Our first shipment of heaters has arrived for the upcoming heater season, so this is a great time to outline some of the do's and don'ts of purchasing a heater for your home, garage, or greenhouse. Since Modine Hot Dawg heaters are the most common heater sold for these purposes, I'll pay special attention to it.

First thing you want to do is properly size the heater for the space you will be putting it in. Try our greenhouse heater calculator or our garage heater calculator to find out what size you need. Keep in mind that you want to size the BTU output of the heater to the BTU heat loss requirements that the calculator gives you.

Once you purchase the heater and it arrives, you will want to inspect the package for any damage sustained while in-transit. All but the largest heaters are able to ship via FedEx ground, and ground service can be rough on anything. Especially large items such as these heaters. If you notice any damage, go ahead and open the box to make sure there is no major damage to the heater. There will usually be no problem with the heater itself, but you should still note the condition of the package with the driver before you sign for it. This will help in the event there is a problem with you heater later.

Once you have your heater you should really think about contacting a certified professional to install it, usually an HVAC installer. It's even a good idea to have this lined up before you purchase the heater. The manufacturer of the heaters, Modine, explicitly recommends having a professional perform the install. It is going to save you trouble in the long run, since a pro is going to have all of the necessary tools and will be able to correctly troubleshoot problems if they are present. Any problems that arise from the install itself or an incorrectly diagnosed problem will be the responsibility of the install technician, so it can save you a lot of time and money. Plus, it is much easier to handle warranty issues if a professional verifies a problem. Besides, if you do the install yourself usually the first piece of advice you will receive is to have a professional come and troubleshoot the appliance.

Now, having said all that, if you do decide to perform the installation yourself have no fear. The install is not overly complicated and can be performed pretty easily. But do keep in mind that it then becomes your responsibilty to handle any problem that arises, and the cost of any parts that are misdiagnosed will be yours to bear.

If your space is large enough to require a larger, PDP unit heater, spring for a professional install. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200. Trust me on this.

A heater is a great addition to any garage and can make an otherwise unusable space perfect for any task. And heaters are a must in almost any greenhouse. So the next time you step into the deep freeze that is your garage and attempt to warm up your car, know that it could all be so much more toasty with the addition of a simple heater.