With snow removal difficult for some growers and shippers after record snowfall in the Treasure Valley, Boise-based Mattson Distributors offers two options for mitigation.
Scott Clark of Mattson said heating the exterior of buildings was necessary in many cases when entrance to the structures was restricted.
“Heating the exterior of the building became a crucial tool in their efforts to save the structure and contents,” he said. And providing heat to the inside of the buildings was also paramount in the efforts as well.
Two options were available, with inside heat provided through diesel-fired radiant heaters manufactured by Hotsy and VAL6.
“These units provided our customers with quick, efficient, clean, dry and safe air. No taste or smell, no food contamination, no CO2, completely safe air for employees and product. This solution radiated heat and raised the interior building temperature, melting roof snow and ice,” Scott said.
Also, heaters on the outside were valuable when “we had no access to the interior.” He said, “We cut holes in doors or building walls and inserted clean air ducts fed by multiple diesel-fired indirect four-pass heaters” that are also manufactured by Hotsy.
“These heaters, with large fans and four-pass heat exchangers, flooded the buildings with clean, warm, dry air, but vented all “dirty” air (with CO2, soot, smell) to the exterior. This solution provided a safe way to melt snow and ice off of an otherwise inaccessible building,” he said.
