Garage heat nice convenience
A heated garage can come in handy—especially during
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Dennis Beck installed electric heat in his garage to store his boat for the winter. |
North Dakota winters. If you change your own oil, fix small projects, store expensive “toys” or provide shelter for pets, a little bit of heat can transform your garage into a workshop, an auto repair shop, a playground or a sanctuary.
Dennis Beck, a Capital Electric member from Bismarck,
recently installed garage heat so he didn’t have to pay an annual fee of $350 to winterize his boat. He researched his options, talked to his electric cooperative and chose two small electric heaters that are suspended from the ceiling.
Since the installation, he sets the temperature to hover above freezing. This allows him to work in the garage, store his boat and keep his family comfortable.
“In past years, the garage has been off-limits in January and February. Now it’s comfortable year-round, and I figure it will pay for itself in three years,” he says. “It’s a nice convenience at a cost-effective rate.”
Dual-fuel benefits co-op member
Prior to installing the heaters, Dennis compared the prices of gas and electricity. Then he contacted the member services department at Capital Electric Cooperative and asked for some advice. Josh Schaffner, member services assistant, went to the Beck home and assessed the garage’s size and Dennis’ needs.
Josh advised Dennis to take advantage of the co-op’s off-peak heating program, which uses two sources of fuel rather than one. Because Dennis uses gas to heat his home, he could add electric heat to the garage and save money by allowing the co-op to switch from one heating source to the other. Combining two different energy sources allows Capital Electric to maximize efficiency, which in turn allows the cooperative to offer members lower heating rates.
In order to implement electric heat to the garage, Dennis needed a submeter and an off-peak controller. Because of the large size of the three-stall garage, he also chose to go with two small heaters in opposite corners of the garage.
An electrician wired the garage for electric heat in December. Because the house was built in 1996, Dennis wanted additional wiring for the future. The electrician installed a utility box in the Becks’ basement and upgraded wiring to accommodate an electric water heater and hot tub. The cost of the project, with the materials and labor, came to around $850. Dennis plans to keep his boat much longer than three years and says the investment is well worth the initial cost.
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Josh Schaffner (left), member services assistant for Capital Electric, explains to member Dennis Beck how the submeter works on the co-op’s dual-fuel program. Since the installation of electric heat in his garage, Dennis says his bill is approximately $16 higher each month. |
While heaters like the ones Dennis purchased are available at local hardware stores, Josh advises members to contact their electric cooperative first. He says the co-op can generally purchase heaters at a discount. The member services department can also advise members if they qualify for the co-op’s dual-fuel program and assess each member’s individual needs.
Dennis says he appreciated the attention he received from Josh and Capital Electric.
“Josh made a house call to look at my layout and make recommendations. He was also there for the follow-up and to answer my questions. If I would have gone to a store, I would have been on my own. As a consumer, I think it’s pretty important what we spend our dollars on,” he says.
“This was a good experience. I was very pleased with the service and would recommend it to others.”
Serving his country
Dennis isn’t the only one who appreciates his warmer garage. He speaks proudly of his wife, Jane, and their three young children. He says the newly heated garage is a haven for the kids, who can now play year-round with their bikes and buggies.
Jane works as a registered nurse for Medcenter One and Dennis serves as a regional recruiting manager of the N.D. Army National Guard. He says he joined more than 20 years ago to earn money for college. He earned his degree and works full time for the Guard.
“I recruit young men and women to fight the war on terrorism and prepare for the future, for state disasters, border control, tornadoes and blizzards, or whatever the community needs,” he says.
A family tradition, Dennis has three younger brothers involved with the Guard. One retired after he served in Iraq, and the other two currently serve full time.
“It’s been an incredible experience,” Dennis says. “Recruiting has been a lot more challenging since 9/11. But there are still a lot of young men and women who are very patriotic. They want to serve and believe in the freedoms we have.”
A NOTE ON THE OFF-PEAK METER: A dual-fuel system requires a sub or separate meter along with an off-peak controller. At the Beck home, the off-peak meter is powered by the same breaker as the two heaters. If Capital Electric members with this type of metering turn their breakers to the submeter off in the spring but forgot to turn them back on in the fall, they will find themselves paying the full electric rate because the use is not peak-metered. Members, the best way to avoid this situation is to leave those breakers on!