Thermal gas guns: device, selection options, an overview of popular manufacturers

Alexey Dedyulin
Checked by a specialist: Alexey Dedyulin
Author: Irina Yakushchenko
Last update: May 2019

Quickly and efficiently - it's about heating with heat guns. There are situations when a residential or industrial premises need to be heated very quickly, and then maintain optimal temperature conditions with minimal maintenance costs.

The heat gas gun successfully copes with these tasks - the unit is especially in demand if it is necessary to accelerate the drying of building and finishing materials in the winter, heating the garage, greenhouses, retail outlets, etc. Still doubt the necessity and feasibility of buying a heat gun?

We offer you to understand what are the features of the work and application of gas heat generators, what parameters should be taken into account when choosing a gun, so that the purchase meets expectations. In addition, we have prepared a review of the best manufacturers whose products have gained a reputation for quality and reliable products.

What is a heat gun?

This is a portable or stationary device for heating air. Heat guns are used for heating spacious rooms - houses, hangars, workshops and production workshops.

Devices are convenient in operation and affordable. An additional plus: they economically consume energy.

Portable heat gun
Heating appliances got their name because of the external resemblance to guns. This design is due to the structural features of the heat guns and their functional purpose.

Heat guns are classified according to the source of energy on which they operate: gas, electricity, diesel, waste oil. Since diesel and mining have a specific smell, diesel heat guns more often installed in non-residential buildings.

Popular brand model Aurora
Heat guns operating on different energy sources can be compared when it comes to facilities of a similar purpose. For all their advantages, diesel or waste oil heaters have significant application limitations.

Scope of gas and electric heating appliances much wider. It includes residential, office buildings, trading floors. With proper installation and operation, such heaters are safe.

Heat guns work just like fan heaters. Air enters through the intake openings in the housing, warms up, passing through the heating element, and then is forced into the room with force, mixing with cooler air masses.

The scheme of the gas gun
The device operates either on liquefied or natural gas. However, the fan motor and control system require electricity to operate, so the heat gun actually depends on two energy sources (+)

To avoid overheating of the structural units and to ensure high-quality operation of devices, manufacturers install monitoring systems. If the temperature exceeds the permissible values, the heat gun is automatically turned off.

Heat gun with a gas cylinder
The buyer himself decides how the device will work - from main gas or from a cylinder. If you want to achieve mobility of the heater, it is worth stocking up with propane-butane cylinders

The protection system is triggered when the heater overturns. Thanks to these measures, the device is safe for consumers. If used correctly, burns and fires are excluded.

A detailed overview of different types of heat guns is given in this article.

What distinguishes heat guns from other heaters

The gas heat gun has several features that distinguish them from other types of heaters:

  1. Power. This is the main criterion that customers are guided by when choosing any heater. Gas heat guns are able to heat rooms of a very large area with minimal resources. The main thing is not to make a mistake with the model.
  2. Ability to create comfort zones. The heat gun can be set so that it will pump the heated air locally - into a specific area. This is convenient for creating comfortable working conditions in workshops, garage heating etc.
  3. Mobility. Manufacturers produce portable and stationary models. If the buyer plans to often transport the heat gun (for example, for installing stretch ceilings), then it is better to choose a compact and lightweight device on a stand and rubber wheels.
  4. Cost-effectiveness. By efficiency, gas models are comparable to electric ones. They are slightly inferior in ease of use, but very profitable: heating costs several times cheaper.

Gas heat guns have another advantage, which is practically independent of the power and other technical indicators of the models.

They effectively warm the air even in poorly insulated rooms. Under such conditions, the heat quickly leaves, but while the device is working, a comfortable temperature is always maintained in the selected zone.

Features of direct and indirect heating

When choosing heating equipment, you need to clearly know in what conditions it will work. Depending on the characteristics of the room, the presence / absence of ventilation in it, you can choose a gas heat gun direct or indirect heating.

Different types of guns
The designs of direct and indirect heating devices differ. Firstly, air from the heating element is directly supplied to the room, and secondly, it is pre-cleaned (+)

Direct heating guns. The fan supplies air to the burner, after which it supplies to the room. Together with warm air masses, gas combustion products are also emitted. They are not as dangerous as substances obtained by burning liquid fuel, but they can still cause poisoning.

The advantages of direct heating guns include accessibility and high efficiency. They are significantly cheaper than indirect heating models, and their efficiency reaches almost 100%.

Direct heating guns
Devices of this design are bought only for rooms with good ventilation. This is necessary to ensure a normal flow of air to the burners and to prevent poisoning of people with impurities of gas (+)

Indirect heating guns. Toxic combustion products fall into a special outlet, and already cleaned air enters the room.

These devices are safe for health, but in terms of technical indicators they are much inferior to the first type of heaters. Their efficiency is lower (82%), in addition, part of the heat evaporates with the products of combustion.

The use of direct heat guns
Due to the reasonable price, practicality and cost-effectiveness, direct-heating guns are especially popular with construction and finishing teams. Some entrepreneurs even provide rental services for these heaters.

Which gun is better to choose - direct or indirect heating? It depends on the priorities and needs of the buyer. It is important to soberly evaluate the operating conditions of the device.

If forced ventilation is organized, the choice in favor of direct heating is obvious. However, there is its own "fly in the ointment": the better the ventilation system works, the higher the heat loss.

