Published: 25 May 2025 | Last updated: 25 May 2025 | By AAC Gas Engineering Team | Reading time: 7 minutesCategory: Commercial Gas Advice | Tags: Radiant Tube Heaters, Preston, Lancashire, Warehouse Heating, Industrial Heating
Radiant tube heater installed in Preston warehouse — AAC Gas servicing and maintenance
If you manage a warehouse, factory, industrial unit, or large commercial space across Preston, Lancashire, or the wider North West, chances are your building relies on radiant tube heaters for space heating. They're the most common heating solution for large-span, high-ceiling industrial buildings — and for good reason. But like every gas-fired appliance in a commercial or industrial environment, they require annual servicing by a Gas Safe registered engineer to stay legal, safe, and operating efficiently.This guide covers everything facilities managers, warehouse operators, and business owners across Preston and Lancashire need to know about radiant tube heater servicing — including your legal obligations, what a proper service includes, the brands we cover, warning signs to watch for, and how much servicing typically costs.
A radiant tube heater is a gas-fired heating system typically mounted at high level in warehouse and factory ceilings. Unlike warm air heaters, which heat the air itself, radiant tube heaters work by generating infrared radiation through a heated tube — typically operating at temperatures between 550°C and 580°C — and radiating that heat downward to warm people, objects, and the floor below directly.This makes them exceptionally efficient in high-bay warehouses, distribution centres, factories, workshops, and large open spaces where warm air would simply rise to the ceiling and be lost. Radiant tube heaters heat objects and occupants directly rather than the air — which is more effective in high-bay spaces where warm air rises and heat loss through the roof is significant.Across Preston and Lancashire's industrial estates — including Walton Summit Industrial Estate, the Bamber Bridge commercial corridor, Cuerden Valley Business Park, and the distribution parks along the M6 and M65 — radiant tube heaters are the dominant heating solution for warehousing and manufacturing. They're found in virtually every large industrial unit across the region.
Yes — without exception.Gas-fired radiant tube heaters are gas appliances operating in commercial premises. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, all gas appliances in commercial and industrial premises must be maintained in a safe condition by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Annual servicing is the standard required to comply with this obligation and to keep most commercial insurance policies valid.In addition, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places a duty on employers to maintain equipment in safe working order. A radiant tube heater that hasn't been serviced is potentially a safety risk — and if an incident occurs on premises where servicing has been neglected, the legal and insurance consequences for the business owner or facilities manager can be severe.The message is clear: annual servicing of your radiant tube heaters is a legal obligation, not an optional extra.
At minimum, once every 12 months. This is the standard required by the Gas Safety Regulations and what most commercial insurers require as evidence of appliance maintenance.However, there are circumstances where more frequent attention is warranted:High-use systems — radiant tube heaters in 24-hour logistics operations, food production facilities, or manufacturing sites running multiple shifts place higher demands on burner components and should ideally be inspected at least every six months.Pre-season commissioning — systems that are shut down over summer should be recommissioned and inspected before the heating season begins in autumn. A burner left idle for several months can develop ignition problems, fuel system issues, or corrosion that only becomes apparent when you try to fire the system up on the first cold day.Post-breakdown — any radiant tube heater that has suffered a significant fault or breakdown should be formally serviced and inspected before being returned to full operation, regardless of when it was last serviced.New installations — first service at 12 months after commissioning, then annually thereafter.
A proper radiant tube heater service carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer should include all of the following:Burner Inspection and StripThe burner assembly is stripped, inspected, and cleaned. The combustion head, electrodes, and nozzle are examined for wear, corrosion, or deterioration. Electrode gaps are checked and adjusted. A worn or dirty burner is the most common cause of radiant heater ignition failure and lockout.Combustion AnalysisUsing a flue gas analyser, the engineer measures CO₂, O₂, CO, and flue gas temperature to assess combustion performance and efficiency. Poor combustion means the heater is burning more gas than it needs to produce the required heat output — costing money and potentially producing elevated CO levels.Heat Exchanger and Tube InspectionThe radiant tube is inspected for cracking, corrosion, burn-through, or deterioration. A cracked or perforated radiant tube is a serious safety issue — combustion gases can escape into the building. This inspection is one of the most critical elements of the annual service.Flue and Draught Diverter ChecksThe flue system and draught diverter are inspected for integrity, blockage, or deterioration. A blocked or damaged flue can cause combustion products including CO to spill into the building atmosphere.Ignition System TestingThe ignition system — including the spark igniter, flame sensor, and gas valve operation — is tested and verified. Reliable ignition is critical to safe operation; a heater that fails to light and repeatedly attempts to fire is a gas safety risk.Safety Device VerificationAll safety devices — overheat thermostats, flame failure devices, and pressure switches — are tested to confirm correct operation. Safety devices on radiant tube heaters are designed to shut the system down if an unsafe condition develops; a safety device that isn't working correctly negates this protection.Gas Pressure ChecksGas supply and manifold pressures are checked and recorded against manufacturer specifications. Incorrect gas pressure affects both performance and combustion safety.Full Written Service ReportA proper radiant tube heater service concludes with a full written report documenting all findings, test results, any defects identified, and any remedial recommendations. This documentation is essential for compliance purposes, insurance, and warranty records.
