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Propane Heaters

Outlay Costs: Low to medium
Energy Costs: Depends on propane consumption
Safety: Only for outdoor use or well-ventilated areas; look for safety shut-off controls and tilt switches

These heaters often come in the form of patio heaters and gas fired heaters, and they are relatively small for the amount of space they can heat.  Instead of staying inside during the colder months, you can relax in your backyard or patio with an extra-warm patio heater. Freestanding patio heaters usually weigh less than 30 pounds and feature around 20 feet heating circles!  And for warehouses and industrial areas, gas-fired heaters offer extremely efficient and rapid heating.  Because fueled heaters do not require electricity, they can be very cost-effective. 

The one thing to keep in mind when purchasing a propane heater is the cost of fuel.  Propane tanks can be purchased or rented from a propane supplier, and one gallon of propane produces around 91,500 BTUs of heat (click here to read more about BTUs).  Therefore, if you have a heater rated at 25,000 per hour, divide 91,500 by 25,000 to find your estimated propane consumption (this will result in 3.66 hours on one gallon of propane at full capacity).  With the above heater scenario, if you spend 80 hours a month in your shop or workplace, you will go through 22 gallons of propane a month. Here is a simple formula to estimate propane consumption:

Kerosene Heaters

Outlay Costs: Medium to high
Energy Costs: Can be high; uses both fuel and electricity
Safety: Look for automatic overheat/safety shutoffs

Kerosene heaters are also a very popular fuel heater option. These heaters use both fuel and electricity, serving the same functions as propane heaters but at the same time burning much cleaner. They can also provide localized heat for tough industrial work areas and warehouses. A popular type of kerosene heater commonly used in warehouses is oil-fired heaters. These specific kerosene heaters also provide great efficiency and rapid heating power. However, like propane heaters, they are not recommended for indoor use because they come with carbon monoxide emissions, risk of burns, and safety hazards of flammable gas ignitions. These heaters must be adequately vented at four times greater per each BTU/hour for unvented heaters than for vented heaters.

NewAir APH-1100P

Endless Summer ES-62900

Dayton E52

Dayton TC200VA