Herman Post is the owner of Heat-n-Go, which provides complete managed temporary heat services to the construction industry - removing frost in days, curing concrete or protection from deep freeze.

Herman Post is the owner of Heat-n-Go, which provides complete managed temporary heat services to the construction industry - removing frost in days, curing concrete or protection from deep freeze.

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.