Heater selection options

There are several key points to consider when buying a model:

  1. Intended scope. It is necessary to determine in advance whether the heater will work to warm up the room or be used irregularly for specific purposes (drying plaster, etc.). Depending on this, a stationary or mobile model is chosen.
  2. Installation location. Take into account the particular arrangement of the device, the compliance of operating conditions with fire safety standards.
  3. Power. To warm 10 sq.m. premises (with a ceiling height of up to 3 m), approximately 1 kW of heat is needed. This is a very approximate figure, as depending on thermal insulation, indicators can vary from 0.8 to 1.4 kW. The heater must be taken with a good supply of power.
  4. Type of construction. If people are constantly in the heated room, it is better not to take the risk and buy an indirect heating device. For other purposes, a direct heating model is suitable.

The price matters. Saving on gas heating can, at best, result in additional costs, and at worst, damage to human health. On the other hand, there is no need to overpay. The best option is to choose the right model for a good brand at an affordable cost.

TOP 6 manufacturers and the best models

When determining the best manufacturers and models of heaters, users focus not only on technical indicators, but also on price, build quality, frequency and reasons for contacting service centers.

Popular gas heater Ballu
Ballu household appliances are produced in various countries, including in Russia, China and Korea. This is the case when customers have no complaints about the quality of Chinese products

The list of the best brands includes the following:

  1. Master. These are products of Master Climate Solutions, the market leader in heating equipment. The manufacturer controls the quality at all stages of the manufacture of equipment, so buyers have almost no complaints.
  2. Ballu. Ballu household appliances are high-tech, convenient and practical. The company is constantly improving models, achieving ideal performance, and at the same time pays attention to green production technologies.
  3. Moller. Moller heat guns are genuine German quality, high-strength steel shells with a wear-resistant coating and one hundred percent safety.
  4. «SPECIAL IGE". This trademark is not as famous as world-famous brands, but it represents quite worthy products. The manufacturer takes care of the build quality, ease of design, pays attention to the weight of the models and tries in every possible way to facilitate them.
  5. «Caliber". The Caliber trademark invariably pleases customers with the high quality of its equipment. Heat guns are no exception. The manufacturer offers models of various capacities and purposes.
  6. «Interskol". The company produces electric and gas heat guns. The selection is extensive. Each buyer will find a model that will be 100% consistent with his needs.

The products of these six brands are considered the best, but the final choice is always up to the buyer.

It is important to understand that a “hyped” brand is not only a name, but also consumer confidence that has been won over the years.

Although all TOP-6 gas heat guns are of good quality, there are sales leaders. Buyers "vote in rubles" for especially liked models. it Master BLP 17 M, Master BLP 33 M, Moller gh15h, Ballu BHG-10, SPECIAL IGE-15, Interskol TPG-10, Caliber TPG-10.

Some home craftsmen collect the gas heat gun with their own hands. Detailed instructions for the manufacture and launch of the unit in the article - Do-it-yourself heat gas gun: step-by-step assembly instructions

The most common equipment malfunctions

Any equipment can break down, even the most expensive, high-quality and reliable. Faulty gas equipment is dangerous, so preventive maintenance should be carried out twice a year, and minor repairs if necessary.

Repair gas heater
In case of complex breakdowns, it is not necessary to carry out diagnostics and repair the device yourself. This work should be done by the specialists of the service center.

Consider the causes of equipment malfunctions:

  1. Gas button malfunctions. If gas enters while the button is pressed, but disappears when it is released, then there may be problems with the safety sensor.
  2. Gas is not flammable. This happens in case of a breakdown of the piezoelectric element. It should be adjusted or replaced. If a heat gun is needed urgently, you can set fire to gas using a kitchen lighter with a long handle.
  3. No gas flowing during fan operation. A problem often arises when a solenoid valve breaks down.
  4. Unable to adjust gas flow. This happens when a gas line becomes clogged.
  5. There was a smell of gas. The cause of the problem may be the clogging or malfunction of the gas pipeline. Turn off the heat gun and contact a service center.

When operating a heat gun, you must adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations. The equipment should be cleaned and rinsed in time, lubricated bearings and, if necessary, replace worn parts.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

We offer several videos that will help you choose the right heat exchanger for your home, cottage, shop or office.

Video instruction for choosing a gas heater:

Video review of the heat gun brand Ballu:

Features of the Master gas heat gun:

User reviews about "Caliber TPG-10":

There are many types of heaters. Before making the final choice, you need to think carefully about all the options. If a decision is made in favor of a gas heat gun, you should carefully read the technical documentation for each model you like.

Feel free to ask sellers, check certificates of conformity. Choose the best option for price and quality.

Looking for an effective gas gun? Or have experience using such equipment? Please leave comments on the article, ask questions and participate in discussions. The contact form is located below.

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Visitors Comments
  1. For the third year now, I have been plowing a cannon from the manufacturer, which you have at number 6 on the list. Took 10 kW in the garage, there is tight heating. I only had to buy a cylinder, the gearbox was included. I chose gas consumption, and at a price. It turned out about 0.8 kg per hour eats, and normally heats a garage of 20m2. There are problems with piezo ignition, it is necessary to twitch the button a couple of times until the spark catches.
    As for me - a better option than electric fans and all kinds of oil heaters. I leave it in the garage, it is corrosion-resistant, does not rot.

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