Best Space Heater for Dusty Environment [Top 5 Picks & Comparison]

No one likes to work in a cold environment. Yet, garages, basements, and workshops are often neglected when it comes to heating. It is for this reason that space heaters have become a popular choice for these spaces.

However, workshops tend to be dusty. Most of the heaters are not suitable for the dusty environment. This is because dust can cause a fire hazard in heaters and most heaters blow a lot of air that can spread the dust.

Luckily for you though, some very good heaters are designed to work in dusty environments. We have compiled a list of the five such space heaters. Use this list if you are looking for a space heater for your workshop, garage, basement, or any other place where there is considerable dust.

Your choice among these five will depend on your needs and preferences. To aid you with your purchase decisions, let’s first look at the factors you should consider while looking for a space heater for a dusty environment. 

Must-Have Features for Heaters in Dusty Environment

1. Unexposed Flame 

The heating element of the heater should not be exposed. The general rule of thumb is that if you can see the flame, you can’t use the heater in a dusty place. It is because dust clings easily to the heating elements.

Dust can easily catch fire, and this will eventually lead to a fire hazard. So, the more protected the heating element is, the better it is for dusty places. 

2. Radiant heating method

Generally, heaters rely on two heating methods: radiation and convection. When you are looking for a heater for dusty places, you should choose one that has a radiant heating method.

Radiant heating does not require air to transfer heating. It means that the fan of the heater will not blow very fast. A convection-based heater will blow a considerable amount of air and spread the dust all over your workspace. 

The two features mentioned above are must-haves when you are looking for space heaters for dusty places. It is for this reason that all the heaters that we have listed have an unexposed flame and work with the radiant heating method. 

List of Top 5 Dusty Environment Space Heaters

Guide To Select the Best Space Heater for Dusty Environment 

While the features listed above are must-haves, the specific features of your heater depend on your needs and preferences. Below is a list of the factors that will help you make your decision about the best heater.

1. Power of the heater 

Generally speaking, the more the wattage of the heater, the more area it can efficiently cover. The general rule of thumb is 10 watts per square foot of space. It is an important consideration to make when purchasing a space heater.

If you have a small 150 square feet- workshop, your ideal space heater should give a max output of 1500 watts. It makes very little sense to use a 5000 watts heater in a small 150 square feet place. 

Using a heater of high wattage in a small workspace can cause overheating and hazards. Meanwhile, using a heater of small wattage for large space will cause inefficient heating with cold and hot spots.

Use the rule of thumb mentioned above to estimate the correct wattage of the heater you need. It is also important to remember that these calculations do not need to be exact.

Use the rule of thumb to arrive at a ballpark figure and purchase the heater with the nearest wattage option. 

2. Portability 

Another factor that you should consider while choosing a space heater for a dusty environment is its portability. It will help you move your heater away from the corner where dust has gathered. 

Some heaters are hard-wired and hence cannot be moved around. These are not for you if you will be moving your space heater a lot during the day. Yet, portability comes at the cost of power output.

So, generally speaking, the more portable the heater is, the lower its output is going to be. Some space heaters also work as personal heaters.

They are a great choice if you will be using the heater in the garage as well as at home. However, they will only be good enough to heat your personal space. 

3. Durability 

So here is the thing: dusty spaces are often rough spaces. When we talk about dusty spaces we mean garages, workshops, and basements. All of these are the spaces where we get rough work done.

Inevitably, a heater in a dusty place will also be used roughly. This is especially true if the heater is portable. It is for this reason that the heater should be durable.

4. Ease of Cleaning

Dust is the enemy of all electronics. You must not let the dust settle on the peripherals of the heater. So, it is important to consider the ease of cleaning the heater when you are looking for a heater for dusty environments. 

Top 5 Space Heaters for Dusty Environment

1. DIMPLEX DGWH4031G

Most Durable

Dusty environments are the enemy of durability. Yet the Dimplex DGWH4031G can survive years in it. The heater has an unexposed element that does not come in direct contact with the dust.

This means that the dust will not gather around the element and hence the heater will not blow up. The heater also has an added safety feature of automatic shut-off in case it gets too hot.

One thing to note here is that the air blown from the fan of the heater is on the higher side. It is okay for a dusty environment but not the best.

The heater is made with heavy gauge steel. The steel has a powder-coated finish that protects it against corrosion. The fan delay features keep the fan running after the heater has been shut off.

This is done to cool down the element so that it stops heating. A heated element in the absence of air can cause the peripherals to melt and hence decreases durability. 

The heater provides a decent power output of 4000 watts. So, it can easily cover an area equal to 400 sq feet. It is powered by a power chord. It is also very easy to carry the heater. 

