Suppliers of electric heating boilers offer boilers in two main categories - electric hot water boilers and electric steam boilers. These two types are available in various subtypes, such as electric resistance boilers and electrode boilers, therefore, choosing the right boiler for your application can become a difficult task. Proper education about boilers can help you choose the right boiler for your specific application. For example, for commercial heating systems, using electric boilers for central heating is a better alternative as compared to multiple stand-alone boilers.

If you wish to enter the business of electric boilers, you need to know the basics of electric boilers design and operation. Proper knowledge of electric boilers design and operation is necessary to stay and advance in the business of electric boilers for home heating and industrial heating.

To educate yourself and/or your workforce about electric boilers, you can:

1. Browse various resources that provide basic information on electric boilers
2. Enroll for educational courses at recognized institutions
3. Join associations for boiler manufacturers and inspectors

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand the basics of electric boilers and the relevant terminology

If you have very little exposure to electric boilers, you can learn the basics by browsing through different resources, such as websites of reputable electricity supply companies and boiler manufacturers.

I recommend: You can read about the basics of an electric hot water boiler at Verendrye Electric Cooperative, an electric power supply company. Alabama Power, another leading power supply company, offers basic information on electric boilers. You can also read about the basics of electric boilers at Otter Tail Power Company, a reputable power supply company. In addition, Lattner Boiler Company, a boiler manufacturing company, provides useful information on electric boiler sizing, specifying and purchasing.

Join educational courses that provide information about electric boilers

Recognized institutions offer education courses in boiler technology, operation and maintenance.

I recommend: If you want to enter the business of electric boilers, you can enroll for a basic course in boiler maintenance and wiring systems at CTS Consultants, a reputable gas and heating/boiler training company that offers online courses in boiler technology. If you already have basic knowledge about electric boilers, you can learn more by joining a course at PDHcenter.com, a recognized continual education provider for professional engineers. In addition, you can join continual education courses in boiler and pressure vessels technology at the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME International). Many boiler operators get their start through apprenticeship programs of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

Join associations that can provide updates about electric boilers

You can join associations for boiler manufacturers and inspectors to keep your knowledge about electric boilers up-to-date.

I recommend: If you are an electric boiler manufacturer, you can interact with other boiler manufacturers at the American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA). If you are a commissioned boiler and pressure vessel inspector, you can join the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors (NBBI).

Electric boilers are heating systems that function by electrically heating water to a high temperature or steam, then distributing the water or steam to heat a building. They range from small residential units to industrial boilers capable of heating hundreds of rooms. Many industries prefer to use electric heating because it's simple and reliable.

Electric heating is suitable for buildings ranging from single-family residents to university campuses. The wattage, voltage and pressure of your electric boiler depend on the climate and the square footage you need to heat. When purchasing an electric boiler, consider the following:

1. Implement an electric boiler for central heating if you need to heat a commercial or industrial building with multiple rooms.

2. Use electric heating as an alternative to gas.

3. Purchase a used electric boiler to keep costs down.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use electric boilers for central heating

Whether you're heating an apartment building, a health care facility or a university campus, using an electric boiler for central heating can be a simple and reliable way to keep multiple rooms warm. Central heating works by using one boiler to distribute heat to multiple rooms. To install central heating, you'll need a separate room to house the electric boiler.

I recommend: Browse an inventory of electric boilers at Chromalox. The company offers electric boilers in a wide range of voltage, wattage and pressure. Acme Engineering Products manufactures electric steam boilers for commercial and industrial applications. The boilers include all controls and are wired for quick installation.

Offer residential electric boilers

Residential electric boilers are an option builders can offer home buyers who want an alternative to gas heating. A residential electric boiler has advantages and disadvantages. By using electricity, you eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning; however, houses that use electric boilers for home heating need an emergency generator in case of a power outage.

I recommend: Order an electric boiler for home heating at Reimers Electra Steam. The company's boilers are suitable for residential in-floor and baseboard heating. Sussman Electric Boilers offers a vertical hot water boiler that provides comfort heating.

Buy industrial electric hot water boilers

Electric hot water boilers distribute hot water to radiators, baseboards or in-floor radiant tubing. Electric hot water boilers designed for commercial and industrial use have higher voltage and wattage than electric home heating boilers.

