Oil radiator v electric heater

doodling

Hi,

In order to determine what the best heater is you need to understand what you are heating.

• Are attempting to heat the whole space of the shop?
• Are you attempting to heat the customers?
• Are you attempting to heat a member of staff?

If you are attempting to heat the whole space then the type of heat source doesn't really matter and oil-filled or convector type heaters will be quieter with fewer drafts.  Heating the whole space is likely to be the most costly approach.

If you are attempting to heat the customers then strategically positioned infra red (IR) heat sources (think electric patio heaters) might be the best approach.  Effectively you are trying to make customers feel like they are standing in sunshine on a cold day.  Carefully done, this might be cheaper then trying to heat the whole space.  (It is the approach commonly taken in big DIY stores, albeit usually using big gas fired heaters on the ceiling rather than electric heating).

If you are attempting to heat a member of staff stood at a till then a fan heater blowing directly at them (set to its lowest heat setting) is probably best, the IR approach can make you feel like you are getting sunburn if you stand in the same place for a long time.

A lot will depend on the practicalities of the space, how big it is and so on.

Your daily running cost can simply be calculated by taking the rating of the heater(s) in kW, multiplying it by the number of hours per day it will run and then multiplying by the cost per unit.  If the heater has a thermostat on it and the space gets hot enough for the thermostat to operate then the actual cost will be less.

It is likely that any form of heating will be the most expensive to run electrical thing in the shop so expect your bills to increase significantly.  As with all forms of heating, stopping the heat escaping should be your first port of call.