Choosing the most practical way to heat the store, immediately discard the options with boilers (gas, solid fuel, etc.), because they require a lot of space, installation and operation costs, and not only financial, but also time to approve the heating project, etc.
Most often, owners of small stores choose to use:
• convectors,
• fan heater,
• conditioners,
• infrared heater."
What is the best way to warm up the store?
Air conditioners are effective if they are located above the entrance and cut off cold air when the doors are opened frequently. But they are untenable as a full-fledged system for heating the room.
A fan heater or convector may be sufficient if we are talking about a small retail outlet (kiosk, stall, etc.). At the same time, the main problem that does not suit the owners is a large electricity consumption.
When a store owner thinks about an economical alternative, first of all, he should soberly assess the following characteristics of his retail space:
1. The thickness and material of the walls.
If this is a stall, a kiosk, a building made of iron, or a non-insulated building, then there is only one heating option - convection. Infrared heating will not cope with this task, since infrared panels heat the walls, which can retain heat. In the case of kiosk, where the walls are very thin, plastic or iron – the work of infrared heaters will be useless.
If the store with small heat losses – normal thick walls, or they are insulated, it makes sense to consider infrared long-wave heaters or ceramic panels 2 in 1 (infrared heating + convection).
2. The number and size of windows.
If the percentage of glazing is large, then you will need a larger number of infrared economical panels for heating than with standard windows. Or you can opt for a less economical, in terms of electricity consumption, but faster heating – convection heating.
3. The availability of space for placement of heat sources.
The presence or absence of free space affects the placement of heaters:
• ceiling,
• wall,
• floor.
4. The height of the ceiling.
The higher is the ceiling, the more cubic capacity you need to heat. In this case, it is considered:
• more economical infrared panels (than for ceilings up to 3 m) ,
• ceramic convectors connecting 2 operating principles – infrared and convection,
• ceiling heaters.
Now that we have evaluated the retail space based on the criteria set out above, and decided that economical heating of the store with infrared panels is suitable for us, we can take a closer look at the options for ceramic heaters.
How to heat a store using infrared panels
When creating a heating system for a store with infrared panels, it is necessary to correctly calculate the energy consumption for heating 1 m2. In the case of small heat losses, the consumption is calculated based on 60-65 W per 1 m2. So to heat a store with an area of 30 m2, you need to purchase ceramic heating panels with a total capacity of 30 m2 x 65 W = 1.95 kW.
For accelerated heating, you can install ceramic convectors (50% infrared heating and 50% convection).
Model TCH 750 (750 W, 90x60x5 cm)
These are the same infrared panels, but with a thick body and holes through which air circulates. Such models are available from the Teploceramic manufacturer.
If the cost of an electric ceramic convector does not fit into the budget laid down for heating, then you can save money by installing the required number (see consumption per 1 m2) of TC 395 panels.
Model TC 395 (395 W, 60x60x1,5 cm)
Small, compact heaters with a power of 395 W are a budget solution for store heating. In addition, due to their small size, they can be placed around the perimeter of the retail area, creating several heat points. If the walls of the store are filled with shelves with products, it is possible to install floor-mounted infrared heaters.
In all the above options, we recommend installing automatic temperature controllers – programmers.
The controller is programmed so that the heating panels are turned on a few hours before the store opens, maintain the required temperature throughout the day, and turn off at the end of the working day. This ensures a comfortable temperature for staff and visitors, as well as significant savings on heating, which which is pleasing very much the store owner.
