In an industrial environment, comfort and safety play a significant role in achieving a good atmosphere. Proper heating is one of the major aspects to ensure this. Most large spaces, such as factories, warehouses, and workshops, are heated with unit heaters prescribed by industry standards. But, besides just fulfilling the requirement, choosing the right unit heater does the job efficiently. Energy efficiency becomes critical not only when it is considered how to reduce operational expenses but also when looking at environmental impacts.

What Are Industrial Unit Heaters?

One of the prerequisites for selecting energy-efficient industrial unit heaters is understanding these heaters. Industrial unit heaters are large area heating devices generally wall- or ceiling-mounted in an industrial building. Industrial unit heaters are primarily focused on using natural gases, steam, and electricity for generating and delivering excellent output. A unit heater is employed to generate and deliver stable and even heat in the designated space in the form of a warm flow of air.

What Makes Energy Efficiency a Mandate among Industries?

Energy efficiency in industrial norms refers to the idea of ensuring better and driven results while consuming less or the same level of energy. Energy efficiency is a multifolded layer of advantages for both consumers and manufacturers. Some advantages are listed below.

• Economically Sound: Energy-efficient heaters consume an exponentially less amount of energy when put to the test against their counterparts, thus resulting in a tremendous difference in operational costs and bills.
• Environmental Impact: The Governments and supervising organisations, to curb carbon reliance, have put immense safeguards that have made sure products like these are promoted that align with the safeguards and ecological advantages.
• Sustainability: Businesses have started focusing on a Greener and sustainable approach to harness energy. It has been adopted to tackle the Government and Customers’ demands while also boosting their revenues and sales.
• System Longevity: Efficient systems ensure a healthy lifecycle for devices and guarantee less wear and tear a machine might inflict throughout its usage. This helps minimise the downtime and maintenance expenses for the heaters.

Key Factors in Optimizing Heater Selection

When you are faced with a situation of selecting the right heater for your use, it is better to be well-versed in certain key factors that will help determine and choose a heater that fits your demands and requirements. Here is a list of factors that can help you select your ideal heater.

Heating Capacity

The heating capacity is the most critical factor that you should be aware of before selecting a unit heater. It determines the output a heater can deliver in the designated space. Typically, a heater with a wattage rating of 1500 can easily warm up a room of up to 150 square feet. However, it can vary in different spaces. An inadequate and insufficient wattage heater can end up consuming more energy and provide underwhelming results, while overkill can end up wasting money on operational costs.

Fuel Source

Another significant aspect of achieving energy efficiency is choosing the correct fuel source. Industrial unit heaters are powered by various sources of energy, which have their respective efficiency profiles.

• Electric Heaters: Electric heaters are often highly efficient because they convert almost all the energy they use into heat. However, the cost of electricity can vary depending on your location, and in some areas, it may not be the most cost-effective option.
• Gas Heaters: Gas heaters (natural gas or propane) are a favorite among industrial facilities because of their comparatively lower operating expenses. New gas heaters usually come equipped with high-efficiency burners and sophisticated controls, which make them energy-efficient options for most industries.
• Oil or Steam Heaters: These may be less ubiquitous but remain an alternative in some buildings. They are typically more efficient than traditional models but less so than natural gas or electricity.

Picking the correct type of fuel can make a real difference in your heating bill. Compare local energy prices and efficiency ratings of each type of fuel before deciding.

Heater Design and Technology

The unit heater’s design itself can have a significant impact on energy efficiency. Look for these features:

• Modulating Burners: In gas heaters, a modulating burner varies the flame size according to the room temperature. This avoids overheating and saves energy.
• Fan Speed Controls: Variable speed fan heaters allow air flow to be controlled by the need for heating, using less energy where the full fan speed is not required.
• Heat Exchangers: New heat exchangers have been engineered to recover additional heat from the fuel, so overall efficiency is enhanced. Purchase heaters with efficient heat exchangers, which maximize the energy being converted to useful heat.
• Smart Controls: Many of the newer heaters now incorporate smart control functions, either programmable thermostats or app remote control. These allow you to schedule temperatures by time of day, occupation, or your specific business requirements, preventing wastage of energy.

Proper Maintenance

Even the most efficient unit heater will become less effective with time if not properly maintained. Proper maintenance is essential to keep the system operating at maximum efficiency. Some of the maintenance tips are:

• Cleaning the Unit: Dust and dirt clogs air filters and makes the heater less efficient. Cleaning ensures that the unit works fine.
• Inspecting for Leaks: In gas systems, inspect for leaks in the heat exchanger or fuel line since this causes wastage of energy and poses safety risks.
• Seasonal Check-ups: Arrange professional check-ups during the heating season to have all things working in prime condition.

Building Insulation and Air Sealing

Regardless of how effective your heater is, inadequate insulation in your building will lead to substantial heat loss. Insulation works by keeping the heat within the building, thus lowering the unit heater’s overall energy consumption. Besides insulation, ensure that all windows, doors, and other openings are sealed. Reducing drafts will ensure that the warm air remains within and the cold air remains outside.

Energy-Efficient Models and Certifications

When selecting a heater, always look for energy-efficient models that are certified by recognized standards such as the ENERGY STAR label. These models have been tested for performance and energy efficiency, ensuring that they meet or exceed industry standards.

Conclusion

When tasked with the selection of an industrial unit heater that delivers the maximum potential and maintains an energy-efficient system, it is better to be thorough and aware of several factors, including the economic costs, storage capacity, and the quality of fuel to be used. Considering these factors will assist you in achieving an ideal system for more savings and a reduction in the consumption of energy.

Besides, with normal care and a push for making insulation better, you can let your warming system work well. With a joint way of picking and using heaters, you can be sure that your business place will stay warm and use energy well for many years ahead.

Explore Wattco’s range of industrial heaters, including band heaters, immersion heaters, and more. Click here to view all of our products