Pros:

• Decent coverage area
• Chorded power source 
• Easy to move
• Easy to clean 

Cons:

• Higher fan speed

2. Fahrenheat FUH Electric Heater

Easy to Clean and Maintain

When it comes to heaters for dusty places, the greatest fear is that the dust would cause the heating element to glow and burst. However, the Farenheat FUH Electric heater’s element is not exposed and so it does not gather dust.

This prevents it from glowing red hot and hence protects it from bursting. The fan only blows minimal air so that dust in your workshop does not spread all over. 

It also comes with a thermal shutoff case that protects the heater from getting too hot. However, the dust will gather over its fan blades and interfere with their ability to blow air over the element.

So, occasionally you would have to open it up and blow compressed air. Luckily for you though, it is very easy to clean as it has large grilles for cleaning. It is also very easy to open up the heater for occasional detailed cleaning.

The heater produces a power output of 5000 watts. The heater is hard-wired, and so it lacks portability. Yet, since the heater’s direction can be changed, you can change the direction away from where a lot of dust has settled. It is easy to clean because it has large grilles.  

 The fan of the heater keeps blowing until the heating element is cooled down. It increases the life of the heating elements and the peripherals of the heater because the hot heating element can cause the peripherals to melt when the fan stops working.

It is easy to install in workshops and basements.  It comes with a ceiling mounting bracket that allows the heater to be mounted vertically or horizontally. Vertical mounting saves space and allows for directional heating.

Pros:

• Durable
• Good coverage 
• Directional heating 

Cons:

• Lacks portability 

3. New Air Portable garage heater

Most Portable

We have already discussed that an open flame is a fire hazard in a dusty environment because dust can catch fire. However, It is very rare to find a portable heater without an open flame.

The New Air Portable Garage heater is the perfect portable heater for your workshop because it has an enclosed frame. This means that the flame is not visible. The heating element is hidden behind several peripherals to protect dust from reaching it. 

The heater works with a corded power source. This makes it easy to set up wherever you are going to take it. The exterior is made from a hard shell that can withstand rough use in a dusty environment.

It also comes with an ETL certification for electrical safety. The most impressive thing about this heater is that it has a coverage area of 500 square feet. There are very few portable heaters in the market that can do this. 

Pros:

• Portable 
• Good coverage

Cons:

• Not the most durable 

4. Comfort Zone CZ220

Value for Money

The comfort zone CZ220 is a radiator-style heater. This means that like all the other heaters in this list, the heating element is unexposed to the environment. The heater is ceiling mounted.

It has two benefits when it comes to dusty places. The first is that the heater will be as far away from the dust as possible because dust settles on the bottom.

The second advantage is that the heater will blow air downwards. As opposed to sidewards, downwards direction air spreads the dustless. 

The heater has a  durable steel construction. It is hardwired, so we really would not recommend it to those who want portable options. It also has smart safety features such as a built-in sensor that shuts the device automatically when it overheats.

The heater has a maximum heating output of 5000 watts. The Comfort Zone CZ220 offers all of this within the budget of 105 dollars essentially making it the best value for money item.

Pros:

• Safety features within a budget
• Good coverage 
• Ceiling mounted

Cons:

• Manual controls 

5. TURBRO Arcade HR1500 Electric Mica Space Heater

Best Price

Remember how fan air from the heater spreads dust? The Turbo HR 1500 Arcade Mica Space heater does not have a fan! It means that it will not blow any dust at all.

The heater uses a ceramic-based radiation heating element. The heating element is unexposed hence making it a good choice for dusty places. 

The heater is not marketed towards garage spaces.  It is good if you have a small workshop and you will keep it with care. It produces a power output of 1500 watts which can cover 150 square feet of area.

It is the cheapest heater that you can get your hands on for your garage but make sure it suits your need. 

Pros:

• Best price
• No fan
• Portable 

Cons:

• Low power output 
• Cannot handle rough use

Comparison of Above-Listed Dusty Environment Space Heaters

	Power (watts)	Dimensions	Weight	Connection Type
DIMPLEX DGWH4031G	4000	11 x 7.25 x 9 inches	12.1 pounds	Power Cord
Fahrenheat FUH	5000	12.5 x 12.4 x 14 inches	24 pounds	Hard-Wired
New Air Portable garage heater	5000	9 x 9.5 x 14 inches	15 pounds	Power Cord
Comfort Zone CZ220	5000	17.25 x 13.7 x 14.5 inches	24.4 pounds	Hard-Wired
TURBO Arcade HR1500	1500	17.7 x 10.6 x 26.2 inches	10.18 pounds	Power Chord

Final Words:

When you look for a space heater for dusty places, the most important thing to pay attention to is the heating method and the exposure of the heating elements.

Under no circumstances should you buy a heater with an exposed heating element. You should buy a radiant heater because it blows less air.

You should also consider the ease of cleaning the heater. This is because no matter what, heat will enter the heater. You will have to occasionally open it up and clean it from the inside.