DID YOU KNOW? All of our technicians are employees of Overhead Door. We never use subcontractors!

DID YOU KNOW? All of our technicians are employees of Overhead Door. We never use subcontractors!

Mid-Atlantic Door Group Inc. Distributors of Overhead Door Corp.

The Best Ways to Heat a Garage on Different Budgets

Your home’s garage is likely one of the last places you’d want to spend considerable time in during a Mid-Atlantic winter. Between cold concrete floors, drafty walls, and often limited insulation, this space can get quite chilly. Extend the usefulness of your garage and make it comfortable year-round by upgrading its heating. Below we outline four potential ways to heat your garage, their pros and cons, and an estimated average cost based on our research online.

three car garage with snow in front

Four of the Best Ways to Heat a Garage

Insulation

Pros:

  • Insulation and weather stripping are affordable and usually can be installed without a pro
  • No recurring costs after being installed

Cons:

  • Not a good choice for areas with more extreme temperature drops
  • The homeowner cannot fully control the temperature of the garage

Estimated Cost: Garage door-only kits ranging from $40 – $100+

garage interior with insulation installed

Electric Space Heater

Pros:

  • Newer, energy-efficient models won’t cause your utility bills to jump significantly
  • The versatility of use and portable
  • The heater can be used in your home elsewhere No additional ventilation required

Cons:

  • Requires electrical outlets in the garage
  • Slow to warm up entire space compared to other options

Estimated Cost:$40 – $400, depending on wattage and size needed

Ductless HVAC System

Pros:

  • Flexibility when it comes to where the unit is installed: on the floor or mounted to the wall
  • Easy to use thanks to remote controls
  • Combination of heating and cooling means year-round use of a garage

Cons:

  • Greater upfront costs (unit plus installation) compared to the previous two options
  • Regular maintenance of filters needed to keep unit running properly
  • May require supplemental heating for very cold regions

Estimated Cost: $360 – $3800, depending on BTUs and number of zone units needed

Radiant Floor Heating System

Special Note: This is only a solution for those who are building a new garage or those planning to tear out an existing garage floor and replace it with a new concrete floor.

Pros:

  • Low operating costs after installation
  • Quiet
  • More consistent heating throughout the entire garage versus other options as heat rises across an entire floor
  • Allows for year-round use of a garage for things like home projects, car maintenance

Cons:

  • Greater upfront costs (boiler, floors being replaced, and labor)
  • Potential moisture build-up inside the garage could damage contents
  • Can only be done as part of a new build or a complete renovation of a garage

Estimated Cost:$1,785 – $5,861, according to a 2020 HomeAdvisor “True Cost Guide”

radiant floor heating

About The Author | Justin White


Justin White is the VP of Marketing for Mid-Atlantic Door Group, Inc. The company opened in 1973 and now consists of (3) official Overhead Door™ Distributors and (8) warehouse locations throughout Maryland, DC, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Justin was born into the door industry, ultimately following in his father's footsteps and joining the family owned business in 2011. After spending time in the field with fellow mechanics, Justin found his niche in marketing, along with a specialty in residential garage door sales, installation, and service.

Garage Door Services

Since 1973, Mid-Atlantic Door Group, Inc. has been providing Washington DC, Suburban MD, Frederick MD, Southern MD, Northern VA, Fredericksburg VA, Richmond VA, Harrisburg PA, Hanover-York PA, and the surrounding areas with the most reliable and trusted garage door services. These services include new door sales, professional installation, and 24/7 garage door repair services on all makes and models.

We are the region's only Authorized Overhead Door™ Distributors. All of our products enjoy the garage door industry's best warranty.

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