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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > COLD WEATHER AND UNHEATED GARAGE OR SHED
 
 


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Johnparav

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Hi all ,

For those that have an unheated garage or shed it might be helpful to run a cord to it and plug in 2 or 3 60 watt incandescent  light bulbs and see what happens . I use three  50 watt bulbs to heat my figloo . I have them hooked up to a thermostat that turns them on and off . it was -26 c yesterday and no problem maintaining set temp of 36f. The walls have 2.5 inches of insulation so that definitely helps . But it can't hurt if you think you will lose plants and it wouldn't cost more than 1 or 2 dollars to run those bulbs all day long . My rate is apx 25 cents a kilowatt hour including taxes and extra charges so at 4.32 kilowatt hours for running three 60 light bulbs 24 hours , that works out to $ 1.08 per day .
That is the absolute maximum but in reality i spend 10 to 15 dollars a month to maintain 36f on the coldest 3 months .
A thermostat is not necessary , you can unplug when not needed or use less bulbs . The light does not affect the plants or wake them up .

heres a link about my setup . 

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/figloo-update-5040799?highlight=figloo

John
SoniSoni

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
   Thanks  Great   I should be able to do this with a Thermo Cube...  on at 35F . off at 45F.
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pitangadiego

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Small 1500 watt heaters are as cheap as $20 at HD, and have a thermostat, so you can set them pretty low. You can add a timer and have them come on at night only.

Yes, INCANDESCENT bulbs will work, but fluorescents don't generate much heat. A halogen also puts off a good amount of heat, if you have on old torchiere lamp, for example
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Chivas

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
I let my attached unheated garage get to -6 at the lowest and so far it has worked well, usually it hovers around 32-37 degress until March-April, if I need extra heat it's just an excuse to do some baking, the stove is on the wall next to the garage and I seem to manage and pull off another few degrees for half a day or so that way.
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Johnparav

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Hey Jon ,

I find many people are afraid to use heaters thinking that the electricity  bill will go through the roof . Light bulbs and a lamp or two are always readily available for emergency last minute situations . I had an electric heater in my setup originally but have not needed it . 
I do agree though that if you really need that much heat its a better way to go . But not your only option .

John
hungryjack

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Incandescent Bulbs release 98% of the energy consumed as HEAT,
only 2% as light.
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RichinNJ

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
17 cents a kilo watt hour for electric power.
A 500 watt bulb burning for 24 hours will cost about 2$
RichinNJ

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Kerosene heaters cost about 1/3 less than electric heaters if kerosene costs $5 a gallon
Johnparav

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Everybody's situation and comfort level is different so its good to post all the different possibilities out there and let people decide what is best for them . 
Some may need a simple setup for just a couple extreme weather days . Others may be looking for a more longterm solution with no muss and fuss like an electric heater with t-stat . 
Others may not feel comfortable with flammable liquids and a flame, but the cost savings are great for those that need a lot of heat .
Others may not want to spend much money on equipment and are looking for a quick cheap fix till they figure out things a little better.
So we should all share  our methods and everyone can pick what is best for them . And it also helps if we give cost specifics like Rich .

Thanks … John
dfoster25

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
I have an attached garage. I bought an infrared heater for 50$ from lowes. I have no idea what it's gonna cost, but I really don't care. It's going down to -12 tomorrow night. I will even open the door to the kitchen if I have to. These plant are my babies and I won't risk losing them for 3 cold nights. I have a kerosene heater, but in not going to refill it every 12 hours. It's not very practical.
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RichinNJ

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
I kept our 20x20 unattached garage here in the northern part of the Garden State at 37F with an outdoor temp of 6f last night on 2 gallons of kerosene ie $10
armando93223

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Hope that the Fig Babies don't get damaged.....you guys are experiencing some chilly weather.  GOOD LUCK !!!!
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pitangadiego

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Yes the electricity costs money, but so does replacing plants. ;-))
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OttawanZ5

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
I have a $1000 secret this winter to keep my garage above freezing with no heater and no bulb ON. It held on above freezing even when the temp outside the garage door was -29 C (-20F) one early morning this week for a couple of hours then rising to -28C.. -27C etc  (wireless monitored; min/max as well).

But I paid for it by not parking my car inside the garage; car not starting, calling for boost, replacing dead battery due to extreme cold and bad nerves due to the car hassle. All for the promise of some ripe figs later
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Johnparav

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Is it Cattle  ? With all the methane they produce you could just light a fire under their butt .
Norhayati

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Good luck to all of you. I am glad we have summer all year round in malaysia, but I do miss the snow sometimes. Take good care of your fig babies.
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OttawanZ5

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
John
No cattle and no kettle. I got the garage insulated on three sides as well as the ceiling with high R insulation bates; the garage has insulated door. The common wall between the garage and the house acts like a small heater due to heat dissipation or heat leak. I did not close the small leaks under the garage door and the backyard door of the garage. I have a standby small heater that can trigger in if gets below -5C inside the garage but so far it has triggered only when garage door was opened for a few minutes for taking garbage to the curb.
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Chivas

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
You would be surprised how much difference closing those gaps on the doors makes, from -16 c to -6c (rare) when I put the weather stripping on the garage door and the new seals on the bottom of the doors. 
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cis4elk

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
The hot motor of a car parked in an attached garage really adds a good deal of warmth. As mentioned above it also helps tremendously to insulate your garage door.  I park outside but my wife's car stays in the garage, I think it's a hassle to park a full sized truck in a 2 car garage with another car (I gladly gave up my parking spot for my fig trees) . I would rather broom the snow off the truck then run it a bit while I go in and pour my coffee for the road. 
If for several days it is near zero or below outside and she hasn't driven her car at all that day, then I have to put an electric heater in the garage for an hour or two to warm things up a bit. An attached garage with insulated garage door retains heat rather well, the melted snow on the floor will freeze up to about 3 feet from the garage door on the coldest nights but that's about it. The closest figs to the door are at about 6 ft.  And sort of  like dfoster said, I'll go in and out of the house into the garage and hold the door open for few extra seconds to supliment some warmth also if I have to.
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newnandawg

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
Don't know how much difference this will make but I took  a tarp and covered the figs inside the back corner of my unheated garage. I have
an infrared heater at the front opening blowing warm air continuously into it. Low temps of 8 degrees Monday night and 11 degrees Tuesday night.

newnandawg

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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
I know you guys up north are much colder but it is 8 degrees at my house this morning. That is plenty cold, especially for this far south
in West Central Georgia. The tarp and infrared heater inside my attached garage seems to have done a good job. Our high yesterday
was 26 degrees and down to 8 now. Inside my tent over the figs it is 48 degrees.
strudeldog

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Posted Reply with quote  #22 
1 F Here this morning at light  a balmy 2 now. I missed my goal by 1 degree. I figure why not go for 0.  The space heater and closing off the stairway upstairs  kept my garage and potted around 43.
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oldvt

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Posted Reply with quote  #23 
I have my older figs in my root cellar and it was 25 below at 9 pm the other night. I hope they are ok . Rex.
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