Warehouse heating systems compared
Warehouse heating decisions go wrong at the specification stage, not the purchase stage. This page compares every system a UK warehouse realistically considers, on the three things that actually determine cost: how heat is delivered, how it is zoned, and how much of it reaches a person standing on the floor.
Which heating system is best for a warehouse?
Radiant heating — electric infrared or gas radiant tube — is the best fit for most UK warehouses because it warms people and surfaces rather than air that stratifies to a 6–12 m roof. Warm-air systems suit only low-roofed, well-insulated, continuously occupied units. Allow 150–250 W/m² over occupied zones and control each zone separately.
The five options, side by side
Electric infrared: lowest installation cost, no flue, no gas, no annual service, instant response, easy zoning. Higher cost per kWh than gas, so it suits zoned and intermittent use.
Gas radiant tube: also radiant, so it avoids stratification, and the lowest fuel cost where a gas supply already exists. Needs flues, Gas Safe commissioning and annual servicing, and the capital cost is higher.
Gas warm air: cheap fuel, but it heats air that rises above head height and leaves through every loading-door opening. Only defensible in low-roofed, tight, continuously occupied buildings.
Air-source heat pump: lowest cost per delivered kWh, and the strongest carbon case, but it needs a well-insulated envelope and significant capital — rarely a fit for an older metal-clad shed.
Destratification fans: recover heat already stuck at the roof. Useful alongside a system, but they cannot fix a delivery method that heats the wrong place.
What decides the answer for your building
Ceiling height is the first filter: above about 8 m, air-based heating is not a serious option. Door-opening frequency is the second — every open shutter empties a warm-air system while radiant output keeps reaching the floor. Occupancy pattern is the third: a single-shift picking operation should not heat the building for 24 hours.
Finally, check the electrical supply. Electric radiant is often the cheapest system to install right up to the point where the incoming supply needs upgrading, so get that checked before comparing quotes.
Capital cost bands
Single working zone such as a packing bench area: roughly £1,200–£3,500 for two to six high-output radiant units on local control.
Multi-zone installation covering 500–1,500 m² of occupied space: roughly £6,000–£18,000 zoned with time and occupancy control.
Full distribution centre: £20,000 upwards, normally phased zone by zone to avoid operational downtime. Gas radiant tube schemes sit above the electric equivalents once flues and commissioning are included.
A sensible shortlist
- Confirm the design is sized on occupied zones, not total floor area.
- Ask for output per m² and mounting height for every zone.
- Check the incoming electrical supply or gas capacity before comparing prices.
- Require separate control per zone and per shift pattern.
- Check sprinkler and stored-goods clearances for the proposed units.
Frequently asked questions
Reviewed by the Infrared Heat Solutions technical team · Last updated July 2026 · Data sources: Ofgem price cap, Energy Saving Trust, first-party running-cost model