Best 5 Vented Garage Heaters (Horizontal & Vertical) Reviews

Natural gas heaters are an excellent option to heat your garage or workshop when it gets cold and can heat big spaces. They operate on the natural gas line of your house or building. You can purchase ventless garage heaters, but most people opt from safer vented garage heaters. They require venting systems that depend on the heater.

I will present to you the list of the five best vented garage heaters, giving you enough options to research and finally choose the perfect heater for you.

Guide For Buying A Vented Garage Heater

What Is A Vented Heater?

A vented heater is a heater that requires some kind of external ventilation system. The reason for this is that these heaters use natural gas, and if built up inside enclosed spaces can be dangerous (e.g. carbon monoxide poisoning). Normally heaters are vented through a chimney or wall.

Vented Or Ventless?

A vented heater is generally safe as no toxic gases are retained in your garage or shop and provide you with clean heat. However, some people opt for ventless heaters. These heaters do not use any form of ventilation, but generally, have reliable safety features such as the oxygen depletion sensor which monitors oxygen and CO levels, and are usually easier to install.

Roof / Vertical Ventilation

If you decide to vent the heater through your roof, this means you run the ductwork from the heater’s flange through a hole in the roof. Make a circle roughly the same diameter of your ductwork, drill the hole and pull it through. The length of the ductwork protruding from your roof depends on your area’s regulations. Just make sure everything is fastened and tight.

Wall/ Horizontal Ventilation

You can vent your heater through a wall by drilling a hole in it and running to it a 4 inch galvanized sheet metal duct from the heater. Use metal screws to tighten everything. A B vent pipe is usually used because of its insulation that prevents excessive heat. Make sure the venting system is appropriate to the size of your heater.

Venting Kits

In order to set up your desired ventilation system, you will probably need to purchase the necessary venting components. Garage heater vent kits usually consist of piping and elbows (vertical or horizontal), shields and termination kits.

Best 5 Vented Garage Heaters (Horizontal & Vertical) Reviews

Best Natural Gas Vented Heater

Mr. Heater F260560 Big Maxx

Fast And Efficient Heating

The F260560 Big Maxx is capable of heating large spaces fast. It operates on 80 000 BTU per hour, which is sufficient for heating 2000 square feet effortlessly. A thermostat and A/C terminals can easily be accessed from outside. It has a half-inch gas connection. The thermostat is sold separately.

Vertical And Horizontal

The powered exhaust of this heater allows you to vent it both vertically through the roof or horizontally through a wall. Vertical venting is category  1 and horizontal venting is category 3. Before venting, check your local restrictions and regulations.

Conversion Possible

This heater is primarily designed for using natural gas. However, a conversion kit is included with which you can easily make it powered by liquid propane. The Big Maxx heater requires 115 volts AC power.

Mounting Hardware Included

You can make your garage or shop much neater and more orderly by mounting this heater on the wall. This will save you a lot of room and clear away clutter. Do this using the two angled wall mounting brackets included with the unit. It has a 1-inch mounting clearance. The heater has to be at least 8 feet from the floor when mounted.

Design And Other Features

This heater has a simple, minimalistic design. A control module is featured in the spark ignition. The heater also has a high-velocity fan that pulls cool air to the back of the heater and releases warm air after going through a heat exchanger. It has a 3-year factory warranty on individual parts and burners and a 10-year warranty on any irregularities to the heat exchanger.

Best Industrial Ceiling-Vented Garage Heater

Hot Dawg Natural Gas Garage Ceiling Heater

Versatility Of Use

This Modine Hot Dawg heater is excellent for your everyday use in garages or workshops but is also effective for industrial and commercial use. It is produced and manufactured by Modine Manufacturing Company, one of the most distinguished and reliable producers of heaters and other thermal products. It is CSA listed.

Powerful And Compact

This heater produces 45,000 BTU of heat. It is primarily suited for heating up smaller restricted spaces. Its small dimensions (26 x 12 x 16.5 inches), simple design and neutral color make it quite handy and practical. It weighs 60 pounds.

Quiet Operation

When turned on, this heater does not produce much sound, which is very convenient if you are placing it in a space where a lot of people pass every day (e.g. commercial spaces).  The installation process is quick and easy.

Ceiling Mounted

This particular heater comes with the necessary hardware i.e. mounting brackets. Use them to attach the unit to the ceiling. It contains piping from both the left and right sides. You can vent this heater both vertically and horizontally with a narrow pipe.

