Cheap heat

Infrared heaters

A less economical, yet very viable, method of heating your shop is with an infrared heater. Infrared heaters work the same way as the sun. They are mounted overhead and generate radiant energy, which is converted to heat when absorbed by the objects in its path. The energy is directed toward the floor by highly polished aluminum reflectors. In a conventional forced-air system, the warm air escapes when a door opens. In an infrared system, however, heat remains stored in the objects to help reheat the air quickly once the doors close.

Infrared heaters are either high or low intensity. They use a gas and air mixture to heat either a steel tube (low intensity) or a ceramic surface (high intensity). High-intensity heaters require a higher mounting because of their hotter surface temperature and are used for total building or spot heating. Low-intensity heaters have a lower surface temperature.

When choosing a heater for your shop (most shops are better suited for low-intensity heaters), be sure to consider the burner design, tubing, and reflectors. A swirl burner will help get a better gas and air mixture to push the flame further down the tube. Choose highly emissive tubing and highly polished, mirror-finish reflectors to push rays downward.