 20x20 just to make sure I had it covered.  The coils I handle a 20x20 would produce about 160,000 btu.  You don't need that much, but it would keep it from running as much.  However, until you insulate properly overhead, your gonna have issues

[slosh250]

Shoot me your opinion on this, should it use a R board up on the 2x4's on this part /\ which would leave the bottom of the trusses open which i have all kinds of crap stacked on. or put it flush with the bottom of the trusses. i know putting it on the bottom of the trusses would really help but i use them at least once a week for storage.

[oldchenowth]

I would put on the bottom of the truss.  That is my plan when funds permit.  How about one of those flip up stairs for access to storage?  A few light bulbs with a switch by the access whatever it might be.  Just my thought.

[kjw58]

I can tell you from experience it really doesn't matter what size heat exchanger you put in you will never heat it right till you insulate the ceiling !!  Insulation is one of the best investments you will ever make, for both the winter and summer.  Put the insulation on the bottom of the trusses, I put 12" rolled fiberglass batts between the trusses now I heat it with a candle !  Not really, but you won't believe what a difference it makes. Chances are if you insulate the ceiling good the exchanger you have might do the job .   Good Luck

[AirForcePOL]

I would recommend putting osb up on the ceiling and then blowing insulation in but that's just me.  In a 30x40 that is insulated properly you shouldn't need much heat at all.  I would say 100k btu would be plenty.

[patton acres]

Dont use OSB  ,if you ever have a fire it will go up quick. I did mine in dry wall board (not taped)back in the late 80s when I built it.never figured on finishing it.I ended up going over it with shiny white pole barn tin and then put the florecent lights right on the steel. all I can say is wow its really nice and doesn`t attract all the cob webs like the dry wall did.
    steel wasnt that much and it goes up quick and is finished when done.I added a 24x32 addition on one end of the shop last year and did the hole inside in white steel.I don`t heat that part yet but its insulated in case I want to.

      I have a pole barn that is 44x48 with  12ft ceiling with 12" of fiberglass. walls have 2" foam and then I framed it in with 2x6 and 6" fiberglass and finished drywall.
 I could have built a block foundation and stick built walls for what I have in this I just never figured it would go this far nor did I have that kinda cash when I built it.
   I had an oil furnace before so I added a 15x20" HX and shut off the oil. My pump runs 24/7 and the shop will stay at or near 60 as long as it doesn`t get below 30 or so at night.If I go out in the morning and turn on the thermostat the blower runs 10 minutes and gets the shop up to 63 and it will hold it a long time.
     I have a 12x24 room on the one side that is my office/parts room and the furnace is in there ,it stays almost to hot in there.I have the pex run along the wall and up to the furnace and I had to insulate the pex to cut down on the heat.
     I insulated this a little at a time as I had the cash and it was the best money I spent.I work out of my garage for my living and its nice being warm with out spending or burning a lot.

[ijon]

Drywall is your best bet for fire retardent. I had a truck burn up in my garage. It got hot enough to melt the aluminin in the engine, but didn't let the fire spread.

[AirForcePOL]

It won't burn if you don't catch it on fire