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With their large volumes, high ceilings and loading doors that open throughout the day, warehouses are special buildings when it comes to heating. Explaining heat loss by outdoor temperature alone falls short. Door traffic, the condition of the roof and walls, rack layout, ventilation, goods-in flows and where people work all affect how the system behaves at the same time.
That is why the solution, before choosing a larger capacity, is to establish where and when heat is being lost. The survey approach described in our guide to choosing an industrial heating system applies to warehouses too: the way the facility operates must be recorded as well as its dimensions.
Measure door traffic
How long dispatch doors stay open matters as much as how many there are. A door that stays open throughout busy hours does not have the same effect as a service door used a few times a day. Observe which door is used on which shift, how long vehicles wait and where people work around the doors.
Operational measures are often the first step in door management. Processes that reduce open time, suitable door automation and a loading plan can limit the amount of cold air entering the building. Every solution, however, must be assessed together with work safety and logistics flow.
Don’t think about the building envelope separately from the system
Roof, wall, window and door junctions are key sources of heat loss. Damaged cladding, poor sealing or insulation that has deteriorated over time can make the heating system run longer. Before investing in heating, visible gaps and problems in the building envelope should be recorded.
If a thermal survey is needed, it should be carried out with the right expertise and under the right ambient conditions. No firm project decision should be made on the basis of a single image; findings should be combined with site observations, building information and usage data.
High ceilings and rack layout
In warehouses, racking changes air circulation and sightlines. In a system using warm air, the discharge direction, rack aisles and obstructions must be taken into account. In a radiant layout, the surfaces the heaters target, rack height, combustible materials and safety clearances become important.
Radiant tube heaters are one of the options assessed for large, high-volume buildings according to project conditions. Even so, heater type, mounting height or capacity cannot be determined from the warehouse floor area alone; current technical documentation and a site survey are required.
Does the whole warehouse need to be heated the same way?
In warehouses where staff work only in certain picking and packing areas, a zoned approach can be considered. If storage conditions require a specific temperature throughout the volume, general heating may take priority. Confusing these two needs leads to the wrong control zones.
Work areas, storage zones and dispatch points should be defined separately. Our zoned heating guide explains the basics of zoning around where people work.
Control and scheduling
Not every operation needs the heating to run to the same target when the warehouse is empty. Shift start times, peak dispatch hours and holidays should be reflected in the control schedule. Whether it is appropriate to switch the system off completely and then bring it up to a high target in a short time, however, should be assessed according to how the building and system behave.
The location of temperature sensors also matters. A sensor placed too close to a door, exposed to direct heat or far from the actual work zone can give misleading readings. Sensors and controls should be positioned by qualified people to suit the project.
Maintenance, records and layout changes
Filters, fans, burners, reflectors, connections and safety components need different maintenance depending on the product type. Visual checks by users do not replace a technical service visit. Maintenance intervals should be set according to current manufacturer instructions and environmental conditions.
Moving racking or adding a new door can invalidate the original heating layout. Facility changes should be recorded in the project file and the system checked again. For a maintenance routine, see our radiant heater maintenance guide, and for support, our technical service page.
Warehouse audit checklist
- Have daily door opening frequency and duration been recorded?
- Are there visible problems with the roof, walls or junctions?
- Does racking obstruct air or radiant distribution?
- Have the temperature needs of work and storage zones been separated?
- Does the control schedule match the shift pattern?
- Is maintenance and service access being maintained?
Conclusion
Reducing heat loss in a warehouse is not a single product decision. The building envelope, door management, rack layout, correct system layout, control schedule and maintenance records must all be addressed together. To assess the conditions in your existing warehouse, see our project design and site survey process or get in touch with BUGASS.
