Commercial Heating Equipment

Natural gas is an efficient and economical choice for space heating in commercial facilities.

According to the American Gas Association, more commercial buildings use natural gas for space heating than any other energy source.  Natural gas offers warm heat for comfort and numerous equipment options to meet your needs.   From multi-family buildings to office complexes to warehousing facilities, innovative natural gas heating solutions are available in central, individual or packaged systems to meet any space heating requirements.

Why choose natural gas for heating?

• Warm, even heat
  • Draft free
  • Variable speed fans deliver more even heat
• Highly efficient
• Furnace efficiencies over 90%
• Cost effective
• Historically lower prices for natural gas vs. electricity
• Easy maintenance
• Simple design

Efficient natural gas heating systems
Numerous options exist to provide your building with the comfort of natural gas heat. 

Boilers produce hot water or steam for larger commercial or industrial settings. Recent improvements by manufacturers have made for more compact, less costly packages.  With the addition of improved fuel burning and combustion control equipment, and programmable microprocessor based flame safeguard control systems, these state of the art systems deliver uniform heat all season long.

Warm air furnaces fire natural gas through sealed, curved, metal tubes called a heat exchanger.  Building air passing over this heat exchanger absorbs heat from the hot tube surface. The heated air then travels through ductwork to heat the interior space.  Exhaust gases from the heat exchanger are released outside through a metal or plastic vent pipe.  Building cold air returns circulate the cooler air back to the heating chamber, (or plenum) and the heating process continues. 
 
The most common type of warm air furnace in commercial facilities is the rooftop system.  These systems are typically horizontal flow units that are configured for outdoor installation – weather-tight, well-insulated.  Units can be designed to provide heating only, or can be combined with cooling systems to perform all HVAC functions for your facility.  

Thru-the-wall PTAC systems are easily maintained and offer occupants individual control and comfort.

PTACs (Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners) are individual room-controlled heating and cooling systems.  PTACs offer low initial cost, simplified installations and work well in smaller settings like office condominiums and lodging facilities.  Units contain all heating and cooling components in one system and are designed for thru-the-wall installation.  Each space is an individual occupant-controlled thermostatic zone which simplifies installation and provides the benefit of separately controlled heating and cooling of individual spaces.  Occupants choose the temperature that meets personal comfort needs without cool drafts.  With no expensive ductwork, central boilers, large mechanical equipment rooms, cooling towers or pumps, the unit requires no floor space.

Low-intensity tubular infrared heaters are ideal for interior or exterior heating applications offering draft-free directional heat.

Infrared heating systems use radiant energy to heat objects rather than air.  The gas burner produces hot surfaces that radiate from emitter tubes or ceramic burner surfaces. 

High intensity infrared heaters are ideal for spot heating applications or can be designed into a complete radiant heating system.

• Entryways
• Loading docks
• High ceiling buildings
• Facilities with rapid temperature changes
• Outdoor dining areas

Thru-the-Wall combo heating/cooling systems work well in limited spaces.  The units are self-contained, pre-wired, pre-charged systems that require no external condensers.  Combo systems are easy-to-service with a slide-out chassis and can easily fit in a small closet.  Occupants have complete control providing personal comfort temperature settings.  The units eliminate uneven heating/cooling which can be possible with central systems.  They are safe, reliable and less costly to operate than electric systems.

To learn how natural gas heating systems can provide your building with cost effective, energy efficient, comfortable heat, contact your Alagasco representative or call 1-800-292-4010.