With the rising cost of heating fuel, it’s wise to consider panel heaters as an alternate source of heat for your place of business. Depending on the type of panel heaters you choose, you can still find efficient units that can help you lower your heating bills.

Whether you want to use panel heaters as space heaters to warm a shop area, or as the main source of heat for a room, you are sure to find a stylish unit to meet your needs. The cost of gas or electricity in your part of the country is going to be a big factor in your final decision. Take into consideration how much it costs to operate panel heaters versus standard heating. As you consider your options, you need to determine your power options. They are:

1. Electric forced-air panel heaters.

2. Propane or natural gas forced-air panel heaters.

3. Infrared panel heaters.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose small panel heaters

Let these smaller electrical units serve as space heaters to warm drafty areas. Small panel heaters are also a good way to help distribute heat more evenly throughout a large work area.

I recommend: The small wall panel heaters on the Econo-Heat website are only 1/2-inch thick. They plug into a regular electrical outlet and are easy to install. PlumberSurplus.com has panel heaters that fit close to the wall and are easy to install. The blower-type heater warms a room instantly. Heater Store offers a selection of freestanding panel heaters. These are easy to move from room to room as needed. With the freestanding units, heat radiates out both sides.

Install overhead panel heaters

These infrared units install into suspended ceiling tile tracks and are easy for an electrician to hook up. The newer overhead units are thin and lightweight, yet are energy efficient.

I recommend: MOR Electric Heating offers an extensive infrared panel heaters list. When suspended from the ceiling, these heaters can keep people comfortable at a much lower room temperature. SSHC, a ceiling panel heaters provider, specializes in panel heaters that drop into the existing ceiling tile structure to provide radiant heat for a room.

Find panel heaters for the larger, industrial areas of your business

If you have a shop that's hard to heat, you may want to consider panel heaters as a way to heat large open spaces efficiently. Larger units connect to propane or natural gas lines to make them easier to install in out-of-the-way locations that might not have electrical outlets.

I recommend: The infrared panel heaters at Mr. Heater run on propane and work extremely well in a shop or garage situation. Ogden Manufacturing, an industrial panel heaters provider, can customize panel heaters not only for heating purposes, but also for drying purposes as well.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Panel heaters require routine maintenance to operate at their highest level of efficiency. Hire a trained professional to clean and service the units at the end of the heating season.
• •  Panel heaters come with a variety of thermostat options. An electronic thermostat control can help save additional energy dollars.