Whether you are a handyman who sometimes needs to work on electric heaters or a HVAC technician who works on various heaters often, electric heaters education and training is available to you. The HVAC technician may already have access to electric heater information through his company. A business owner or self-employed technician will need to obtain the information from other sources.

At times, the place to find information about electric heaters is the same for those who already work on the equipment as it is for those who aspire to work on it. Training will help you get started with assessing any situation and providing the best solution for your customer. You will not only need to know how to maintain and fix machines but also make recommendations for the best machine to install. You will need to be able to decipher:

1. What size of electric heater is needed?

2. What type of electric space heater is needed?

3. Where is the best place to install the electric heater?

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

Get started with the basics on electric heaters

It will be helpful to know a little about electric heaters and how they work. Because there are many varying types, there are many ways to approach a job to work on these machines. Learn about each type and the benefits they offer to cover each situation.

I recommend: Get basic information on electric heaters from BC Building Info, but plan on digging further for machine specific information. Learn about the different types of electric heaters at About.com: Home Repair to provide your customers with the best heating solution.

Find machine specific information on any residential and commercial electric heater

From portable electric heaters to industrial heaters, knowing specifics about each type is the only way to have the best working knowledge of that specific machine. Even with an understanding of the basic principle that electric energy is transformed into heat via a resistor, each machine has a makeup specifically its own that needs to be understood before work on the machine begins. Such information is usually obtained from the manufacturer.

I recommend: From Trane you will find out the different types of electric heaters they manufacture and information on each one. Industrial Quick Search provides a list of manufacturers. Locate the manufacturer whose machine you need information on and contact them to receive helpful product literature.

Plan to obtain some safety training on electric heaters

Working with electricity provides hazards of its own. Knowing how to work safely with electrical equipment helps reduce tragedies. Another concern for electric heaters is the proper use of portable electric heaters. Being knowledgeable on this type of heater will help you in installation, maintenance and in giving advice to the end user of the suggested use of such equipment for the utmost safety.

I recommend: From the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, you can learn about the necessary safety measures needed when dealing with a electric space heaters. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets the standard for industrial safety. Visit Environmental Expert for information on where to get OSHA HVAC safety training.

Get a degree or certification to work on electric heaters

Customers are very comfortable working with someone they know is trained or certified on the equipment being worked on. Make yourself more marketable and respected in the business with industry training. Courses can also be found at area technical colleges.

I recommend: Gatlin Education Services gives you a way to become a certified HVAC technician via online classes. Consider going through the HVAC Maintenance Training Program at Penn Foster.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Cost is a concern for many customers, not just for the electric space heater but also how much it takes to keep the machine running. To calculate how much is costs to run a heater for an hour, multiple the machine's kilowatt capacity by the cost of one kilowatt hour, or one unit of electricity.

Commercial electric heaters are useful for heating areas not connected to a central heating system. Connect industrial heaters to a power source and warm a garage or warehouse workspace, or buy electric space heaters for smaller rooms and concentrated heating of a single area. For mobile jobs, portable electric heaters are a great investment.

Buy electric heaters from online vendors and search through all of your options to find the industrial heater you need. Find online suppliers with any option you want, including:

1. Browse online catalogs for access to multiple electric heater options from various manufacturers.
2. Find a commercial electric heater capable for use in large industrial settings.
3. Buy portable electric heaters and carry your heat source wherever you go.

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

Find an online catalog of electric heaters

The Internet is a powerful tool able to lead you to a multitude of information, but if this information isn't well organized, you'll spend forever searching for what you need. Many commercial electric heater suppliers have online catalogs that allow you to easily compare their products and prices from different suppliers.

I recommend: Check out the catalog on the Heater Home website for a variety of electric space heaters. Find conventional space heaters and specialty products, including foot heaters and mats. Find the category that contains your needs in the online catalog at Southern Fans. Choose from wall heaters, portable heaters, garage shop heaters, and radiant heaters.

Find industrial heaters for large operations

If you need to heat a garage or shop workspace or other larger area, you need a heavy duty industrial heater. Look for a supplier that specializes in large commercial electric heaters.

I recommend: Point your browser to Air & Water for a full selection of garage and work area heaters. Find products you can mount on ceilings or walls, or roll on the floor. The Heater Shop sells heavy duty electric heaters in a variety of sizes. Their sturdy heaters are ideal for high traffic industrial areas.

Purchase portable electric heaters for mobile jobs

If you want an electric heater that offers flexibility, buy a portable electric heater. There's no need to install a portable heater, as they're either light enough to carry or equipped with wheels so you can cart them wherever you need to go.

I recommend: For a wide variety of portable electric heater models from multiple manufacturers, see the selection at NexTag. Find portable heaters at GlobalIndustrial.com categorized by the mode of heating.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you find models of electric heaters you like, try searching for the make and model to see if an alternate supplier is selling the product at a cheaper rate. Compare prices to save when shopping online.