Propane Heaters

Outlay Costs: Low to Medium
Energy Costs: Depends on propane consumption
Safety: Only or outdoor use or well-ventilated areas; look for safety shutoff controls

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 are able to heat.  Patio heaters have the ability to bring the comfort of the indoors to your backyard, and for warehouses and industrial areas, gas-fired heaters offer 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 91,500 BTUs of heat.  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:

91,500 / Heater Btus per hour = Hours the Heater Will Run on One Gallon of Propane

 

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 another option. Though these use electricity, they have almost the same function as a propane heater and burn cleaner.  These can also provide localized heat for tough industrial work areas and warehouses.  However, like propane heaters, they are not recommended for indoor use because of carbon dioxide emissions, risk of burns, ignition from flammable gases.  These heaters must be adequately vented at four times greater per BTU/hour for unvented heaters than for vented heaters.