It’s 100 degrees in the middle of July and we’re talking about heaters?

Believe it or not, summer is the best time to purchase a heater for your family room, basement, garage, patio or workshop.

Why?

For one thing, heating equipment vendors have some of their best deals available on room heaters, wall furnaces, fireplaces, garage heaters, vent free logs, construction heaters and patio heaters during the warmest months of the year, when demand is lowest. Come fall and winter, when demand is higher, they’re less likely to offer any kind of special incentives or discounts.

Know also that many heating distributors are sitting on a lot of unsold inventory – a result of the nationwide economic downturn. The fact is, sitting on unsold inventory for long periods of time costs dealers and distributors money, so most are willing to discuss a discount to get product moving out of their warehouses. Don’t be afraid to ask for a lower price (within reason) or some other incentive such as free shipping to help defray your purchase cost.

Another great reason to buy a heater now is to allow you time to search for just the right product to meet your specific heating requirement. All too often, out of urgency or desperation during the cold months, people will buy a heater without doing adequate research. After all, they’re cold and they need heat! That often results in people buying the wrong heater for the job or buying from a disreputable dealer.

Research is important. To begin your search, there are a variety of options including gas heaters, electric heaters, forced air heaters, infrared heaters, vent free heaters, radiant tube heaters, portable heaters, wall heaters, convection heaters and more. Under these categories, there may find heater brands and technology on the market that you didn’t know existed.

From all the available options, you can then begin to narrow down your choices. Before buying any heater, ask yourself these questions: Do I use the space only periodically? What is the size of my space? How fast do I need to heat up the space? Can I get a gas line to the heater or will I need an electric heater? What is my BTU heat load requirement? Do I want a forced air heater or a radiant heater? Do I want to hang the heater from the wall or ceiling or one that sits on the floor? What are my safety concerns? Do I want a vent free heater or one that is vented?

Calling a reputable heating equipment dealer or distributor can help you determine the best heating method for your particular situation and ensure you get the right product at at the right price. This is important; be sure to find a seller you can trust down the road, in case you need parts, warranty service, or simply need to ask questions.

The good news is that we live in the age of the internet, where shopping online can yield some of the best products at the best prices. With that convenience, however, there are risks. Make sure you speak with someone on the phone. Ask questions like, "how long have you been in the heating business?", "what is your return policy?", what if I need installation assistance?", etc., etc. Qualifying the seller will give you peace of mind and the assurance that they will be available to assist you down the road.