When the temperatures drop and snow starts falling, you probably turn on the heater to stay warm. But when you’re shipping temperature-sensitive freight in a warehouse without climate control, warehouse employees can’t do the same for your products: They’re left vulnerable to cold snaps as long as they’re in storage. If any of your products could spoil or lose their quality in freezing temperatures, it could be worth scouting out a heated warehouse in your company’s region.
Below, learn all about heated warehouses, the industrial heating systems behind them, and how to find a temperature-controlled shipping company that will keep your freight warm all winter long.
Which Industries Require A Heated Warehouse? Warehousing Needs for Temperature-Sensitive Freight
Any product with a liquid base is vulnerable to freezing weather, from soda bottles to industrial chemicals.
The following temperature-sensitive shipping products can spoil in freezing weather, making it crucial to seek a warehousing partner that can keep them above freezing temps.
- Chemicals: Volatile ingredients like solvents and acids can have unstable reactions in extreme cold.
- Electronics: Circuit boards or sensitive equipment can break down in freezing weather and lower the lifespan of an electronic product.
- Pharmaceuticals: Medications and lab supplies, like reagents, can lose their effectiveness when frozen.
- Cosmetics: Emulsifiers break down when they freeze, which can cause foundations or lotions to separate on the shelf.
- Perishable foods: Liquids expand when they freeze, which can shatter containers or affect the consistency when brought back to room temperature. Fresh produce is also highly vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
- Live plants: Flowers, trees, or potted plants will die in extreme cold.
- Paints: Any paint with a water or latex base is at risk of spoilage in freezing weather.
- Pesticides: The chemicals in pesticides can separate after freezing, making them ineffective for consumers.
How Is Freight Kept Warm During Transit?
Before they even make it to storage, your freight will need to be kept above freezing temps on the truck ride. Temperature-controlled shipping companies typically offer a service called Protect from Freeze (PFF). They use measures like insulated trailers and blanket wrappings to keep your freight above freezing until they make it to the dock at a heated warehouse.
What Is A Heated Warehouse?
A heated warehouse is a storage center that uses industrial heating systems to keep freight at room temperature (or at least above freezing temperatures.)
Heated warehouses are crucial for any industry that ships or stores cold-sensitive products in colder climates, since they prevent spoilage and product freezing during the winter. Heated warehouse spaces are also important for staff well-being, providing a safe working environment during the winter.
Do All Warehouses Have Heaters?
No. Heaters aren’t standard in most warehouses. For warehouses that don’t deal in temperature-sensitive freight or are located in warmer regions, the building’s insulation and the natural climate are enough to keep freight and people warm.
How Are Warehouses Heated? The Industrial Heating Systems That Power The Industry
There are multiple commercial heaters for warehouses, with each option able to keep products and people warm during the winter.
Gas Heaters
Some heated warehouses may simply mount gas heaters to the ceiling. They run off propane or natural gas and fan heat downward, allowing warm air to circulate throughout the warehouse.
Make-Up Air Heaters
Instead of relying on natural gas, make-up heaters warm the air from outdoors and circulate it throughout the building. They can use electricity, direct flame combustion, or even infrared heating.
Overhead Radiant Tubes
Industrial radiant heat warms people and objects through infrared waves, the same way that the sun does. Since the infrared signal doesn’t need to pass through the air, radiant tubing can be a particularly effective solution for warehouses, where racked storage units don’t always receive the same degree of airflow.
Radiant Flooring In A Heated Warehouse
On the other hand, some warehouses may opt for radiant heating through the floor. It uses the same infrared wave technology as an overhead radiant tube system, but is installed in the floor instead, so that the heat travels upward from the ground.
How to Choose The Right Heated Warehouse & Temperature-Sensitive Shipping Partner
Maintaining a heated warehouse space is only one piece of the puzzle. While any warehouse can install a heating system, it takes a true shipping partner to run a storage space that will meet all of your freight and storage needs.
Make sure you ask a potential heated warehousing partner about the following factors before signing an agreement.
- Location: Is the warehouse convenient to highways or interstates in your company’s home service range? If they’re a local transportation company that specializes in your region, that’s even better for efficient direct distribution.
- Ask about temperature range: Ask what temperature range the warehouse typically maintains during the winter, like 50 to 60°F.
- Backups: Does the warehouse have generators or a secondary heat source in case of power outages or system failures?
- Certifications & regulations: Is the warehouse qualified to handle specialty systems, like pharmaceuticals or chemicals?
- Organization: Does the warehouse use organization tools like racked storage systems and warehouse management systems (WMSs) to keep a clear account of order fulfillment?
A Rhode Island Heated Warehouse for Temperature-Sensitive Shipping & Storage
If you’re looking for a warehouse that can keep your temperature-sensitive freight warm in the Northeastern region, N&D Transportation is here for you.
Our fully heated warehouse in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, can keep your freight safe and warm throughout the harsh New England winter. No matter how low the temperature dips outside, we keep our warehouse above freezing and maintain a safe environment for all your temperature-controlled warehousing needs.
Contact us today for a quote on storing your freight in heated warehouse space, long or short-term.