I recommend: Order an electric hot water boiler from Precision Boilers. The company's Model ST Series II can be customized with features for specific applications. Browse an inventory of electric hot water boilers at Southern California Boiler. Bryan Steam offers hot water boilers suitable for low to high capacity applications.

Purchase used electric boilers

Purchasing used or refurbished electric boilers can save you money. Some electric boiler manufacturers and distributors offer a rental program that allows you to purchase the equipment at the end of a rental term. This option is ideal for businesses on a tight budget or business owners who are unsure if electric heating is right for their company.

I recommend: Heritage Equipment Company reconditions high-pressure electric boilers. The company's extensive reconditioning process includes disassembling the machines, sandblasting painted surfaces and electrical and leak testing. WARE offers a rental program for electric boilers and sells used units.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Because they use lower temperatures, electric hot water boilers are more efficient than electric steam boilers. Hot water boilers also result in less wear and tear on the distribution system than their steam counterparts.

Central air conditioning systems are replacing room air conditioners everywhere. These systems use ducts to distribute cooled air to several rooms at one time or make use of pipes to dispense chilled water to heat exchangers in more than one room.

Whether you want to use central air conditioning systems for commercial or residential purposes, you will need to be conversant with certain key terms that you will hear from the suppliers and service providers. This guide explains some of the common terms associated with central air conditioning systems, such as HVAC, capacitors, compressors, condensers, BTU and R-410A refrigerant.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning)

HVAC is referred to as climate control and is important in large industrial and office buildings, where regulation of humidity and temperature is necessary. The primary use of HVAC is to regulate room temperature, humidity and air flow to ensure that such elements remain within the acceptable ranges.

I recommend: For information about HVAC, you can refer to AirConditioning-and-Heating.com, an informative website for the HVAC industry.

A/C compressors

A compressor is a mechanical device that pressurizes a gas to turn it into a liquid, thereby removing or adding heat. A compressor is the main element of conventional heat pumps and air conditioners.

I recommend: You can read through basic information on A/C compressors at
FurnaceCompare.com.

A/C capacitors

An a/c capacitor is an electrical component that stores electrical energy. It provides this energy to facilitate the spinning of the motor and thus start the air conditioner.

I recommend: PC Magazine, a magazine for the electronics and computing products, publishes information about a/c capacitors. You can also refer to Tech it Out UK, an online information resource, for information about a/c capacitors.

Condenser

A condenser removes unwanted heat from the refrigerant and transfers that heat outdoors. There are three types of condensers: air-cooled, water-cooled and evaporative.

I recommend: Warmair.com, an information resource for the HVAC industry, provides information about condensers and their applications.

Ton

In the HVAC industry, a ton is the unit of measurement for determining the cooling capacity of a refrigeration system. You will need to understand and evaluate the cooling capacity of your refrigeration system before choosing the refrigerant for your applications.

I recommend: You can refer to the glossary at BetterBricks, a consultancy firm. Lennox International, a reputable supplier of HVAC products, explains the relation between ton and BTU, another capacity measurement unit for a HVAC system.

BTU (British Thermal Unit)

This is the British unit for measurement of heat. One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1°F from a starting point of 39.2°F.

I recommend: You can refer to the glossary by Hoffman Specialty (PDF), a reputable manufacturer of products for steam and hydronic systems.

Heat pumps

A heat pump is a device that uses compression and decompression of gas to heat (or cool) a house.

I recommend: Jiangsu Shinco Air conditioner Manufacture Co., a reputable manufacturer of air conditioners, provides information about heat pumps. You can also refer to D&H Climate Control, an information resource for the HVAC industry.

R-410A (or Puron) refrigerant

R-410A (also known as Puron, Genetron R410A or AZ-20) is an HFC (hydro-fluoro-carbon) refrigerant and its ozone depletion potential is lower than that of R-22. In addition, you can operate R-410A systems at higher operating pressure than R-22 refrigeration systems.

I recommend: You can read through information on Puron refrigerant at Puron. SpacePak, a provider of air-conditioning systems, offers basic information about R-410A refrigerant, its advantages and disadvantages.

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)

SEER is a measurement of efficiency for cooling devices such as heat pumps and air conditioners. SEER is the total number of BTUs of heat removed from the air divided by the total amount of energy required by the unit.

I recommend: ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, provides detailed information about SEER.