January 18, 2022

There is a surplus of reasons that renting a heater is an excellent idea, like increased warmth, portability, and so much more.

But one of the questions that we see commonly asked is, “will renting a heater increase my efficiency during winter?”

That’s a fantastic question that deserves an answer, but it can be a little complicated.

So we’ll answer that question in two different ways. 1) We’ll tell you how a heater can lead to higher productivity and efficiency. 2) We’ll explain exactly how renting a heater will lead to better energy efficiency in the long run.

Now that you know what our goal is and what you’ll gain if you stick around let’s start by answering the first question.

How will a heater lead to higher productivity and efficiency?

If you’re interested in renting a heater to warm up a work environment, you’re no doubt curious as to what benefits come along, and we have good news, there’s a lot.

To get the obvious point out of the way, nobody likes to work in the cold. Many studies have proven that lower temperatures in a work environment diminish workers’ effectiveness. It doesn’t even have to be a large decrease in temperature.

A small temperature variation can make many workers less productive and create a huge problem in the workplace.

A study by CareerBuilder said that 53 percent of the employees in the survey found themselves to be much less productive when their environment was too cold.

If you think that the problem can be ignored, you’re wrong. Another study by Cornell showed that even at a meager temperature of 68 degrees, employees committed 44 percent more errors and were even less than half productive. No matter what your company or organization does, that’s a problem.

A simple solution

For such a serious problem, you may think that there’s a grand scheme to fix it. However, that’s not the case. Simple solutions are often the best, and they certainly work here. Renting a heater for your workplace will lead to a steep increase in productivity.

We feel that we’ve sufficiently covered this question. So it’s about time that we move on to the next.

How will renting a heater will lead to more energy efficiency?

Did you know that electric heaters are said to be 100 percent energy efficient? It’s true. That’s because they turn all of the energy they consume directly into heat that they then give you.

Pretty efficient, huh?

Even though that seems all well and good, we want to be clear. Regarding heating an entire home, renting a heater may not be the right move.

However, that statement is only said after assuming two things. 1) You have a built-in heating unit that’s capable of heating your space. 2) That you’re heating an entire building with the heater you rent.

If either one of those situations doesn’t apply to you, renting a heater is still a viable option! That’s because a space heater is efficient mainly at heating a single space, not a collection of them. That means that if your goal is to heat a single room or a single office, you’re good to go!

On the other hand, renting a heater can be your best option if you’re in locations that don’t have a built-in unit, like a construction site or if maintenance issues are bugging you down.

The biggest tip that we can give you is to spot heat. That means that if you have an area you use a lot and another that you rarely use, why waste energy on heating the ladder? Only focus on the areas that you need.

That’s that!

How are you feeling about renting a heater now? Our hope is that you see the real advantages that come along with renting one so you can get a clear idea of what you’re getting, and we’re sure that this article did just that.

If you want to learn more or rent a heater, AC unit or air scrubber, contact Preferred Climate Solutions now.

We all know what a heater is.

It’s a standard device used to heat a single, small or medium-sized area, which is obviously different from central heating, that connects and heats multiple areas at once.

These heaters can run on electricity or burnable fuel. But whatever the case, they require constant vigilance to ensure nothing dangerous arises. Despite that fact, many people seem to have the misconception that they’re without their own set of risks.

If you have that misconception or you’re interested in being as safe as possible, you’re in the right place. At Preferred Climate Solutions, we have over 17 years of experience dealing with portable heaters, so you can have confidence in us.

In this post, we’ll include three safety tips that you need to stick by and ensure everyone else does as well.

Our first safety tip is one that too many forget.

Heaters belong on the floor.

We know that it could be tempting to place your heater in a place that you deem optimal. However, unless you are told explicitly by a professional that you can keep your heater on another object or suspend it, you should never attempt to do so.

Ideally, you should keep your heater on hard, solid ground, including tile, wood flooring, concrete, and other things of that nature. You can sometimes get away with putting it on a rug or some short carpet, but it should be avoided if possible.

We understand that it seems safe, yet heaters are put at risk of tipping over or even overheating on those sorts of surfaces.

Avoid plugging it into anything other than a wall outlet.

Typically, most heaters come with enough slack that you can plug them directly into the wall without using an extension cord or anything else, and that’s for a good reason.

Heaters are usually designed only to be plugged directly into the wall. Manufacturers often advise against using surge protectors, extension cords, outlets with reset buttons or plug timers.

The added layers of electrical connection can sometimes cause the circuit to overload or create resistance that could allow the heat to build up. That could spring into a fire or internal damage.

You should also keep your heater away from the wall, at least by a few feet. That’s so the wall itself doesn’t overheat, causing a whole other problem. One final note about plugging the heater in, avoid using a plug that’s out of sight.

Whenever possible, you want to see the plug. Places like behind a dresser, behind a door or anything that obstructs your line of sight is bad.

Additional point: Never leave it alone

On a similar note as not letting the plug out of sight, the same idea applies to the actual heater.

You always want to be in the same room as the unit, especially if there’s a child around. The U.S. Fire Administration suggests keeping young children at least three feet from a heater. In addition to the obvious fire risk, a young child could also receive a nasty burn or shock.

If you do happen to leave the room unoccupied, you need to turn it off and unplug it a minute or two before leaving.

Test your smoke detectors often.

This can seem like an over-the-top safety tip. We know. With that said, it’s nonetheless essential.

Of course, all of our other tips aim to prevent the worst-case scenario of a fire, but we also want to ensure that you and your loved ones or coworkers are thoroughly prepared.

You should always have up-to-date, working smoke alarms. It’s a good idea to test your smoke detectors and make sure they’re working before you begin using your space heater.

Even after you’ve confirmed they work, you should test them once a month to ensure the batteries still work. Note that the NFPA recommends you replace your smoke detectors every ten years.

Bonus tips:

1. Make sure that the heater you have or are going to use has an automatic shut-off switch. If something goes wrong and the heater is knocked over or overheats, that function can save a life.
2. Keep it away from water. You most likely know this one without somebody telling you. But just be clear and safe, we’re telling you again.
3. Remove any flammable objects from the area. You should aim to keep a good few feet between any object that could overheat or catch fire and your heater.

The final thing that we’ll say, use your common sense. If you’re using your heater and something feels off, then turn it off and unplug it. There’s no sense at all in risking anything.

If you have more questions we could answer or need an AC, heater or air scrubber, we have your back. Contact Preferred Climate Solutions today.