A Guide to Outdoor Patio Heating

Having a patio at home means you really love spending time outdoors. Whether you use it to entertain guests or simply enjoy unwinding in the open air, your patio is a very special area in your home. As such, it should be comfortable at all times in any weather.

Comfort isn’t an issue during the summer, which is the ideal time to enjoy the outdoors in the comfort of your home. If it gets too warm, strategically-placed fans can keep everyone comfortable. You can even install a misting system for a more efficient way of keeping cool.

The colder months of the year, however, means less patio time for most homeowners. After all, who would want to spend time outside when temperatures are dropping?

Colder weather, however, shouldn’t stop you from doing what you love. With the right patio heater, you can enjoy your outdoor area all year round.

Should you go for an electric outdoor heater or a gas-powered one? Let’s take a closer look at your patio heating options to see what is best for your needs.

Fire pits

Let’s start with fire pits, which keep you warm the old-fashioned way.

Whether it’s dug into the ground or built into a stone, brick, or metal structure, a fire pit can provide plenty of warmth for your patio. With the contained flames, you and your loved ones can have a grand time roasting chestnuts and marshmallows while keeping warm. Fire pits also won’t cost you much since it uses inexpensive wood and coal as fuel.

A fire pit is a great heating option for your patio, but there are safety issues involved. While it’s true that the flames are contained, it’s still possible for bits of burning coal or wood to jump off the pile and out of the pit. There’s also the health risk posed by exposure to the smoke your backyard fire produces. If you’re going for fire pits, burn the wood or coal in a way that promotes total combustion to minimize smoke. Precautions like telling your children not to stay too close to the fire pit would also work.

Gas patio heaters

Unlike fire pits, gas patio heaters produce clean flames. You can use either natural gas or liquid propane to power your gas patio heater.

If you go for natural gas patio heaters, know that they will be connected to your natural gas line. That means they will be located and installed in one place permanently.

Liquid propane patio heaters, on the other hand, offer more flexibility in terms of location. Since each propane heater requires its own tank, they can be placed anywhere you want in your outdoor area.

Gas patio heaters put out plenty of heat quickly, and they’re great for bigger outdoor areas. The flames are also easy to control. One turn of the knob will get you exactly the perfect amount of heat you need to stay warm.

Whether you’re using natural gas or liquid propane, a gas patio heater will always be a more environmentally-friendly outdoor heating option.

Electric patio heaters

Some people don’t like the idea of flames burning brightly a few feet away from where they’re sitting. If you’re one of them, then the best possible outdoor heating option for you is an electric patio heater.

Electric patio heaters energize an emitter to produce infrared heat. It’s an effective and efficient way of outdoor heating, as it sends out heat to people, walls, furniture, and other objects directly around the heater. The heated objects, in turn, create ambient heat to keep the air warm.

One great thing about electric patio heaters is that they come in designs that allow you to place them just about anywhere. Aside from tabletop and free-standing models, electric patio heaters also come in space-saving designs like hanging and wall and ceiling mounts. With such electric patio heaters, you get the opportunity to save a lot of patio space.

Whatever type of outdoor patio heating you go with, make sure that you consider other factors such as the size of your outdoor area and your budget for the equipment and its operation before making your decision final.

Guest Contributor: Anna Fox