How to Choose a Heater Rental for Your Work Site

When the temperatures drop, heaters are an essential part of any job site for various reasons. While many assume that construction companies mainly use heaters to keep their workers warm during cold weather, these devices perform many critical functions, from thawing ground to preventing frost to ensuring optimal temperatures for concrete curing. 

Whether you need a heater for one or all of these reasons, choosing a rental over purchasing one outright gives you the flexibility to select the most efficient and productive model for each job you undertake. Learn more about the factors you should consider before committing to a particular brand or style. 

What Size Heater Should I Rent?

The first step in choosing the most effective heater for your work site is knowing the primary functions you need the device to perform. Although they operate similarly, most outdoor heaters are entirely different than indoor heaters. Many power options exist for commercial heaters, from natural gas and diesel to propane and electricity. While fuel-powered units are better suited for outdoor use, many models running on electricity or propane meet emission standards for indoor use. 

Either way, the amount of space you need to heat should be one of the primary considerations when determining the size of the rental unit.

• Outdoor heating: If you need a heater rental for an outdoor work site, you need to determine the optimal power source. Devices that run on diesel fuel or natural gas can heat expansive areas and are sometimes the only option when electricity is unavailable. The Cat® Rental Store offers models like the Maxi-Heat® MH500iQ™ by Allmand® with a rating of 1.01 million British thermal units (Btu) and an air output capacity of up to 6,200 cubic feet per minute (cfm).
• Indoor heating: Most indoor heaters differ significantly from outdoor devices on several levels, including emissions. While many indoor models utilize electricity for power, multiple propane models are available as safe indoor options. Units like the propane-powered DESA BLP50V with an output rating of 30,000-50,000 Btu are ideal heating sources for buildings undergoing construction or repair.

For commercial construction projects, some applications benefit from using a high-powered outdoor heater and directing the air indoors through unfinished walls, doors or windows.

Other Factors to Consider When Choosing a Heater Rental

Once you have determined your exact heating needs, you can begin narrowing down your choices. Besides size, some of the most important factors to consider are:

• Power capacity: Even if you've already decided that an electric model might be your best option, you still need to confirm whether your facility's power outlets can generate the electrical output required to operate the heater. If you're choosing a diesel model, you need to ensure that you have a fuel source nearby or the tank has a large enough capacity to run an entire shift. 
• Safety: Some industrial heaters have controls and features that are more user-friendly than others. Managers must ensure that all workers around the site understand how the heaters operate and the potential hazards of misusing them.
• Local regulations: Depending on the city and state where you're working, you may need to follow specific regulations for operating an industrial heater, including obtaining a permit.
• Ventilation: Fuel-powered models are ideal for outdoor use, although some advanced devices with adequate ventilation meet emission standards for indoor use. Note that carbon monoxide emissions from fuel-powered models can sometimes affect the integrity of concrete and weaken a building's structure.
• Budget: Although your budget is often the primary deciding factor for which model you might rent, you must ensure that the model you choose is capable of handling your needs. The benefits of choosing an efficient, high-performance model may outweigh renting a less expensive device that doesn't perform up to your standards.

How The Cat^® Rental Store Can Help You Choose the Best Heating Solution

At The Cat Rental Store, we provide superior heating solutions to meet your needs, including high-output models for indoor or outdoor job sites. Our knowledgeable and experienced team can help you calculate your operating requirements, whether you need a device for ground thawing, a large-scale model to keep your workers warm or a flameless system in potentially volatile applications.

We carry rental options from some of the industry's most recognized manufacturers, including Allmand, Wacker Neuson, Kroll, Desa and many more. We can walk you through the most cost-effective options that deliver the productivity and safety your work site requires.

Contact The Cat Rental Store Today

The Cat Rental Store offers some of the market's most competitive prices, world-class customer service and industry-best technical support from more than 1,300 locations around the world. Contact us online for a quote or call 1-800-RENT-CAT to learn more about how our rental solutions can benefit your operation.