If you’re managing a factory or warehouse in the southern half of Australia, chances are you will need a space infrared heater to keep it at the right temperature on cold days. There are many benefits to installing an infrared heater system such as keeping your employees comfortable and reducing the risk of costly damage to goods.
Selecting the right infrared heater for a factory or warehouse involves several considerations: warehouse size, how well it’s insulated, and operational aspects like open doors, which may affect warmth. At SBH Solutions, we’re experts in providing energy-efficient short wave infrared heaters perfect for such environments. Get in touch with our expert team now – we can assist you in finding the best infrared heating solution to ensure your operations run smoothly and economically.
1. How can I heat a factory or warehouse economically?
If you’re looking to heat your factory or warehouse economically, energy-efficient infrared heaters, especially short-wave infrared, will be the best option. Short-wave infrared heaters emit high-intensity heat directly absorbed by objects and people, not just the air, which cuts down on heat loss in spacious areas. This direct heat transfer is very efficient, as it reduces energy loss to the surrounding environment. When combined with efficiently designed and well-made polished parabolic reflectors, the working range of relatively low-powered heaters can be surprisingly large. For example, one single 2000W Titan short-wave infrared heater can heat up to an area of 20m².
Many factories and warehouses now have solar panels on the roof space. Industrial electric heaters can use this power generation to offset your power bills, and short-wave infrared gives the best “bang for buck”.
2. Why is short-wave infrared the best factory and warehouse heater option?
There are many heating options available for factory and warehouses, including traditional choices like gas fired air blowers, gas flamed ceramic tile heaters, and panel infrared heaters. These options can efficiently warm large spaces, but because they are mainly heating air, it is necessary to the heat the whole space; because hot air rises, this means that it requires a significant energy input to heat a large space. Often an accompanying roof mounted fan system is required to pull heated air down to the floor space. When it comes to energy usage and heating effectiveness, short-wave infrared heaters work best because they are 92% radiant efficient.
Short wave infrared heaters work by emitting high-intensity heat that is directly absorbed by objects and people, not the air in between, which heats by re-radiation off surfaces. This method greatly reduces heat loss, making it ideal for industrial open space settings. However, it does require a re-think in mind set – this is targeted localised heat, so when you are out of the “wedge” of heat the area remains much colder.
3. How do Short-Wave Infrared Heaters work?
Helios short-wave infrared heaters work by generating intense beams of radiant heat primarily in the form of “near infrared radiation”. The heaters combine this with patented polished parabolic reflectors which distribute the heat generated by the InFraCaLoR® halogen lamp better than any other heater on the market. This all facilitates a very rapid heat up when switched on (within 1 second to full power).
Our heaters emit focused infrared radiation that directly heats objects and people within their range. This quick and efficient heating process ensures that you feel warmth instantly, making them ideal for outdoor and large open indoor spaces.
Short-wave means that there is no need to pre-heat a space and often these heaters are operated with timers or proximity sensors for maximum cost savings. However, to achieve maximum benefit it is necessary to place heaters at workstations rather than trying to heat the total space. This way you can cut heating costs dramatically because unheated areas will be much cooler.
4. How do Short-Wave Infrared Heaters work?
Helios short-wave infrared heaters work by generating intense beams of radiant heat primarily in the form of “near infrared radiation”. The heaters combine this with patented polished parabolic reflectors which distribute the heat generated by the InFraCaLoR® halogen lamp better than any other heater on the market. This all facilitates a very rapid heat up when switched on (within 1 second to full power). Our heaters emit focused infrared radiation that directly heats objects and people within their range. This quick and efficient heating process ensures that you feel warmth instantly, making them ideal for outdoor and large open indoor spaces. Short-wave means that there is no need to pre-heat a space and often these heaters are operated with timers or proximity sensors for maximum cost savings. However, to achieve maximum benefit it is necessary to place heaters at workstations rather than trying to heat the total space. This way you can cut heating costs dramatically because unheated areas will be much cooler.
5. What is the difference between Infrared, Radiant and Convention heaters?
The terms “infrared” and “radiant” are describing the same type of heating – infrared. As opposed to a “convection” heater which heats air to warm a space, radiant heaters warm objects. The degree to which they are effective at doing this depends upon the dominant wavelength being used.
A panel heater or gas fired tube heater is mainly LONG wave (also called ‘Far’) infrared which is only 40% radiant efficient and very much impacted by air movement.
A gas flame heater and most electric element heaters are mainly MEDIUM wave infrared which is 60% radiant efficient. These are also affected by air movement and often compensate by having small reflectors to push heat to a narrow area.
SHORT wave halogen infrared heaters have a 92% radiant efficiency which is the most effective way to heat large open spaces and otherwise impossible to heat areas due to minimal impact of air movement.
6. Is there a difference between short-wave heaters and gas heater?
Yes, a short-wave infrared heater is a REAL “instant heater” – full power within 1 second of switch on. Gas flame heaters and carbon element heaters (coiled in a quartz tube) are ‘medium wave’ infrared heaters and both types are only 60% radiant efficient.
Gas heaters often compensate by larger output to achieve the same area coverage as compared to short-wave infrared heaters. Gas heaters can also require more maintenance and, particularly if they are bottle gas powered always seem to run out of gas at the most inconvenient of times!
7. How much does it cost to install a factory or warehouse short wave infrared heater?
Installation costs for an infrared heating system vary depending on the heater type, factory or warehouse size, and mounting height restrictions. Power considerations need to be examined as switchboard capacity and existing wiring may not be sufficient. What is certain is that the cost of wiring and installing short-wave infrared heaters will be cheaper than alternatives in medium wave because less heaters will be needed for a set area due to larger coverage.
When compared to a new installation of fixed gas heater, electric radiant heating will almost always be cheaper.
8. How can I save money on my factory and warehouse heating bills?
If you are looking for an energy-efficient infrared heating solution that’s kind to your pocket, short wave infrared heaters are the answer. These heaters are 92% radiant efficient because they directly warm objects and people, not just the air, which minimises heat loss. For open, often high roof spaces such as factories and warehouses it makes sense to localise the heating task rather than warm the roof space. Just maintaining comfort at specific workstations or in targeted spots of itself will reduce heating bills.
In addition, the fact that short-wave infrared provides instant comfort to the target area, there is no need to preheat. The instantaneous heat also means that short wave infrared heaters can be equipped to run with proximity sensors or on timers to further reduce your bills. In some instances, companies have been known to reduce their energy bills by up to 70%. When linked to roof top solar it is even possible to run electric heating at negligible cost.
9. What safety measures should I observe when using a short-wave infrared heater?
When choosing a factory or warehouse heater, especially short-wave infrared heaters, it is important to ensure proper selection of heater for the task, considering available mounting height and clearances. This is because the intensity of heat requires an appropriate distance from the object or person being heated. Some short-wave infrared heaters are even used for rapid process heating, so it is important from a safety point of view to follow specified installation instructions when using them for space heating.
10. What size should I choose for my factory or warehouse heater?
The size of the heater you need depends on your factory or warehouse’s dimensions, insulation quality, and specific heating requirements. We offer energy-efficient short wave infrared heaters in various wattages and coverage areas. Contact us today, and our team will assist you in designing the perfect infrared heating solution for your needs.
Want to customise a heating solution for your project?
Get in touch with us via email at [email protected] or call (08) 7122 1114, and our team will help you to find the best solution.
