Heating a warehouse - any ideas for cheapest route

[BeckyBarnFresh]

Afternoon everyone
I have a warehouse of about 80 square metres which is used as retail and workspace.
We are looking for the best heaters for efficiency and cost to plug in or any other suggestions.
We had oil heaters but when I plugged them in the electricity meter was racking up the cost
Any help would be appreciated
Becky
Barn Fresh Interiors

 

[SillyBill]

We just have infrared heaters in strategic locations where staff tend to be most of the time. Heat the object (person), not the air.

Before that we had diesel fired space heaters, absolutely useless and cost a fortune. And tried the portable fan heaters, again expensive and a bit like p**sing in the wind.

I don't think the HSE guidance on workplace temperatures (which typically comes up around this time of year in these spaces) has ever served warehousing well or realistically for that matter. Huge cavernous spaces with little or no insulation and massive doors that are either constantly open or continually opening throughout the day = nigh on impossible to heat and retain heat in the winter months.

In our case, we provide the warm clothing PPE, warm facilities, free warm drinks, regular breaks and heat the most trafficked areas with the infrared heaters. Beyond that if it is cold outside it is not going to be warm and I'd encourage anyone to think twice about working in a lot of warehouses if they get partial to the cold.

It'd be a whole load easier if you had the luxury of designing a warehouse building from scratch too for heat efficiency, most of us with warehouses are often operating out of 1950s-1990s built structures, 1950s in my case. Be cheaper to knock mine down and start again to bring it up to modern built standards.

 

[HFE Signs]

You have a good reply from @SillyBill which I agree.

I'd just add - if you do need to raise the general temperature (and not the people) for any reason, be very careful with portable heaters that are gas, petrol, diesel or paraffin fired as these produce high levels of condensation.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Partitioning may be the cheapest and better option

 

[foxinthebox]

We used a diesel heater, but with parafine (less fumes, no smell), approx 120 square meters, and I agree with the above. Just don't, they're expensive, and not the best results.

 

[BeckyBarnFresh]

We just have infrared heaters in strategic locations where staff tend to be most of the time. Heat the object (person), not the air.

Before that we had diesel fired space heaters, absolutely useless and cost a fortune. And tried the portable fan heaters, again expensive and a bit like p**sing in the wind.

I don't think the HSE guidance on workplace temperatures (which typically comes up around this time of year in these spaces) has ever served warehousing well or realistically for that matter. Huge cavernous spaces with little or no insulation and massive doors that are either constantly open or continually opening throughout the day = nigh on impossible to heat and retain heat in the winter months.

In our case, we provide the warm clothing PPE, warm facilities, free warm drinks, regular breaks and heat the most trafficked areas with the infrared heaters. Beyond that if it is cold outside it is not going to be warm and I'd encourage anyone to think twice about working in a lot of warehouses if they get partial to the cold.

It'd be a whole load easier if you had the luxury of designing a warehouse building from scratch too for heat efficiency, most of us with warehouses are often operating out of 1950s-1990s built structures, 1950s in my case. Be cheaper to knock mine down and start again to bring it up to modern built standards.

Thank you for your response - mine too would benefit from being flattened and rebuilt but my landlord would definitely object to that. !
We have a warehouse which doubles as retail so we can happily wear lots of layers but am trying to keep it toastie to keep the customers warm - ill definitely look at investing in decent infrared heaters
Thank you for taking the time to reply
Becky

 

[Talay]

Go look at Screwfix and the gas heating they employ overhead.

They might know something ?

 

[BeckyBarnFresh]

Go look at Screwfix and the gas heating they employ overhead.

They might know something ?

Will do - my son works there too so he can help !
Regards

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Improve insulation!

Making better use of the heat you are generating by keeping it in the building will help!

 

[BeckyBarnFresh]

Improve insulation!

Making better use of the heat you are generating by keeping it in the building will help!

If only it were that simple- a building built in 50s probably- owned by a landlord who does no maintenance - tin roof patched together with whatever he finds !!
Sadly in Truro this is what £500 rents you

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I get that, but if you are going to be there in the long term you should calculate any long term net savings that you could make - you might not make any.

Also, A more comfortable environment makes people stay longer and hopefully buy more!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Can you cost out a suspended ceiling to reduce the heated area, Landlords are generally not that interested in improvements they are something you need to do yourself, cheap wooden walls to limit areas can work wonders, you need to invest yourself as no doubt the landlord is not interested especially at only £500 rent

 

[BeckyBarnFresh]

Can you cost out a suspended ceiling to reduce the heated area, Landlords are generally not that interested in improvements they are something you need to do yourself, cheap wooden walls to limit areas can work wonders, you need to invest yourself as no doubt the landlord is not interested especially at only £500 rent

All worth considering - I don't mind being chilly but want my customers cosy
Becky

 

[UKSBD]

You need zones and try to keep as many people as possible in the right zones

Partition of the section where customers go, the more customers in those areas the more heat is retained by having bodies in there (not dead ones )

 

[mike rodent]

Afternoon everyone
I have a warehouse of about 80 square metres which is used as retail and workspace.
We are looking for the best heaters for efficiency and cost to plug in or any other suggestions.
We had oil heaters but when I plugged them in the electricity meter was racking up the cost
Any help would be appreciated
Becky
Barn Fresh Interiors

Hi -- First get the Floors walls Ceilings INSULATED WITH THE BEST PRODUCT YOU CAN FIND.
Then look for GROUND SOURCE heat pumps. This can bring up low level base heating at the best cost.
You can then get solar powered vacuum tube water heaters, these work up to higher temps. But there must some daylight.
Pump this hot water through pipework.
Then partition and have different temperature zones. Coolest near the doors then warmer as you get into the heart of the structure. Mike