November 25, 2020

Figuring out what kind of heat source you are going to use is the first step in planning out any Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning project (HVAC). The two primary types are direct and indirect fired heaters.

Direct Fired Heaters

A direct fired heater is called such because the heating fuel is funneled directly into the burner and combusts when combined with a spark and oxygen. Direct heaters are usually powered by natural gas or propane. The heat source is burned in an open flame but in a safe and effective manner. Heaters feature systems to channel the air-fuel mixture to ensure correct amounts of both. Direct fired heaters can heat huge industrial and commercial spaces.

Benefits of Direct Fired Heaters

Direct fired heaters have several benefits which make them very popular. One of the greatest advantages of using a direct fired heater is efficiency. Nearly 100 percent of the fuel is burnt in a way that is productive in creating heat. This means that you are not wasting fuel by having it not burn or not burn correctly. You can also control the temperature to a greater degree than with indirect heaters

Another benefit is easy maintenance, as these heaters feature a simple design that is less prone to breakages. Any error or breakdown can be resolved quickly, cheaply and without an extraordinary amount of skill or labor. Compared to indirect heaters, direct fired heaters tend to last longer, meaning you will have a reliable heating system for years to come.

Direct fired heaters also can be constructed to whatever size you will require in order to create the heat that you need. In many cases, this means a physically smaller heater that can better suit your specific needs to a greater degree. You can build the exact heater that is right for your specific purposes.

The downside to Direct Fired Heaters

Unfortunately, direct heaters are not perfect. Because they burn fuel directly in the form of an open flame, direct fired heaters require a proper ventilation system to dispose of exhaust fumes. The resulting gas from the combustion of fuel is toxic and needs to be redirected out of the workspace the heater is being used in.

This also means that certain workspaces will not be able to use direct fired heaters. The exhaust and byproducts may not be suitable or allowed in certain environments and workplaces. Be sure to make sure you can operate a direct fired heater on whatever premises you intend to use it on before making your decision.

Not only must exhaust be removed from the workspace, but outside air is required for the air-fuel mixture. Without proper air circulation within an enclosed space, fresh air often needs to be pumped inside. 

While direct fired heaters may be more versatile in their heating capabilities, they cannot be used everywhere. 

Indirect Fired Heaters

An indirect fired heater performs its combustion cycle in what is called a heat exchanger. As the heat exchanger grows hot, the air is drawn in around it and then warmed by coming in contact with the heat exchanger. The combustion byproducts remain in the heat exchanger for some time before leaving through a flue.

Benefits of an Indirect Fired Heater

Indirect fired heaters have several advantages that make them ideal for certain situations. The largest benefit is that they do not produce any combustion byproducts that are released back into the space they are heating. This makes them ideal for closed spaces and when working with material that is sensitive to contamination, like food. 

By recirculating air, indirect fired heaters save on fuel and do not usually require as much when compared to direct fired heaters. 

At no point does the air that is being heated actually make contact with the flame. While direct fired heaters are still incredibly safe, this can be seen as an additional safety feature that indirect fired heaters have. All of the air that is emitted from the heater is also fully clean. 

Disadvantages to Indirect Fired Heaters

While they might not use as much fuel, indirect fired heaters are not as efficient as direct fired heaters. They usually only operate at about 80 percent efficiency, meaning a good deal of the fuel that is burned does not go directly towards providing heat.

Indirect fired heaters are oftentimes more expensive than direct fired heaters because of their more complicated design. Not only does this raise initial costs, but maintenance will be much higher should anything breakdown. 

Because they are more complicated, getting the right heater for your needs may mean that the right-sized indirect fired heater will take up more space than its direct fired counterpart that produces the same amount of heat. They have specific sizes that cannot be as easily modified as direct fired heaters.

Another disadvantage of indirect fired heaters is that they do not feature as precise temperature control settings when compared with direct fired heaters. While still equipped with thermostats, these heaters tend to generate heat within a few degrees of the intended target temperature. If you need precise and constant heat, an indirect fired heater will not be suitable.

Conclusion

Both of these types of heaters can do a fantastic job of heating whatever sized space you need them to heat. Direct fired heaters feature a fluidity that makes them perfectly adaptable to your specific environment. Indirect fired heaters come in a variety of sizes, but those sizes are set by the manufacturer and cannot be tailored to your needs.

Because an indirect heater does not produce or secrete any type of exhaust back into the space in which they operate, they can be used in tightly sealed environments. A proper ventilation system is an absolute necessity for any direct fired heating system unless it is operating outdoors.

