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Not too hot, but also definitely not too cold. In the winter, your work location should be kept at a pleasant temperature. A thick coat and gloves don’t usually do the trick. So the obvious solution is to heat the room you will be working in. Some work involves introducing a lot of moisture into a room. Examples include plasterwork and spraying, painting, sand cement and anhydrite flooring as well as tiling. In these cases, space heating alone is not enough. A special dryer should be used to extract the moisture from the air.
Suitable equipment for any situation
At Boels, we have over thirty different types of heaters and dryers. But while that means there is always suitable equipment for any situation, it doesn’t exactly make the choice any easier. We are happy to offer expert support with a wide selection of different heating systems. We use a heat calculator for this purpose, a tool that easily calculates the required heating capacity for a specific location.
Work in small spaces
Electric heaters
In small spaces such as homes, offices, sheds and similar locations, electric heaters are often the best choice. The most important requirement is the availability of mains power (230V). One advantage here is that they can be transported in a car or small van.
Our smallest electric heater has an output of 3 kW and weighs 5.3 kg, making it ideal for small jobs in several different locations. The air displacement is 220 m3/hour, comparable to the volume of an 8×12 metre flat. It can also be used in combination with a dryer.
The 9 kW version weighs 9.5 kg and can displace 900 m3/h of warm air. The 10 kW heater/dryer (600 m3/hour) has a horizontal design that blows hot air low over the ground. Ideal for drying floors.
Gas heaters
Heaters that use (propane) gas as fuel perform excellently in smaller spaces: from offices and shafts to workshops, garages and tents. They are especially useful when there is no electricity available. One important requirement is good ventilation.
Free-standing infrared heaters: here, you can choose between a low 12 kW and a high 13 kW propane-fuelled heater, both with an adjustable capacity. They are easy to transport and reposition and provide a pleasant temperature in their immediate proximity due to the directed heat rays. The same goes for infrared gas heaters. These are basically compact gas heaters on wheels that heat the ambient air. Consumption at full load is 0.75 kg/h.
Work in large spaces
When working in large spaces such as warehouses, there is an extensive choice of heating systems available. Important factors include how cold it is and if ventilation is possible. Heaters can be categorised by fuel type: diesel, gas or electric. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Diesel heaters
Diesel heaters are especially well-suited for heating very large rooms. One important requirement is ventilation. If windows and (lift) doors can be opened, it can be safely used to heat large rooms. Larger diesel heaters often have their own flues, ensuring that the hot air to be blown into the workspace is odourless, free of fumes and 100% clean. Recirculation is also possible, which saves a considerable amount of fuel. The capacity range for indirect fired diesel heaters is: 61 kW, 120 kW, 200 kW and 385 kW. For long-term projects, diesel heaters can be connected to an external fuel tank.
Propane gas heaters
In a well-ventilated medium-sized room, a gas heater can come in handy. The propane burner with a heating capacity of 58 kW is an easy to transport horizontal model with fan and adjustable capacity. The disadvantage of this type of heater is the need to frequently change the gas cylinders. This makes it highly likely that a gas heater will fail during the night, meaning that temperature cannot be guaranteed. It also needs 230V mains power. Another point to consider is that a lot of undesirable moisture is introduced with this option.
Electric heaters
The 15 kW electric heater is intended for heating or drying structures. One interesting point: in combination with a dryer, it can be used as a fan, i.e. without producing any heat itself. However, this is not recommended during the winter. In order for the dryer to work properly, a minimum ambient temperature of 15 degrees Celsius is required.
The 15 kW electric heater only weighs 14.9 kg and it has an air displacement of 1000 m3/hour. The slightly more powerful 22 kW electric heater weighs 20.2 kg and has an air displacement of 2400 m3/hour.
High performance electric heaters
This type of heater is intended for larger rooms that require powerful heating for longer periods of time. The 40 kW version has an air displacement of 4000 m3/hour. For the 80 kW version, it’s 6000 m3/hour and for the 120 kW version it’s 9000 m3/hour. When heating needs to be as sustainable as possible, this type of heater can offer an alternative to diesel heaters where there is no flue gas outlet. However, adequate power needs to be available. For transport, a van is required at a minimum. The warm air can be displaced via air hoses over up to 100 metres without any pressure loss. Please note: these heaters cannot be set up outdoors in the case of frost or snowfall.
Dryers
Dryers, of which Boels has several, are a different story altogether. A distinction is made between condensation dryers and adsorption dryers.
Condensation dryers
We rent them with capacities of 12, 50, 75, 80, 150 or even 450 litres per hour. They are invaluable for dehumidifying workspaces after plastering or spraying, for sand cement and anhydrite flooring, and for painting or tiling. Conveniently, they not only remove lots of moisture from the air, but they also blow dry and warm air back into the room at the same time. To further speed up the drying process, heaters or fans are often added to the mix. The condensation dryers are easy to transport, except for the large 450 litre model. That one weighs 130 kg and needs a 400 V mains connection, whereas the other dryers can manage with 230 V.
Adsorption dryers
Adsorption dryers are the better option for projects involving large spaces and sometimes long-term drying, such as when renovating spaces after water or fire damage. In addition, by maintaining a low humidity level, they are ideal for protecting equipment and objects from corrosion and condensation. They can be used at temperatures between minus 20 and plus 40 degrees Celsius.
The adsorption dryers from Boels are available in five capacities, for 150, 300, 2500, 2700 and 5000 m3 areas. The three largest dryers require availability of 400 V mains power and weigh 700, 850 and 950 kg, respectively. That means transport in a truck as well as use of a forklift.
Mobile boilers
The adjustable water temperature makes our mobile electric boilers ideal for quickly drying floors. This is done by connecting them to the underfloor heating system. Using a protocol timer, screed floors can be heated and cooled properly to prevent cracking.
The boilers come in five models, with outputs ranging from 18 to 300 kW. The 18 kW, 21 kW and 36 kW boilers have compact dimensions and a mobile base frame, allowing them to fit through any door. Please note: a 400 V mains connection is required. The larger 150 and 300 kW boilers are built as trailers for outdoor use. They use standard 230V mains power.
All boilers are easy to install and do not require a flue. When hired through us, the electric boilers come complete with integrated heat exchanger, thermostatic control, aerator, circulation pump and flexible central heating pipes.