Laboratory tests for the evaluation of the heat distribution efficiency of the Friendly-Heating heaters

• Preventive conservation tools are aplied to a Friendly Heating Project case study.
• New laboratory tests, implemented in Climate for Culture project, are presented.
• Performances & heat efficiency distribution of 2 FH heaters are evaluated in detail.
• Results provide useful advices to help conservators to best exploit the heaters.

This paper reports the results of three innovative laboratory tests implemented during winter 2013 in the framework of the Climate for Culture European Project (2009–2014). Thermal analysis was used to assess the heating efficiency of some heaters with different power consumption, geometric shape and dimensions.Experimental laboratory results were obtained under natural indoor environmental conditions and the outcomes were applied to a real case study of two churches on the Italian Alps during the Friendly Heating project.Results provide useful information to help final users and/or conservators to exploit at the best the heating efficiency of some heaters on the basis of the geometric characteristics of the elements and represent helpful advices for their installation, considering both the optimal position for the maximum comfort performance and the need for not exceeding specific risk thresholds for artwork preservation.