Temporary Heater Rentals FAQ

By interrupting our controls and using line voltage, the electricians can locate the thermostat where it is important to the project and not limit you to a 20-foot lead.

The use of flex ducts is not recommended with our temporary heating rentals. The heating equipment discharge 225° and will bake normal flex and cause the insulated flex to break apart from the inside, causing airflow restrictions and shutting down the heaters.

Airflow is a key component to heating and pressurizing your project. The surface area inside the duct is important to maintain, so reducing the duct is not recommended. It does not sound like much to reduce an 18” diameter duct down to 12,” but by calculating the area, you cut the airflow down by 60%. The heater unit has safeties to prove airflow, and you run the risk of shutting the unit down on safety.

Yes, the heaters normal setpoint at the discharge is 225° F regardless of the ambient temperature. The heaters setpoint can be manually lowered to approximately 125° F, maintaining this output until changed.

No, the one constant of our temporary heaters are the airflow measured in (CFM) Cubic feet per minute. Our industrial heater rentals are sized to your project by the number of air changes per hour. Therefore, the CFM is not adjustable.

No, the temporary heaters are designed for outdoor use and do not need barriers from the elements. Under certain conditions, ice and water dropping from the roof or overhang may damage or affect the safe or proper operation.

Yes, you are free to start the industrial heater yourself. Starting instructions are located on the unit to assist in the operation.

There is no chimney. The BABFAR heaters are a direct fired heater. The heater uses 100% outside air for heat.

Not typically. BABFAR’s focus has been on the construction industry for over 50 years. Not to say our equipment can’t be used for emergencies, but there is some work that goes into setting them up that prevents us from being a same-day service. Some of the factors that affect response time are electrical, plumbing, fuel, and local inspections. Rest assured, we understand the importance of heat and if we are not the right fit, we will point you in the right direction.

The BTU rating in a heater relates to the heat output of the unit. The larger the number, the more heat it can produce. At BABFAR we tend to focus less on BTU and more on airflow. This is because BTU is just the rating of what the burner and system are capable of and does not factor in the airflow and the rest of the heater design. Take a look at our blog "Better than BTU" for a more in-depth explanation.

Yes, the higher the BTU, the more gas it is capable of consuming. Heater design is also important to consider. Some heaters regulate fuel differently than others which affect fuel consumption.

Indirect fired heaters are similar to your home systems. The heater has two separate components: a combustion Chamber and a series of tubes that pull air past the combustion chamber, heating up the air that passes by. The heat in the combustion chamber must be vented to the outside and is not used to heat the area.

A direct fired heater, such as the ones from BABFAR, blends the outside air and the air from the combustion process and it is all introduced into the area being heated. Direct fired heaters are acceptable for construction use because of the nature of the enclosures, since the buildings are not tight and the spaces are not occupied beside construction personnel.

There are too many variables to be alone to figure out what size heaters. That is why BABFAR considers ourselves a customer-based company that has educated and trusted heating specialists that will help you determine what heaters work best.

Sure, you can try to use a calculator based on square foot and a factor scale and plug it into a form or spreadsheet, but that does not take into account the building's walls, corridors, stairwells, or the outside space for placement of tanks or location of utilities for natural gas. Let our staff do the work for you.

Absolutely not. Sealing up a direct fired heater such as a salamander is an unsafe practice. The heater will continue to burn the oxygen out of the space, creating an unhealthy environment for the personnel. See our Carbon Monoxide handout. Plus, it creates moisture and also creates a negative pressure inside the enclosure, pulling the cold air through the exterior walls.

There are no benefits to using vapor propane heaters over our liquid propane heaters. Vapor requires the use of a vaporizer which burns fuel before you can use the heater or large tank farms. See our liquid propane whitepaper.

Yes, a torpedo heater and salamander heater are the same and can be used interchangeably.

No, we do not offer electric heaters. Our customers are the ones putting up the buildings. During that phase, the sites are normally on temporary power and do not have enough power to run the size heaters that would be needed to heat the sites.

The efficiency of most indirect fired heaters averages around 70% because the heated air from the combustion chamber is wasted through the vent.

The efficiency of most direct fired heaters averages around 99%. Keep in mind that any heat loss is due to water formation during combustion.