Anyone who has worked through a winter in a cold shop knows the feeling: stiff hands, slow mornings, and a space that never quite warms up. If you’re planning for the cold months, the Alkota 210 Industrial Space Heater is available now. Here’s what it offers and how forced air heat compares to radiant heat, so you can pick the right approach for your space.
Meet the 210
The 210 is a portable, oil-fired forced air heater rated at 210,000 BTU. It runs on diesel, kerosene, or home heating oil and plugs into a standard 115V outlet. Its 16.5-gallon tank is sized to run more than an eight-hour workday, and thermostat control helps hold a steady temperature.
It’s built much like an oil-burning furnace, with the reliability that implies:
- Fuel pump instead of a vacuum system: many non-industrial heaters use a vacuum feed. The 210 has a fuel pump.
- High-quality fuel filter: it screens out impurities to keep the heater running over the long haul.
- Stainless steel combustion chamber: built for durability.
- Instant heat, non-vented, and portable: it’s ready to work when you set it down. As with any fuel-burning heater, follow the user manual for placement and ventilation.
How forced air heat works
A forced air heater uses a fan to push warm air through the space, much like a furnace at home. The result is a wider, more even warmth across a room rather than a hot spot in one place.
That’s why the 210 suits:
- Shops and garages where you move around and want consistent temperatures
- Loading docks and warehouses that need heat in a large area
- Construction sites that need quick, temporary heat
- Livestock buildings and agricultural spaces where heat needs to fill the building
- Emergency or short-term situations where you need heat fast and at a relatively low operating cost
Forced air vs. radiant: what to weigh
Radiant, or infrared, heaters work differently. Instead of warming the air, they send infrared energy in one direction and heat the people and objects in its path, much like the sun warming the ground. Here’s how the two compare.
Forced air (like the 210)
- Heats the whole space for consistent warmth
- Fills a large area from a single heater
- Can lose heat in drafty buildings or open bays, because it’s heating air
- Heavier than radiant units, though it has wheels for moving it around
Radiant
- Heats people and objects directly, giving instant, targeted warmth
- Works well when you stay in one area, such as a workstation
- Doesn’t warm you when you’re out of the heater’s path
- Typically quieter
The rule of thumb: if you need even heat throughout a space, forced air is the better fit. If you work in one spot, or your building is very drafty with open bays, targeted heat may serve you better. Your local Alkota distributor can talk through your layout and recommend an approach.
Get your 210
Winter doesn’t wait, and a cold shop costs you in comfort and productivity. Find your local Alkota distributor to talk through your heating needs, or request a quote online. You can also call 1-800-255-6823.
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Related reading: Should I Choose an Industrial Space Heater or Radiant Heater? and 210 Space Heater: Keeping Warm