[INSERT IMAGE 2 HERE — ALT: Gas Safe registered engineer inspecting radiant tube heater burner — AAC Gas Lancashire]
Don't wait for the annual service if your heater is showing any of these signs:Ignition failures or repeated lockout — a heater that fails to light and requires frequent manual resets is telling you something is wrong with the ignition system, gas valve, or flame detection. This requires urgent investigation.Visible flame problems — an unstable, lazy, or incorrectly sized flame indicates combustion problems. A healthy radiant tube heater burner produces a strong, stable blue/yellow flame within the tube. Irregular or unstable flames need immediate attention.Visible tube damage — any signs of glowing, burn-through, discolouration, or physical damage to the radiant tube requires the system to be shut down immediately and inspected before restarting.Reduced heat output — if your warehouse isn't reaching working temperature despite the heaters running normally, burner performance or tube efficiency has degraded. Combustion analysis will identify the cause.Unusual smells — any smell of gas or combustion products inside the building when heaters are operating is a serious warning sign. Shut the system down and call a Gas Safe registered engineer immediately.CO alarm activation — if a carbon monoxide detector on your premises activates, evacuate immediately and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
Our Gas Safe registered engineers have extensive hands-on experience across all major radiant tube heater brands found in Preston and Lancashire's industrial and warehousing sector:Ambirad — one of the most widely installed radiant tube heater brands across the North West, found in warehouses and factories throughout Walton Summit, Bamber Bridge, and the wider Preston industrial corridor.Reznor — extensively used across Lancashire's logistics and manufacturing sector. We carry comprehensive knowledge of Reznor tube heater systems including Eclipse and D-series units.Powrmatic — common across Lancashire's manufacturing and commercial property sector. Full service capability including Powrmatic PT and NT series units.Combat — widely installed across North West industrial estates. We service all Combat tube heater configurations.Space-Ray — specialist high-intensity radiant tube heaters found in demanding industrial applications. Full service and repair capability.Benson Heating — common in older industrial units across Lancashire. We carry spares and service knowledge for Benson tube heater systems.Roberts Gordon — high-efficiency tube heater systems found in newer warehouse developments across Preston and the M6 corridor. Full service capability.Schwank — premium industrial radiant tube heaters found in specialist manufacturing environments. Service and repair capability across all Schwank configurations.Herz — specialist radiant tube systems. Full service capability.If your brand isn't listed, call us — our engineers cover all gas-fired radiant tube heater equipment across Preston, Lancashire, and the wider North West.
Costs vary depending on the number of heaters, system configuration, and site access requirements. As a guide for Preston and Lancashire businesses:Single radiant tube heater annual service — typically £95–£175 depending on heater size and access requirements.Multiple heater sites — most warehouse and factory sites have multiple heaters. Servicing multiple units in a single visit is significantly more cost-effective per unit than individual call-outs.Planned preventative maintenance contracts — for businesses with multiple heaters requiring regular servicing, a PPM contract offers the best value — scheduling annual services, providing priority response for breakdowns, and spreading costs predictably across the year.The cost of annual servicing is invariably a fraction of the cost of an emergency breakdown call-out in December, replacement burner components, or the productivity loss of a cold warehouse during the winter months.
[INSERT IMAGE 3 HERE — ALT: Warehouse radiant tube heating system serviced by AAC Gas across Preston and Lancashire]
AAC Gas are Gas Safe registered commercial and industrial gas engineers based in Higher Walton, Preston. We service, maintain, and repair radiant tube heaters of all makes and models across Preston, Lancashire, Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire — from single heater units in small commercial workshops to large multi-heater installations in major distribution centres and manufacturing plants across Walton Summit Industrial Estate, Bamber Bridge, Knowsley Industrial Park, Trafford Park, and all points across the North West.All our engineers hold commercial ACS qualifications. We provide full written service reports on completion and can set up planned preventative maintenance contracts for businesses requiring year-round radiant heater coverage.📞 Call us: 01772 382971 — 24/7 emergency response available across Preston, Lancashire and the wider North West
How long does a radiant tube heater service take?A single heater service typically takes 45–90 minutes depending on heater size and condition. Multiple heater sites are completed in a single visit wherever possible to minimise disruption.Can radiant tube heaters be serviced while the warehouse is operating?Yes — in most cases we can service radiant tube heaters with normal warehouse operations continuing below. We coordinate with site managers to ensure safe working at height and minimal disruption.What happens if a fault is found during the service?If a defect is found during the service, we will advise you immediately, document the finding in the service report, and discuss the repair options. Safety-critical defects require the heater to be taken out of service until repaired.Do you cover emergency radiant tube heater breakdowns?Yes — we provide 24/7 emergency call-out for radiant tube heater breakdowns across Preston, Lancashire, Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire.How do I know if my radiant tube heaters have been serviced recently?Check for a service label attached to each heater unit — a properly serviced heater will have a label showing the service date and the engineer's Gas Safe registration number. If there's no label or the date is more than 12 months ago, the heater is overdue for service.
AAC Gas — Gas Safe registered commercial and industrial gas engineers based in Preston, Lancashire. Gas Safe registration number 562186. Serving Preston, Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire, and the wider North West.
