The Hotline Newsletter

Fall 2011

Lowest Total Heating Costs

It is important to determine the lowest total costs for each project. Don’t let what appears to be the lowest cost bidder determine what is important to you when it comes to reducing installation, operating, and facility impact costs.

Initial First Costs
The initial first costs for a contractor and building owner include more than just equipment cost.

Design Costs
Get It Right the First Time
A poorly designed heating system is always the most expensive heating system for both the contractor and building owner. Use companies like Cambridge that have the experience to help determine correct heat loads and the best way to heat/ventilate industrial buildings.

Equipment Cost
Apples vs. Oranges
Make sure equipment meets all requirements specified by the engineer, contractor and building owner. Don’t compare apples to oranges. For example, do not attempt to substitute any other heater for a Cambridge Blow-Thru® Space Heater. The technologies are different, ability to heat the building will be jeopardized and energy costs will increase. Heaters that qualify for EPAct Federal tax deductions and utility rebates help justify energy retrofit projects.

Installation Cost
Consider Hidden Costs
Installation cost often exceeds equipment cost. Consider potential hidden costs. For example, indirect fired heaters require flue installations, roof penetrations and newer designs need condensate piping. Wall mounted heaters require no roof penetrations or structural building modification. Fewer heaters require less gas piping and electrical wiring, reducing costs. Pick vendors that deliver on-time. Equipment arriving late to a jobsite means additional costs and penalties.

Heater Operating Costs
Owners and tenants care more about heater operating costs because they exceed initial first costs.

Energy Efficiency
Fight the High Cost of Energy
Select heating systems with energy efficiency ratings above 90%. Save electrical energy by using units with smaller motors that don’t have to run continuously to heat the building or reduce stratification. Consider infiltration rates, large door use and building ventilation when determining the most energy efficient way to heat both the space and outside air entering the building.

Maintenance Costs
Lower the Better
Low cost heating systems are the ones that require the least amount of annual maintenance to efficiently heat your building. They work so well you forget they’re there.

Repair Costs
You Don’t Want Any
You want a reliable heating system to last at least 20 years that, when necessary, can be quickly repaired with inexpensive, easily obtainable parts.

Facility Impact Costs
The best heating system adds value, solves problems and reduces facility operating costs. The wrong heating system impacts your building in ways that cost you every day.

Indoor Air Quality
More Ventilation, Better IAQ
Industrial buildings require ventilation. All direct-fired heaters use outside air to help improve indoor air quality. Indirect-fired heaters typically do not supply any ventilation. A space heating system not providing adequate air movement or any building ventilation is, in effect, costing you money.

Negative Air Problems
Building Starved for Make-Up Air
Mechanical exhaust systems in buildings with indirect-fired heaters can be starved for outside air. This creates problems associated with negative building pressure, which renders the exhaust system ineffective and pulls in unneeded cold outside air when doors open. The use of direct fired heaters helps solve negative air problems, save energy and reduce costs.

Summer Ventilation
An Extra Benefit
A benefit of all direct-fired heaters is they provide a free built-in summer ventilation option not available with indirect fired heaters that only recirculate existing hot building air.

Usable Space
More Profit
The best heating system design provides maximum usable floor area and vertical racking space, increasing production, storage space and other profit producing activities.

De-Stratification
Saves Energy
Floor-to-ceiling temperature stratification in buildings with high ceilings wastes energy. This is typically due to a lack of adequate air movement.

Employee Comfort
Increases Worker Productivity
Employees that are too hot, too cold or uncomfortable from poor indoor air quality complain to management and are less productive.