Air curtains and high-volume buildings: solution or temporary band-aid?
In the world of
commercial and industrial heating, there's one question we should be asking ourselves more often: are we using the right technology for the right need?
Let's take the classic example: a warehouse or garage with large doors.
Unit heaters are installed to heat the space, and when the door is opened, the heat escapes. Solution? The
air curtain.
But the real problem isn't that heat is escaping. It's that we're heating air... in a building where the air is constantly escaping.
The air curtain: a useful tool, but not a miracle solution
Make no mistake. The
air curtain has its place in many contexts:
- It can be very useful for preventing insects, dust or rodents from entering a building.
- When properly designed and installed, it can sometimes reduce heat loss.
- It is often subsidized, which can make it attractive in the short term.
But what we see all too often is that it's used as a means of compensating for a basic mistake: having opted for the wrong heating system from the outset.
The real problem: heating air in a high-ceiling building
Everyone knows that hot air rises. Yet in high-ceilinged industrial buildings, municipal garages or sports centers, we still install
unit heaters- those famous devices that blow hot air into a space where it ends up... on the ceiling.
Result:
- Discomfort at ground level, where people work.
- Massive energy losses every time a door opens.
- Costly attempts to compensate with powerful air curtains.
It's like heating the whole of Quebec every time you open a garage door.
✅ The real solution: electric radiant heating
At
Technirep, we know from over 20 years' experience that the best way to solve this problem is not to create one in the first place. And that means a
heating system adapted to the reality of high-volume buildings.
Like air curtains,
electric radiant heating can be used as a compensatory solution, much more effectively by targeting heat to the right places.
Electric radiant heating is :
- Heat transmitted by radiation, like the sun's rays.
- Direct heat on surfaces, objects and people - not on the air.
- Immediate comfort, even with the doors wide open.
- A silent, maintenance-free, efficient system.
In short, a solution designed for the reality of industrial buildings, not a forced adaptation of a poorly conceived system.
The structural market problem: twice the wrong solution
It's also worth mentioning an important fact: many air curtain suppliers also sell...
unit heaters. Is this a coincidence? Not really, no.
What this often means:
- First, you're sold a heating system that's not really suited to your building.
- Then you're sold a complementary solution to compensate for its weaknesses.
A bit like buying an uncomfortable chair, then paying for an orthopedic cushion to fix it.
What we recommend at Technirep
Every building is unique, and every project deserves a tailor-made analysis. There is no single universal solution, but there are principles that never change:
- Heating air in a space where it is constantly escaping = loss of efficiency.
- Radiant heating = keeping comfort in the right place, at the right time.
We sometimes install
air curtains, but never as a primary heating solution. When they are used, it's for what they do best: create a physical barrier against unwanted intrusions, or improve the efficiency of an already well-designed system.
Need a real solution?
If you would like to :
- Reduce your heating costs
- Keeping employees comfortable at all times
- Improve theenergy efficiency of your building
- And avoid buying twice to correct an initial error...
Express FAQ
Can an air curtain replace heating?
No. It manages air exchange; it doesn't create heat. Or when it does, its contribution is negligible.
And in very cold weather?
The
radiant heater remains efficient: it heats the masses and people despite the cold ambient air. An air curtain can help with entrances, but does not replace the heat source. Radiant heating, on the other hand, offers immediate comfort, even when garage doors are open. The proof: we heat restaurant terraces all year round, without closing the doors.
Is a radiant heater more expensive to buy?
The
total cost of ownership (installation, maintenance, useful energy actually perceived) is often lower, especially when heating zones rather than the entire volume.
Contact Technirep
We design
electric radiant heating systems to suit your needs, with :
- A clear plan
- Customized analysis
- Concrete results
📞 Contact us now to discuss your project.
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