The inconvenient truth may be that Earth is getting warmer. But the reality is that it still gets cold in many places in North America during the winter.

“With the intense storms and record cold temperatures we had all across North America earlier last year, and with diesel fuel prices still high even after the recent drop in oil prices, this year’s winter season could leave many operators out in the cold,” said Brian Curliss, product manager for Teleflex Power Systems.

It doesn’t have to be that way this winter and for winter seasons to come, Curliss added. Properly chosen auxiliary heaters can provide truck operators considerable savings in fuel costs and engine maintenance costs, while offering comfortable work environments whenever the mercury falls.

“A recent survey of fleet operators conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute shows that direct-fired heaters are reported to be the least expensive on-board technology to purchase and maintain,” Curliss said. That same survey also shows that of the average 28 hours per week the respondents’ trucks idle, 32 percent is spent to keep the sleeper warm. And the need for heating comfort for drivers doesn’t begin and end with winter, he added.

“Global warming notwithstanding, it can still get pretty cold in the evening as late as May or as early as September in many places in the United States and Canada, particularly in the high elevations, along the coasts, in the deserts or on the plains,” he said. “That’s why properly chosen auxiliary heaters like the Teleflex Proheat Air can put a serious dent in the amount of money you shell out on fuel, particularly when fuel prices increase.”

But the amount of savings owner-operators can realize really depends on how well the auxiliary heater is spec’d, Curliss said That’s why before choosing one, owner-operators should consider, among other things, how much capacity they need based on climate, the size of their cab or sleeper, and the amount of insulation in their cab or sleeper, and whether automatic or manual starters will work best.

Tip No. 1: Choose the right tool for the job. With any job, choosing the right tool can make all the difference. Heaters are no different, Curliss said. Fuel-fired auxiliary heaters come in two types: coolant and air.

A diesel-fired coolant heater circulates truck engine coolant through a heat exchanger. Coolant heaters reduce wear and tear on your truck engines and can help you avoid a call to the tow service to help you warm up a frozen engine block, Curliss said. Generally, coolant heaters come in two different capacities, light-duty and heavy-duty. Light-duty coolant heaters can preheat your engine blocks or provide supplemental heat, but typically can’t provide enough heating capacity to heat your cab or sleeper by itself.

Since a heavy-duty coolant heater, such as the Proheat X45, can do both, it’s a good choice when you run in extreme cold climates. Generally, a heavy-duty coolant heater burns about a quart and a half per hour, far less fuel than the average gallon per hour that a truck engine burns when idling.

Diesel-fired air heaters draw air over a heat exchanger. They can preheat your cab or sleeper or provide supplemental heating. But they can’t heat the engine block. Depending on their capacity, air heaters burn anywhere from a ½ cup to a full cup of fuel per hour. Air heaters, like the Proheat Air, are excellent choices if you run trucks in cold weather, but not in extreme sub-zero temperatures, Curliss said. Air heaters balance your heating capacity needs with low fuel consumption.

Tip No. 2: The heat is on. Once you’ve determined the type of heater you need, consider the heater’s capacity, Curliss said. This is particularly important if you need a heater installed in your sleeper to get some sleep or in the cab to create a comfortable work environment.

As a rule of thumb, Curliss said maintaining a comfortable inside temperature when the outside temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit requires 20 British thermal units, or BTUs, for every cubic foot of space. That means an 80-inch double bunk sleeper with a volume of 320 cubic feet requires a heater with 6,400 BTUs, he added. A 6,000- to 7,000-BTU air heater should adequately heat most sleepers. However, your truck has an especially large sleeper or you run in extreme cold climates, you should consider heaters with much higher BTUs.

Tip No. 3: Don’t go out in that cold without buttoning it up. Like installing insulation in the roof and walls to winterize your home, installing thermal curtains and extra insulation in the cab and sleeper keeps the heat in and the cold out. It also reduces the amount of time it takes for your heater to warm things up.

Tip No. 4: Time keeps on tickin’. The heater’s capacity and the outside temperature determine how long it will take your heater to warm things up, Curliss said. If you need a heater that can heat things up quickly, you should consider a unit with a high BTU rating. But keep in mind the higher the rating, the more fuel the heater will burn.

Tip No. 5: Know where your heater will be mounted. Since heavy-duty coolant heaters require open frame rail space, they can’t be mounted under the hood. Light-duty coolant heaters can. Air heaters and their ductwork are mounted inside your cab or sleeper to heat and circulate air for comfort. Optional mounting hardware makes it easier to attach the heater to the floor of some truck cabs.

Tip No. 6: Keep it under control. Generally, heaters have three types of controls: manual, automatic (a timer), or full-temperature. With a manual controller, you must start and stop the heater and regulate its power. With a timer, you can set the heater to start and stop automatically. This allows you to warm up the truck, defrost the windows, or warm up the engine before you even open the door or turn the key at the start of your shift.

Full-temperature control is exclusive to air heaters and gives you the greatest degree of control over your cab or sleeper environment. You can control the heater manually or set it to operate automatically. Full-temperature control also allows you to control the heater’s fan speed and regulate the temperature more accurately.