Gas Patio Heaters

About

How a Gas Patio Heater Works A gas patio heater burns natural gas or propane and radiates infrared energy onto the people and surfaces in front of it, rather than warming the air between. That distinction decides everything outdoors: heated air is carried off by the first breeze, while radiant energy travels to whatever it hits and is felt immediately. It is the same reason you feel warm stepping into winter sunshine on a cold day. Gas covers the widest output range in outdoor heating, which is why it suits open patios, larger areas and colder climates where an electric heater would be working at its limit. The trade is that gas needs fuel, clearance and ventilation, where electric needs only a circuit. Natural gas or propane This is the first decision, because most models are built for one fuel rather than converting between them. Natural gas plumbs into a fixed line and never needs refilling, which makes it the better long-term choice for a permanent installation at a home, a restaurant terrace or any spot used most evenings. Running a line costs money up front and needs a plumber, but the heater is then always ready and the running cost is lower. Propane runs from a refillable cylinder, so it goes where no gas line reaches and can move with you. The cost is the swapping: someone has to notice the tank is low and change it, which is a minor chore on a home patio and a real one across a restaurant terrace with a dozen heaters. Roughly half the range here offers both, and where a model is sold in one fuel only the product page says which. Mounting decides more than output Where the heater goes usually narrows the choice before output does. Wall mounted units bracket to a vertical surface and keep the floor clear, which suits a narrow patio or a walkway. Ceiling mounted units hang from an overhead structure and cover a seating group from above, the most efficient position when a pergola or covered patio already exists. Freestanding and portable models need no install