Effortless  Installation

The installation of this heater is not that complicated and shouldn’t take too much time. There are field wiring connections and knockouts if you want to connect it to the gas line or electricity. A conversion kit that changes it to a liquid propane heater is available to buy online.

Best High-Efficiency Vented Garage Heater

Camco 57331 Olympian Gas Catalytic Heater

Adjustable Heating

You can adjust this heater’s thermal output from 1600 to 3000 BTU/hr. It is convenient to use a secondary heating source. It doesn’t require electricity or batteries which make it suitable for outdoor use, for example on camping trips, but also in your home or RV.

Wall Mounted Or Portable

The Camco heater can be mounted on your wall or it can be utilized as a portable heater, good for taking on trips. It can heat up to 100 square feet. If you choose to mount it on a wall, you can choose a horizontal or vertical mount.

Catalytic Heating

This heater uses catalytic heating technology which is much more efficient regular heating using a flame that 45 % of the energy. This saves massively on energy and money.

Safety Features

For safety reasons, this heater is equipped with a 100% shut off valve. This prevents fuel discharge if the unit accidentally doesn’t ignite. It uses a built-in Piezoelectric spark which, capable of starting 20 000 times. Dangerous amounts of CO are not released. The heat produces is safe and pure.

Works On Propane

This heater uses low-pressure HD propane gas. For more convenient heating, optional legs can be purchased with the unit. Use them to direct the radiant heat wherever you desire. The heater doesn’t use a fan and isn’t noisy.

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Best Vented Propane Garage Heater

Rinnai EX08CP Wall Mounted Direct Ventilation Heater

Improved Controls

The Rinnai EX08CP has greatly improved controls, making it extremely easy to use and operate. The company also advanced the heater’s setback features. This heater is pretty uncomplicated and efficient.

Temperature Setting Options

This heater allows you to choose how to read the temperature. The programmable thermostat has the  Celsius and Fahrenheit setting and also lower the output.

Compact Design

The dimensions of this heater are exceptionally small: 15 x 19 x 28 inches. It is a cabinet style heater, it is very compact to fit in your home. It is made for indoor use only and is best at heating small 15 x 15 foot rooms due to its low power.

Safety Features

This vented propane heater features a number of useful safety features. It has an error code indicator and self-diagnostics. If you have small children, you will find the child lock and cool-to-touch feature very useful.

Tricky Installation

The downside to this model is the installation process. The instructions are not so straightforward so you will probably have to hire a professional which will be an additional cost. However, when installed this heater works effectively and quickly. It has a 5-year warranty on parts and a 2-year labor warranty.

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Best Direct Vent Garage Heater With Thermostat

Martin Direct Vent Propane Wall Heater

Built-In Thermostat

This heater offers a built-in thermostat. By using it you can adjust the temperature of the heat to your desired level and control the heat distribution. The thermostat offers a low and high setting for maximum comfort.

Glass Window

This is a novelty regarding garage heaters. This heater features a ceramic glass window. This decorative piece allows you to see the blue flame through it and is only available with the 11 000 BTU and 20,000 BTU propane heaters. It has a stylish fireplace aesthetic.

Installation Process

Setting up this heater is not a demanding task. Just attach the heater’s direct vent to a gas fitter and enjoy the comfort and pleasing warmth. However, make sure that your wall is between 11.5 cm and 32 cm thick. The unit is made of die-cast aluminum and features a metal grill.

Smart Operation And Clean Heat

The heat that the Martin wall heater produces is completely clean and safe. The heater itself is very quiet so you won’t even notice when it is on, you’ll just be able to enjoy the warmth of your living or workspace. It is made of quality parts which will greatly prolong this heater’s life.

Family Production

The Martin heater is produced by the Bismar company that has been family-owned and operated for three generations. They have produced many high-quality products and this heater is not any different from the rest. It is certified for the US and Canada.

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Conclusion: Which Vented Garage Heater Should You Choose?

A vented garage heater is a great choice for heating and two best options are the Martin Direct Vent Propane Wall Heater and the Hot Dawg Natural Gas Garage Ceiling Heater. The Martin vented propane heater is high quality with a stylish furnace aesthetic, while the Hot Dawg garage heater is powerful and practical because of its size.

If you still haven’t found your ideal garage heater be sure to read this review. You’ll find a lot of useful information about electric garage heaters and infrared garage heaters in these reviews.