Warming Patio Heater Options

What better way to extend your outdoor season than with an outdoor patio heater? Instead of just relaxing, socializing and entertaining in your outdoor spaces during the summer months, consider a patio heater to bring warmth to your outdoor barbecues and get togethers from spring through fall!

Today’s outdoor heaters are unobtrusive, efficient and attractive. Whatever your need, want or have for your budget, there is an outdoor patio heater for you.

Warming Things Up

Patio heaters are available in a nice variety of sizes and fuel sources, and they are efficient enough to warm up your outdoor space by as much as 15 degrees. So imagine enjoying the first glimpses of springtime or the cool fall days on your back patio or deck! Watching the leaves fall on a gorgeous fall day can be enjoyed, even if it’s a bit chilly outside. Warming up your outdoor space from 50 to 60 degrees can make all the difference between getting the chills and remaining warm and toasty.

With the movement toward outdoor entertaining and living, patio accessories, such as outdoor heaters, have also gained in popularity. This trend has given way to a great selection of patio heaters for any taste or desire.

Patio Heater Options

Your outdoor patio heater can be a permanent or portable unit. If you already have a natural gas line to your backyard grill, then the addition of a patio heater is both convenient and easy. You’ll want to use the services of a certified plumber, however, to make the natural gas connections to ensure proper safety.

If you don’t have a natural gas line to your outdoor space, but you want an outdoor heater without the hassle of propane or kerosene tanks, then you’ll also want to call in the services of a certified plumber to run a gas line to your outdoor living space. Be sure to scout out an ideal location for your patio heater ahead of time.

Patio heaters may also operate on a variety of fuels, including kerosene, butane or propane. You can choose which fuel is readily available in your area. Using bottled fuels with your patio heater allows you to move the heater to the desired spot on your porch or deck, and also allows you to remove the heater and store it indoors over the winter.

Patio Heater Features

Make sure your patio heater is engineered for safety. Important safety features include safety tilt switches, sealed burners, flame controls, electronic igniters and emergency cut-off valves.

Some of the features you want to look for in a quality patio heater include infrared heating elements and a cast iron or stainless steel construction. Infrared heating elements feature sturdy, aluminum reflectors which direct heat down and out. These are often labeled as “mushroom” or “umbrella” reflectors on the packaging.

Patio heaters can range anywhere in price from under $100 to well over $500. It is important to remember that a heater’s price is not always reflective of its heat output. More often than not the higher prices are due to the heater’s bells and whistles.

Just some of the heater styles to consider include freestanding, move-about or tabletop models. Choose one that best suits your outdoor needs and then compare prices between different makes and models. You’ll often find that bigger or more expensive is not always better.