How to Choose a Shop Heater

Shopping for a heater for your store? There are tons of different options available, so you may be wondering what to look for when making your decision. Read on to learn more about the types, styles, and benefits of shop heaters.

The right kind of shop heater can help keep your business cozy all year long. This post will walk you through the different kinds of heaters available today and show you how they’ll work in a variety of settings — from small retail stores to large warehouse spaces.

Types of Shop Heaters

There are two basic kinds of shop heaters — portable and permanent. Portable heaters are great for taking on the road with you when you’re traveling to your next job site or can be used as an emergency backup system. These heaters often use propane or natural gas for their fuel, and they differ from permanent shop heaters in that you can take them with you when not in use.

While portable heaters are easy to move around, permanent shop heaters don't need to be moved around at all. These types of shop heaters work by circulating warm air through a duct system so that it's evenly distributed across a large space. Once installed in your shop, these energy-efficient heaters can supply your business with hot, dry air all year round.

Portable Heaters

Portable heaters are great for small businesses that need a way to stay warm without carrying anything around with them. These heating units often have limited power outputs and must be set up in advance (meaning they won't work well during cold weather). They're also dependent on electricity, which means they won't work well when the power goes out or when the electricity is too weak to run the unit and maintain a constant temperature.

In addition to these issues, portable heaters tend to be very expensive — often costing as much as $1,000 apiece. This is why many people choose to use portable heaters in conjunction with other heating systems. For example, if your business uses propane or natural gas, you can turn on your heater when the temperatures are too cold for comfort and keep the heater running even when you're not using it.

Permanent Shop Heaters

Permanent shop heaters are usually installed by an HVAC professional (for a cost of around $1,000) and typically require a professional install job because they'll need to be attached to an existing HVAC system in order to work properly. However, they can be effective in large spaces, providing hot water or hot air at an even temperature across your entire workspace. In addition to providing a way to stay warm all year long, this type of heater is much more cost-effective in the long run than shop heaters that are powered by electricity. Gas heaters have a power output that is about twice as large as electric heaters for the same price.

Shop Heater Safety

You should always exercise proper safety precautions when you're using shop and industrial heaters. These pieces of equipment should never be used inside your business or in any way that could present a fire or electrical hazard. For example, you should never use a shop heater inside the trunk of your car or on the roof — there's simply no way to know how it might react in those hot spots and there's no way to control it. Also, keep these heaters several feet away from any sources of ignition when they're not in use, such as open flames and sparks (even small ones).

Shop Heater Choices

The right kind of shop heater for your business depends on what you need most — cost, size, function and even simplicity. To learn more about the types of heaters available, keep reading.

Electric Shop Heaters

Electric shop heaters are often the least expensive type of heating unit you can purchase, but they can also be extremely dangerous if they're used improperly. Since most electric shop heaters are powered by electricity, they must always be plugged in to a power source and must never be unplugged while operating or while still hot. When using this type of heater, you should also make sure that it has not been damaged during transport — otherwise, it could start a fire in your office or workspace.

Propane Shop Heaters

Propane heaters are one of the most popular types of shop heaters because they're both affordable and extremely energy-efficient. As long as you're using propane, these heaters will maintain a precise temperature for as long as you need them — and they'll cost you a fraction of what electric heaters cost.

Diesel Shop Heaters

Diesel shop heaters cost more than propane heaters, but they contain no harmful fumes that might damage the environment or your health. They require some maintenance to keep them running smoothly, but many websites recommend replacing these units once every five years or so to ensure that they continue providing adequate heating for your shop.

Shop Heater Size

When shopping for a shop heater, it’s important to think about your specific business needs. The size of each unit will vary depending on the type of space you need to heat, but most of them range between three and six thousand BTUs. This means that they’ll be able to heat an area around 10,000 to 30,000 square feet with a temperature between 85 and 175 degrees Fahrenheit. It's important to purchase the right kind of heater if you're going to be heating something large. Otherwise, you’ll end up spending more money on electricity, propane or natural gas than you had to.

Shop Heater Power Output

This is a measurement of how much heat is being generated by a heater at any given time. Some shop heaters feature a smaller power output than others, so be sure to pay attention to this specification when you're comparing products. Most shop heaters are between 50,000 and 250,000 BTUs per hour. Most of these units can be turned down in colder weather or can be supplemented with other sources of heat, such as portable propane tanks and electric heating units that are hooked up to the same HVAC system. Shop heaters for large spaces should be around 250,000 BTUs and can cater to anything from 12,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet. Shop heaters that are smaller may only be able to provide a temperature of 85F or lower, but they can still supplement other sources of heat.

Shop Heater Uses

In most cases, shop heaters are used for the purpose of heating your workspace or the space that your business is located in. If you're looking into purchasing one for your business, think about what you'll need it to do — then keep reading to learn more about how some types of shop heaters work.

Conclusion

Choosing the right shop heater for your business depends on several factors — everything from what type of heating system you have to where you're located and the temperature outside. Whether you need a propane or diesel unit, a permanent shop heater or a portable space heater, there are plenty of options out there to keep you and your employees comfortable. Just be sure to compare shop heaters before choosing which one is best for your needs. Read reviews from other users, get recommendations from friends who operate their own businesses and even talk to an HVAC specialist about your options. Shop heaters can be pricey, but if you find the right one for your business today, it'll last for several years before it needs to be replaced.