Tips on Economical Construction Site Heating Solutions

Whether you are dealing with industrial construction, residential construction, commercial construction, or renovation projects in winter, you will need a heating solution or a ground defroster. However, heating on the job site during the cold months does not come cheap. While some heating costs like equipment purchase or rental, are inevitable, many managers end up wasting money by making preventable mistakes.

As a result, we decided to help by providing tips for keeping the construction site during winter without blowing up your project budget.

Reasons for Heating Solutions on Jobsites

Before we delve into ways to save on heating, it makes sense to look at why you may need a heater in the first place. Well, there’s an array of reasons including:

1. Curing Concrete or Thawing Ground

Thawing ground during the chilly months is never easy. Chances are you will need to get a hydronic heater to either heat the ground or concrete directly.

2. Prevent Paint, Putty, and Materials from Freezing

If you are doing a major painting job or other work during winter in an unheated building, you will need to get heaters to prevent these materials from freezing.

3. Keep the Workers Comfortable and Productive

If the workers are warm and comfortable, they are more likely to be more efficient and productive. As such, most managers get temporary heaters to keep the construction job sites warm.

That being said, here are economical tips for construction site heating:

1. Use the Best Heater For the Site

Without a doubt, the easiest way to improve the efficiency of your heater is by picking the right one from the get-go. Choosing the right heater for your job, however, first entails thinking about the purpose of the heat. Do you want to keep the workers warm and comfortable? Do you want to cure concrete? Or do you want to prevent materials and paint from freezing? By picking an efficient heater, you are not only reducing fuel costs but maintenance costs as well as costs arising from possible downtime.

A high-quality, efficient heater may cost more initially, but the cost-saving in maintenance and energy consumption over time makes it worth the investment.

2. Insulating the Jobsite

If you have been in a drafty room, then you know how much heat can escape if the place is not insulated. For job sites, correctly insulating an area can be challenging, but optimizing the fuel consumption of your heaters is imperative. To help insulate the site, consider using poly over plywood, windows, and other open spaces around the construction site. You can also tent the entire site with poly in order to trap the heat. It also goes without saying that you should not leave the door open when trying to heat the worksite.

3. Rent vs. Owning a Heater- The Cost Analysis

Is it more cost-beneficial to buy or rent the heaters, ducting, and other accessories? This is an aspect that most site managers tend to overlook. When it comes to the financials, you need to consider the interest rate of financing the equipment purchase vs. the rate of renting over the period you’ll need the machinery. Consider the number of years it will take to pay off the heater and whether you will need a new or different kind of heating solution at that time. In addition, consider how much the equipment will have depreciated by the time you finish paying the loan.

In regards to purchasing, you also need to consider storage as it’s an added expense if you do not own the land you will be storing the equipment. Depending on your location, however, bought equipment can be used for tax deductions.

By keeping these tips to save on worksite heating costs, you will be able to keep the area warm without breaking the bank.

Aeration Tips To Keep Your Lawn Nourished

Aeration is commonly used but often overlooked when it comes to maintaining the health and integrity of your lawn. The term itself refers to increasing oxygen flow into the soil while also allowing the earth to breathe and absorb nutrients through water and fertilizer. This process is done by literally scooping or “stabbing” holes into the earth. Fortunately, you don’t need to have any special skills in order to perform basic aeration techniques, but you can rest assured that your efforts will pay off!

Below, you will find some tips to help you start the process of basic maintenance.

1. Plug Aerators Are A Better Option

When it comes to aeration techniques, there are basically two types of tools you can choose from: plug or spike aerators. Plug aerators are deemed the better of the two as they remove plugs of soil from your lawn and allow for better drainage. However, beginners will often opt for spike aerators as they are easier to use and simply poke holes into your lawn to allow it to breathe sufficiently. The real downside to using the spike or fork method is that they leave behind compaction where the holes were created.

**It is best to choose an aerator that goes about two or three inches deep and leaves holes that are approximately half an inch in diameter.

2. Leave Plugs Behind

Aeration techniques mean that they will leave behind plugs as the holes are created. It may seem tempting to remove the plugs from your lawn, but they are actually essential to the healing and regeneration of your front lawn. Leave the plugs as they are scattered, and if necessary, simply go over them with your lawnmower. Another option is simply breaking them further apart with a rake to allow them to settle back into their respective holes.

3. Spring And Fall Aeration Is Best

Aeration is best carried out during the spring and fall seasons. Spring allows you to take advantage of the excess rainfall and ensure that your lawn has a healthy root system. However, aeration is also beneficial in the fall as that’s when most grass varieties grow. Having a strong root system for your grass ensures that no encroaching weeds can take over your lawn and wreak havoc on the growth process.

4. Employ Overseeding During Aeration

Aeration and overseeding often go hand-in-hand as overseeding allows you to address weak areas or bald spots on your front lawn. Using aeration as the basis for planting new seeds will allow for better growth and stronger rooting to take place as your planted seeds take advantage of their new healthy environment. As it’s likely you’ve already invested a good portion of your budget into fresh seeds and fertilizer, employing aeration can take your progress even further and ensure a much stronger lawn.

5. Aerate A Hydrated Lawn

Most lawns that require the help of aeration are the same ones that suffer from constant drought. It is important to avoid aerating your lawn without it having adequate hydration. This is the reason it’s best to wait until spring when rain showers naturally hydrate your lawn and make it easier for your equipment to bore holes or plugs.

Aeration is a technique that allows for the increase of oxygen and nutrients into the root system of your planted grass. It is the key to ensuring the longevity and vitality of your lawn. Whether you know everything or nothing about gardening, you need very limited skills to employ the aeration techniques described above. The right weather and some decent tools are all you need to get started!