Garages are draughty spaces. For most of us that doesn’t matter. We traipse home from work, shut away our motors in this dingy, little-visited space and dash inside for tea. Or maybe that’s just me! But for people for whom cars are a matter of pride, a hobby, or even a source of income, car care is a real concern – and a damp, draughty garage just doesn’t cut it. If you own a vintage car, a classic automobile, or a collection of prestige motors, looking after your vehicle requires a little more effort than simply wheeling it through the car wash when it’s getting a bit too muddy. In a prestige car, the smallest details can be important: preserving the original paintwork, maintaining the unique details on the trim, keeping up the metallic sheen of the hub caps. Repairs are expensive, not always effective, and replacement parts can be detrimental to the classic character of the car. Dust, damp and fluctuating air temperatures can quickly take their toll on a prestige car – so storing your vehicles in an unheated garage simply isn’t an option. But how to manage the garage environment to the standards needed without breaking the bank?
This was the question posed to Herschel, market-leading developers of infrared heating solutions, by a customer looking to heat such a garage as a home for his collection of classic cars. The customer was seeking a risk-free environment to house his cars in character-preserving luxury – more of a museum than a conventional garage, a place of worship for his pride and joy. The customer specified that the garage must be kept at a constant temperature, and that moisture and dust must be minimised to prevent damage to and deterioration of the cars. Repairs and replacements were not an option – the garage needed to be a temple.
Herschel prepared a full brief for the customer, available to view now on the Herschel website. They recommended and fitted three Herschel IR3 Outdoor Infrared Heaters onto the beams directly above the cars in the customer’s garage. These energy efficient outdoor heaters generate radiant heat like the warmth from the sun; mounted on the ceiling they could heat the cars directly, with no energy wasted heating the air. Outdoor infrared heaters provide one of the most efficient outdoor heating solutions on the market, because they do not waste energy heating air which quickly dissipates in outdoor or draughty spaces like a garage. This allowed the customer to heat the garage throughout the year with the lowest running costs available. Directed heat also ensured that the cars were always kept at a higher temperature than the surrounding air – ensuring that condensation could not settle on the cars, preventing the onset of rust. Conventional heating solutions, such as convection radiators and panel heaters, work by pushing hot air around the room. In a garage for vintage cars this risks disturbing any dust and distributing over the cars. Infrared heaters, however, provide heat without moving the air, leaving the dust undisturbed. A hassle-free alternative to unwieldy dust covers!
Herschel’s infrared heaters not only fulfilled the brief – they also brought a number of additional benefits which maximised the convenience and effectiveness of the garage heating strategy. Each of the heaters fitted was fully weatherproof, for ensured protection against harsh gusts of wind and rain. Fast, non-invasive electrical installation didn’t require the cars to be moved outside for a long period of time – with no elaborate and messy plumbing work, the heaters were fitted easily within a morning. The heaters were installed with high precision thermostats and heating controllers to ensure a constant temperature throughout the year. The discrete black styling ensured a professional finish that looked smart and stylish in the garage interior. The customer was left well pleased with an energy efficient heating solution perfectly tailored to the needs of his prestige cars.
Not only do Herschel Infrared Heaters provide a great solution for classic car garages – this heating strategy can also be adapted for use in similar environments. Any draughty outdoor space with sensitive heating requirements can benefit from ceiling mounted infrared heaters. Herschel IR3 heaters could be perfect for your country heritage museum, your bronze sculpture exhibit, or your covered craft market. For more information on what infrared heating could do for your garage, workshop or covered outdoor space, give our expert sales team a call on 0330 880 8383.
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Eco Stores Direct are here to bring you the very latest energy news, views and opinions from across the UK. They are also suppliers of energy efficient electric heating solutions and are constantly assessing the market for the best products and the latest ground-breaking technology which they think will make a real difference to their customer’s homes. Eco Stores Direct are devoted to helping you reduce your carbon footprint and bring down your energy bills and they work hard to raise awareness of energy efficient products that can make all the difference. If you’re interested in outdoor patio heaters or slimline infrared panels, call Infrared Heaters Direct today on 0330 300 8383 for a free assessment.