What Is a Heat Gun Used For? Uses, Tips, and Benefits

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what is a heat gun used for

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Are you looking for a new tool to help with your crafts and home projects? A heat gun is a powerful tool that can help with handy tools and is compatible with various surfaces and adhesives. Read our guide to discover what is a heat gun used for as well as some extra tips for choosing the right one for you.

Heat Gun Uses

Check out some of the key uses of a heat gun below.

Thaw Frozen Pipes

During winter, temperatures decrease massively, so you’ll need to gently warm pipes to get the water flowing—which you can do with heat guns. To do so, begin by reducing the environmental temperature by gently warming the pipes. This process might take a while because you don’t want to provide too much heat at once to metal pipes, as it can lead to damage. Then, use a heat gun on the entire exterior to successfully thaw frozen pipes.

Candle Making

A heat gun is ideal for craft tasks, and you can even make candles using these power tools.

Loosen Stiff Screws

It can be a pain to untighten stiff screws and bolts. Fortunately, a heat gun makes this process much easier by causing the metal to expand, enabling you to loosen the screws in an instant.

Remove Dents From Cars

Does your car look like it needs some more loving? A heat gun can be useful for removing dents from your car’s bodywork. Simply apply heat surrounding the dent using a low heat setting and move the tool around the area to not strip paint. Then, blast the dented area with air from the can to allow the dent to pop right out—without you having to do anything on the internal side of the car.

Clear Foggy Headlights on Your Car

Foggy headlights can impact the visibility of your car. A heat gun can reduce and even completely erase any fog on lights.

Insulate Your Home

Are you tired of spending money on your home’s electricity in winter? Then consider insulating your home with a heat gun. Using vinyl sheeting and a heat gun, you can save plenty of money while making your home a warm sanctuary.

Remove Old Wallpaper and Removing Paint

Upgrade the wallpaper in your home the easy way by using a heat gun to remove old wallpaper and paint stripping. This tool melts wallpaper glue quickly and allows it to fall off instantly. Be careful not to apply the heat gun too close to the wall, though. The same tricks apply to removing labels that use particularly stubborn adhesives that leave a sticky residue or if you need to melt glue from something else.

Repair a Rip in a Leather Sofa

Got a rip in your leather sofa that’s bugging you? A heat gun might save you from having to repurchase an entirely new sofa. Instead, use your heat gun on a low setting to activate glue across the cut to kiss that rip goodbye forever.

Shrink Wrapping

Another common use of a heat gun is shrink wrapping, which is much quicker than using a hairdryer and removes any air to perfect results. This same method is used for applying window tinting.

Paint Drying

If you’ve recently painted the walls in your home and want them to dry quickly, you can use hot air from a heat gun to dry paint quicker. However, make sure that you don’t place the tool at a high temperature and don’t place it too close to the wall to avoid burning any surfaces.

Drying Wood

Wood can be a home for mould and mildew, and a heat gun can help with drying out the material to showcase its best condition. Once wood becomes damp, it can swell, change shape and crack. Fortunately, a heat gun can absorb the moisture from damp wood in a gentle yet effective process.

Sterilise Tools

Heat is an excellent source of sanitising tools, and heat guns can be an easy and effective way to remove bacteria from work tools. Set the gun to its highest setting for optimal sanitisation.

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Add a Unique Look to Furniture

Enhance the look of your wood furniture by using a heat gun on its surface. Using this tool can add an antique appearance to furniture. Apply the tool in a gentle motion across all directions on the furniture for the best and safest results.

Make a Leather Belt Looser

If you need to make your leather belt looser, a heat gun is an effective way to make it fit without buying a new accessory.

How to Choose the Best Heat Gun for You

With so many uses of heat guns, there’s no wonder you’re ready to make a purchase. But before you do, there are some important factors to keep in mind that will help you choose the best heat gun for your needs.

Type of Tool

Below are some of the types of hot air tools to consider, including their advantages and disadvantages.

Electric

Corded heat gun

Electric heat guns are available corded or cordless and in various sizes. You can even purchase these tools with a variety of temperature and fan speed ranges. These are the most popular types of heat guns and are usually cheaper to use. Plus, thanks to their popularity, electric units are available in various models with various accessories and functions.

