Site heaters for hire can not only be a godsend for project managers on construction sites who are under pressure to complete by a deadline (to avoid financial penalties); rentable site heaters that provide temporary warmth and reliable drying can also improve the quality of the build, and even accelerate the overall building process (e.g. helping products and materials to fix and dry quickly yet properly, so that other procedures can then begin), meaning profits can be seen faster, and early project completion financial bonuses could even be received.

Leased portable heaters for building sites – where to source them

Mobile hired heaters for construction and building applications are best sourced from a specialist heater hire company – one with a wealth of experience in supplying cost-efficient portable heaters, site heaters (and dryers) for hire to the construction industry.

An expert in leased heating for building and construction applications will understand that the construction industry operates all-year-round, and from autumn through winter to spring each year the requirement for rented heaters on building sites can be a vital one.

A heater specialist will also appreciate that for processes such as drying out floors, walls and ceilings; concrete curing; heating and drying in hazardous conditions; and where buildings need to be dried out after flood damage or long periods of disuse, it is essential that the correct heaters and dryers (plus all ducting and ancillary equipment) are delivered on-site, positioned and operational quickly and without fuss.

Sometimes on building sites, hireable heaters are combined with industrial fans, to better circulate the air. And so fans and ventilators for hire is also a service most specialist heater rental companies will almost certainly provide.

Types of rentable heaters (site heaters for hire options)

Leasable heaters come in three main types: a) electric, b) gas and oil direct-fired*, and c) gas and oil indirect-fired. At building projects, indirect-fired heaters are usually employed; although direct-fired and electric heaters can also sometimes have their uses.

Indirect-fired heaters can deliver large volumes of warm air via ducting (up to 40m). This is particularly useful at construction sites as the heating plant can be located outside the building, and flexible ducting can then be fed into any floor level (up to four floors).

Note: Hired indirect-fired site heaters are efficient, ductable and people-friendly; however, environments where they would not be appropriate include: areas where the unit would be too large, where ducted units could not deliver the air far enough inside the building, where only small amounts of air delivery are required, and where ducting would cause a security or Health and Safety issue.

• Direct-fired heating is not generally appropriate for drying materials and substances in places such as construction sites, as the amount of moisture delivered to the area (as a bi-product of the combustion process) would slow down the drying process. Also, with direct-fired heaters, the option to deliver large volumes of warm air via ducting is not there.

Examples of where hired heating specialists can ‘come to the rescue’

Wet and damp conditions at a major building project across numerous floors can mean a completion date has to be put back. But by hiring site heaters, dryers (plus all ducting and ancillary gear) and then positioning the equipment in stairwells, the site could quickly dry out.

A site manager responsible for a large, multi-million-pound renovation project (e.g. a full renovation of a historic church in a major city) could also benefit from turning to a heater hire. Where special lime-based cement is used in the renovation of a church steeple and spire, for example, indirect-fired oil heaters could be employed to ensure the cement dries correctly (beneath protective plastic cladding), and leased electric heaters could also be on standby as back-up.

Hired heavy-duty heaters (and ventilators) can also play a vital role in Shipbuilding, e.g., the construction of a huge Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel, where topside modules need to be built (sometimes in different continents, but all as part of a single project!). Again, after taking a brief from the client, a specialist company in heater hire for building and construction applications could take the heating and ventilation requirement for such a mammoth project completely on their shoulders, leaving the construction and engineering company free to focus upon other aspects of the build.

Fuel supply will also be managed as the heater hire company takes responsibility from the outset

The option to avail of hired fume-free heating is something more and more construction site managers are choosing (ahead of purchasing a stock of heaters for building and construction applications, "just in case").

The ‘renting over buying’ option makes perfect sense as it is so hassle-free and cost-effective. What is more, a specialist heater renting company (who understands just how financially crippling site overruns can be for construction companies) will not just supply the hired heaters and then ‘walk away’ until it is time to collect them again; they will commit to ensuring the hired heat provision is exactly what the client requires, from start-to-finish, while also supplying and managing all the fuel a client needs throughout, at a competitive rate.