Exploring Industrial Supplies

One of the biggest sources of operating costs for many businesses is the cost of energy for heating and cooling. There are multiple types of commercial heating systems available, and they all have pros and cons you'll want to consider when you decide which type will suit your business's needs best.

Central Forced Air Systems

Central forced air heating systems are the most common type of heating system for residential buildings, but they're also common in commercial spaces. 

Forced air systems consist of a large blower fan that pushes and circulates air through ductwork to heat the space and a system of return ducts to bring the air back into the loop.

Fuel-burning furnaces typically use natural gas as a fuel source for the combustion that heats the metal heat exchanger to create the warm air for the blower fan to circulate through the ducts. 

Some furnaces use electricity as a power source, but since operation costs are higher for these types of furnaces, they're not common choices for commercial customers.

Heat pumps are another type of forced air heating that uses a pressurized system to pull heat inside from outdoors. A heat pump is a  good choice for a zoned heating system if you need to heat and cool different parts of the building simultaneously.

Boiler Heating

Many older commercial buildings have heating systems that use boilers to heat the space. Water in a boiler is heated up and is pushed into radiators or into tubes that run through the floors and walls to release the heat into the building.

Commercial boilers are generally very energy efficient. They're also powerful, which makes them a good choice for large buildings, especially older ones that already have a boiler installed. 

Boiler heating systems often require more maintenance than other types of heating systems, and they can be expensive to install in newer buildings that are more likely to have ductwork installed for a central forced-air system.

Radiant Heating

Radiant heating works similar to boiler heating, but it uses a system of plastic tubing instead of the metal tubes common in buildings that have boilers. Radiant heating helps conserve energy and is a greener option than many other heating systems.

Radiant heating can have a large upfront cost to install the special tubing required, so these systems are more common in smaller commercial spaces than they are in large buildings.

Geothermal Heating Units

Geothermal heating units are a newer type of heating system for commercial spaces. These systems work similarly to a heat pump, except a geothermal unit pulls heat trapped underground into the building rather than pulling heat from the air.

Geothermal systems require excavation to install, but they can be very efficient to run, particularly in places with mild winters that don't need as much heating as colder climates.

If you're not sure what type of heating system is best for your business or facility, contact a licensed commercial HVAC company to help you assess your needs and choose the most efficient system for you. 

For more information on commercial heating, contact a company near you.