Gas

Gas heat guns use a choice of butane or propane gas to power the tool. Compared to electric tools, a gas heat gun is more expensive to purchase and is also less convenient to use since you need to fill the tool with gas for power. However, many professionals choose to use a gas heat gun if they don’t have an electrical outlet nearby. This portability makes them ideal to use in various situations and locations.

Industrial

Alternatively, an industrial heat gun provides the highest heat and fan settings to keep up with big projects. Designed for industrial projects, these types of heat guns allow you to fine-tune projects for small to big tasks.

Infrared

Finally, infrared heat guns use infrared heat for power, which tends to be the cheapest type of heat gun. Additionally, they provide a high temperature that’s great for household projects.

Power

Not all heat guns operate at the same power, meaning that some tools get the job done quicker than others. For a DIY heat gun, you’re typically looking at a starting watt of around 1,800, while you can also get some powerful heat guns with a 3,400 watt.

As you can expect, a heat gun with a higher watt provides more power and better performance than a low-powered heat gun. You might also want to consider a 240V heat gun that plugs straight into the mains, making it safe to use in an industrial setting, such as on a construction site.

Temperature Settings

You may have noticed earlier with the uses of heat guns that we specified that some tasks require a low-temperature setting. In this case, you’ll need a tool that offers temperature control. In particular, basic heat guns come with two or three fixed temperatures. At the same time, if you increase your budget, high-end tools offer more temperature variables and precise temperatures presented on display.

To help you make your decision, consider what tasks you’ll use your heat gun for and whether it’s worth investing in a tool with flexible temperature control. You have to consider that even the lowest temperature can still be incredibly hot.

Adjustable Airflow

Hot air guns are available with an adjustable airflow control that lets you choose the force projected from the nozzle. So if you’re working amongst lightweight or sensitive materials, you may need to adjust the airflow to prevent any damage from heat. On the other hand, it’s great to have the option of increasing the airspeed to get jobs done quicker. Similar to those with an adjustable temperature setting, you might want to consider a heat gun with adjustable airflow, too—especially if you plan on varying the tasks.

Digital Display

If you intend on using a hot air gun, an LCD or LED display might be a good idea. A digital display allows you to view the temperature and airflow speeds at a glance of an eye. Furthermore, a built-in digital display also allows you to see precise data with accuracy, which is essential for professional use.

Thermal Cut-Out

Internal components, such as a thermal cut-out system, provide safe use for a heat gun. Opting for a tool with thermal cut-out technology can prolong its longevity and make it safer to use. Plus, a built-in thermal-cut out is also ideal for minimising damage to the tool for day-to-day use.

Dust Filter

With an integrated fine dust filter, your hot air gun is excellent for construction sites and environments where you’ll use the tool with dust and debris present. Thanks to a dust filter, it will remain more efficient by not absorbing dust particles.

Accessories

Some hot air guns are available with several accessories, which makes them ideal for professional use. In particular, Steinel offers a range of nozzles and accessories that you can purchase separately for excellent precision. Most hot air guns come with at least one extra nozzle to provide some versatility on the tasks you’re working on.

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Built-in Memory Profiles

Finally, a built-in memory profile allows you to conveniently select the settings that you’re looking for at the press of a button rather than having to make the adjustments yourself every time. In particular, this feature is excellent if you plan on working on several projects and want the convenience of simply selecting a profile.

The Benefits of Using a Hot Air Gun

Aside from the several uses of heat guns mentioned above, these tools have several other benefits. Another of the biggest benefits of heat guns is their flameless operation. Provide hot air for various tasks; a heat gun is a much safer heat source for crafts and home improvement tasks. Plus, many electric heat guns offer a high temperature for powering through self-improvement projects.

Start Using Your Heat Gun

Overall, what is a heat gun used for? A heat gun provides several uses—from helping with home tasks like cutting your energy costs to revamping your car by removing dents or something as simple as removing old paint—that can come in handy every day.

Let us know your go-to models and favourite uses in the comments.

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