The biggest threat to unit heater operation and lifespan is moisture. Contact with it can eat away at the metals used in the units, eventually taking off years of their functional lifespans. 

Moisture damage also costs real money. Having to replace components like a heat exchanger or motor fan blades or part of the casing means unnecessary costs that can accrue significantly over the years. The good part, though, is that costs can easily be prevented by being aware of the surroundings of the units and performing regular maintenance.

This makes regular maintenance especially important in high moisture environments, such as commercial greenhouses, vital. There are some basic steps that facility operators can take to protect the unit heaters from moisture damage in the long run: 

• Don’t spray or splash water onto heating equipment.
• Keep any sprayers, misters or sources of moisture away from heating equipment.
• If water is being sprayed or misted, make sure no fans nearby are in operation to prevent water from blowing onto the units. 
• Consider turning off the unit heaters when water or chemicals are being sprayed nearby. 

  

Modine’s high-efficiency Effinity® PTC unit heater is built to survive in harsh commercial greenhouse environments while providing optimum heating. The gas-fired Effinity® unit operates at up to 97% efficiency while saving more than $1,000 on energy per year when compared to other HVAC units. It is also more environmentally responsible, reducing CO2 cost output by 1,000 pounds per year per unit.

The best way to protect unit heaters from moisture is to pay regular attention to them. Be mindful of the physical surroundings the heaters and avoid placing sources of moistures near them. Keeping up a regular maintenance regimen and performing annual inspections will keep the units running efficiently over the long term.