Efficient warehouse heating is paramount for optimum productivity of warehouse operations. Warehouses do not only, serve as storage areas, they now also serve as quality control testing areas, repackaging and high-tech inventory tracking. The increased functions of warehouses mean an increase in energy requirements and energy consumption. To reduce heating bills, companies ought to learn and implement efficient heating tips.
Why look for engineers and planners to help you reduce your warehouse heating bills? Here’s what would help.
1. Do not use a central heating
Central heating consumes more energy than space heating. Heating the whole warehouse is done with central heating while space heating warms only areas in use. Frankly, you might not be using the whole warehouse floor space for working area. You could partition your warehouse with a warehouse divider – usually a curtain or soft wall; then maintain the partitions at different temperatures. You could keep the area of work for associates warm while reducing heating of storage area.
2. Turn-off the warehouse heater when not in use and ensure this piece of equipment is properly maintained.
3. Seal leaks – warehouse heaters’ efficiency could be greatly reduced by air infiltration through gaps and dock-floors. You should make it a routine to check and repair gaps. Also, control the intake of air. Fix economizer controls to regulate the intake of air through doors during loading and unloading periods.
4. Reduce temperature set-points
You could also increase warehouse heater’s efficiency by reducing their temperature set-points in the heating season and unoccupied rooms.
5. Use one large ceiling fan instead of several small ceiling fans
Large ceiling fans could help you reduce the use of warehouse heaters. One large ceiling fan helps to circulate the warmer air near ceilings to all parts of the warehouse, thus reducing heat costs.
6. You can choose radiant heating
Radiant heating is especially helpful in working areas. It is quite expensive to provide a comfortable environment for workers by maintaining warehouse heaters at 210C. With radiant heaters, however, you could make workers comfortable at temperatures in the range of 4-100C.
7. Install occupancy sensors
The efficiency of radiant heaters could be maximized with the installation of occupancy sensors that help reduce radiant heaters’ operation in areas not in use.
8. Consider energy choices
Warehouse heating could be achieved through some ways – gas heaters, efficient reverse cycle pumps, and wood. Each has their own merits and demerits. Gas heaters and reverse cycle heat pumps are low in greenhouse gas emissions, and you could choose the most suitable ones for your need because of their labels. Wood while providing a first-rate fuel for warehouse heaters is a huge source of air pollution which is toxic to humans, plants, and animals. The pollution could be significantly reduced when the wood is obtained from sustainable sources.
9. Zoning with ductal heating
Zoning is best achieved with ductal air heating. For best results with ductal air heating, floor outlets are better than ceiling outlets. Ensure there are return paths from all the outlets to avoid escape of warm air to the surrounding which will reduce the efficiency of the system.
10. Heating warehouses with the hydronic system
The use of hydronic systems for warehouse could be achieved with gas, wood, solar systems or heat pumps. The system has different energy sources and so provides adaptability in times of a market change. It is the best system for minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