Whichever heating system is right for you and your business, Preferred Climate Solutions has you covered. We offer a variety of heaters and can work with you to better understand your HVAC needs. Give us a call today at 888-466-7180, and we will help you figure out exactly what kind of heating you require. We serve the entirety of Texas and offer 24/7 customer support. Take care of your business environment, and it will take care of your business. 

With winter fast approaching cold weather can start creeping in to weigh down your business’ productivity. If you are working in an outdoor or indoor environment that lacks climate control, you are more than aware of the temperature of the problem can pose. Keeping your business well heated in the winter means that you and your employees can stay productive and focused on the work instead of the weather. Additionally, if you work with water, keeping your pipes from freezing saves valuable work hours, and keeping your products at a stable temperature ensures consistent quality. 

Picking the right heater depends on a number of factors. You want to make sure that whatever heater you choose is up to the task and can do the job you expect of it. In a lot of ways, a proper heater is an investment because it is an improvement in infrastructure. Making the right investment means less time spent worrying about how to deal with climate control and more time actually tending to your business. 

There are a number of variables to keep in mind when looking for a portable heater to heat your workspace:

• Size of the Workspace

The primary thing to keep in mind when considering a portable heater is how big it will need to be to fulfill your needs. Keeping this in mind, you can start out with a size that will best suit your environment. Different kinds of heaters are best suited for different sized spaces. For instance, industrial and commercial heaters are large enough to heat the entire warehouses. However, that much power can quickly overwhelm a smaller workspace that does not require as much heating. 

Portable heaters come in all different sizes, from being able to heat only small rooms to the largest spaces imaginable, so to find the right one for your space requirements, pay particular attention to Cubic Feet Per Minute, or CFM. A larger space requires a heater with a higher CFM number. For instance, a certain industrial heater may be rated to heat 3200 CFM. This means that the heater has the capability to heat 3200 cubic feet of space and maintain it heated at the desired temperature. The size of any area in cubic feet can be found by multiplying length times width times height.

CFM often relates to the power of the heater’s fan, as a fan is needed to circulate the hot air through the room and away from the heater.

• Heat Required

It is also important to consider how much heat you will need to produce, and whether or not the heat level can be monitored and controlled. Many portable heaters will feature a thermostat, so keep this feature in mind during your search. Depending on your specific needs, you may be looking to keep a workspace hot or just warm enough to operate comfortably. You can determine how much heat a heater produces by either looking directly at the temperature gauge that it offers or by looking at its BTU (British Thermal Units) output. 

When you need more heat, check out how many BTUs the heater produces to find the temperature best suited for your workspace. Having a workspace that is overheated is as bad as having one without any heat at all.

Smaller heaters best suited for smaller spaces may have a BTU measurement of around 5,000 to 25,000 BTU. The higher the BTU, generally the larger space the heater is meant for. Industrial heaters can have a BTU output of up to and exceeding 500,000. While the BTU output can be adjusted on most heaters, there is usually a set maximum and minimum temperature. The larger heaters that produce higher temperatures may also produce a great deal of heat even when at their lowest settings. Be sure to take into consideration exactly how much heat you will need in order to protect both your products and your employees.

• Power Source

Heaters can be powered by electricity, gasoline and many other fuel types. The power source of some heaters varies, however, electrical power is the most common. Electric heaters can function in both indoor and outdoor settings, so long as there is a consistent electricity supply. Check the voltage on the outlets in your workspace to ensure that they can handle the heaters you intend to use. Industrial heaters may require a voltage of 115 or 240, depending on the model. 

If you are using a fuel source such as gasoline or propane, it is important to provide proper ventilation. If heating an open outdoor space you do not have to worry about ventilation. But an indoor space needs to be properly ventilated when burning any kind of fuel to ensure that your employees and yourself are safe while they work. 

Space heaters can vastly improve your business’ productivity and the comfort level of your employees. They provide the capacity to continue working through tough winters. To find the right heater for your workspace, it is important to keep in mind:

• How much space you will be heating;
• How high you need the temperature to be;
• What kind of power source will allow you to operate safely and effectively.

If you’re looking for a portable heater, we here at Preferred Climate Solutions can help. We service the entire state of Texas and offer superior customer service 24/7. If you ever experience any issues with your heater we are on call at all times to help sort it out. We feature a variety of portable heaters to best fit your needs and the needs of your business. Call us today at 888-466-7180 and take care to keep warm.