​Ceramic heater element for hot air heat gun

Hot air guns play a significant role in many types of work, ranging from home improvement projects to industrial manufacturing. Aerospace, automotive, and boating industries rely on these heavy-duty tools. Regardless of the task, safety awareness is critical when using a power tool with a heated element.

Popular Uses for Heat Guns

Household Uses

In the household, DIYers often use small, cordless heat guns for a variety of projects. Common uses include thawing frozen pipes during winter cold snaps, stripping paint and old wallpaper when renovating or redecorating, removing flooring, upholstering or repairing furniture, and more.

Hot air tools can even help in the kitchen to quickly roast coffee beans, sear meat, melt chocolate, or defrost the freezer – not to mention at-home candle making. The maximum operating temperature on these devices ranges, with some reaching as high as 990 degrees Fahrenheit.

Industrial Uses

Industrial manufacturers use heat guns of variable temperature to perform more complex and heavy-duty undertakings. These tasks can include:

paint stripping

loosening old bolts and screws

bending plastic and metal

removing adhesives

embossing

waxing

shrink wrapping large objects

drying our damp wood or other materials prone to mold

sterilizing tools for proper sanitation

While some of these jobs have lower operating temperature requirements, industrial heat guns can reach 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit.