Warehouse Heating: How to Manage Large Spaces Efficiently

Warehouses require stable temperatures, but their design makes this hard to achieve. Their large size and high ceilings cause problems that rarely exist in other structures or settings. Depending on their location and the season, warehouses can experience very hot and very cold temperatures. Heavy insulation for warmth in winter could mean you'd melt in the summer, and vice versa.

So, what are the challenges that are unique to warehouses, and how can you manage heating these spaces efficiently?

Convection currents and destratification fans

A simple process which is known as convection causes hot air to rise, and cold air to be pushed lower down. The hot air has more energy, which causes it to become less dense than colder air, and forces the hot air up. This pushes the heated air around, with the colder air moving into the space left by the heat rising. This is known as a convection current, and these currents cause a lot of temperature inconsistency. This is made worse in a warehouse as a heater that warms nearby air constantly spends energy warming a cycle of cold air, as the heated air rises and then cycles back down as it cools.

One of the most effective ways to counter heated air rising is with destratification fans. These are fans that are hung from the ceiling or apex and blow directly down. This pushes the heated air down, preventing it from rising and keeping it nearer to the ground level. This keeps the temperature near the ground warmer, while wasting less energy reheating the same air. These generally use a small fraction of the total energy they save, making them a highly viable option.

Optimised temperature controls with a Building Energy Management System

Another factor to consider is how well your existing heating system can heat your current space. If it heats too much, you end up wasting energy and making temperatures too hot to be comfortable. If you don't heat enough, your warehouse will remain uncomfortably cold, and you'll be wasting energy with no effect.

Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) like HeatingSave work with your existing central heating or cooling to help it perform more efficiently.

By using heating zones throughout the site, HeatingSave heats or cools each area individually, according to its specific needs. This combines with the heating diary, which allow users to control when the system turns on to avoid heating or cooling areas when they are not in use, and an advanced AI algorithm calculates the exact time necessary to turn on (or turn up) the heating or cooling to reach the desired temperature at the right time. Together, this reduces the amount of energy needed to warm the site appropriately, while temperature sensors allow the system to keep the temperature consistent. Occupancy sensors can also be used to monitor warehouse use and only heat it when there are people working.

All this can be managed efficiently from the HeatingSave app and computer dashboard, so you can easily detect where issues occur, or process patterns which impact your temperature efficiency.

Drafts, seals, and insulation

The final piece of the puzzle is effectively managing heat loss. Improving the insulation of a warehouse reduces how much heat is lost passively.

HeatingSave collects and stores meter readings each minute so that you are clearly able to see the cause and effect of any spikes in usage, and allows you to analyse energy bills and the energy consumed for the whole estate.

It is also beneficial to keep window and door seals maintained. These are designed to be opened and closed, so it is important to make sure they are correctly sealed when they're supposed to be closed, and that if they are open often (such as delivery or staff access doors) they cause as little heat wastage as possible. This can be done with controlled access procedures, with air locks, curtains, and draft excluders implemented where possible.

HeatingSave sensors can be installed on doors and windows to provide alerts if they are left open too long. The system can even be set to turn off or lower heating if open doors or windows are causing heat to escape, in order to save energy and money.

Other technologies to help with warehouse heating

There are a few other technologies and techniques that can also help with warehouse heating but may be situational.

InfraRed (IR) heating heats surfaces and not the air. This means that workers can be heated directly which reduces wasted heat but delivers comfort. However, the space between the heater and the staff must be unobstructed, usually from an elevated position, which might not be practical in a warehouse with multiple raised shelves, forklifts, and stacked boxes.

Suspended heaters are like destratification fans in that they are suspended from the ceiling, but with a heating element. They can spread heat over a large area and don't get in the way of ground traffic. However, they can be inefficient if you have lower ceilings, lots of airflow moving the heated air higher or away from the ground, or obstructing walls and shelving.

A HeatingSave Building Energy Management System is the answer to your warehouse heating challenges

HeatingSave is a government-approved Building Energy Management System that can help you use less energy and save on your bills without leaving you with inconsistent temperatures. It can control your heating and destratification fans, while monitoring temperatures to help you locate problematic areas or processes that are costing you money.

Arrange a demonstration with us to learn more.