The outdoor seasons are one of the best times in life which is why after the season is over we find it difficult to stop hanging outdoors.
The best solution to keep hanging out with friends and family outdoors despite its no longer outdoor season is patio heaters. Patio heaters are great for keeping your patio warm.
So you want to install the heaters on our patio but you’re facing another dilemma on what type of heater you can choose for your patio.
There are two types of commonly used patio heaters in the market, they are gas-based patio heaters and electric patio heaters. Both types of heaters have their advantages and disadvantages.
Since installing patio heaters is like a one-time affair, we need to be extra careful on what type of heater we choose. The heater we choose should be by our preferences and needs which ranges from appearance to control and so much more.
Before we examine electric patio heaters and natural gas heaters let’s dive into some factors you should consider before choosing your patio heater
Factors To Consider When Choosing A Patio Heater
Use
One of the major things to consider when choosing a patio heater is its use. What exactly would you be using the heater for. This involves the size and shape of the patio and the number of people that will typically be occupying your patio regularly.
If your patio is small and you just have one table outside, then it will be unnecessary to get a patio heater suited for large spaces as a small tabletop heater would help do the job perfectly.
On the other hand, if you have a large patio that can house quite a large number of people. You want to make sure you have a befitting heater that will reach everywhere and everyone.
Weather
The main job of a patio heater is to keep you warm despite the weather. This is why when you’re selecting your patio heater you want to make sure to pick one that suits the typical climate of your geographical location. This will help prevent wastage of money when you get a heater that can’t work with your area’s typical climate.
So before you head out to buy a heater, consider your area’s typical climate for the periods you would be needing a patio heater.
Ease Of Use
This is another major factor to consider when choosing a patio heater. There are patio heaters that can be tricky to use and require a bit of maintenance from time to time. While other patio heaters can be easily turned on with just a switch.
Some patio heaters require more work before they can be assembled and installed and others do not.
So before you decide on the perfect patio heater for you do consider if it would require work and if this work is something you can handle.
Budget
Your budget is another important factor that helps you decide which patio heater to go for. You want to ensure that you’re getting the best you can with your budget.
So have an idea about your budget before you dive in on your search to find the perfect patio heater for outdoors. If you have need a simple patio there’s no need to get an expensive one when you can find one that is within your budget.
Safety
Safety is another factor that determines a lot. You should not play compromise with your safety or that of your friends and family. So when you’re deciding on the perfect patio heater for you ensure that it is safe for your environment and the people you have around you.
Some heaters when in the wrong patio can cause accidents and have other detrimental effects.
have, let us examine in detail the pros and cons of using an electric patio heater and gas patio heaters.
Electric Patio Heaters
Electric patio heaters are great for keeping your outdoors warm when the outdoor season is over. They are an excellent fit even if you don’t have proper ventilation in place. They come in various styles which are very colorful and stylish. You could get an electric patio heater as a tabletop, it could also be freestanding and wall-mounted. Regardless of what style they come in these electric patio heaters are great at keeping your outdoors warm.
Electric patio heaters like the name imply require electricity so they need to be plugged into a power source. So your patio must have a power outlet to which you can easily connect your electric heater. You should not make use of an extension cord because electric patio heaters use a lot of power and can overpower the cord and lead to fires which is not what you want to experience.
Electric heaters also take quite a bit of time before they completely heat your patio. But all in all, they are quite easy to use and great for making your patio warm.
Pros and Cons Of Electric Heaters
Pros
Ease of Use
When it comes to ease of use, electric heaters are much better than using gas heaters. There is not much maintenance required for electric heaters when compared to gas heaters.
When using a gas heater, you need to always check whether there is the proper level of fuel and when should also do a periodic inspection to check for any leakage or cracks.
Although with electric heaters you do not require many levels of maintenance and it is also easy to install.
Once installed you can straight away start using the electric heaters.
Portability
Electric heaters are quite portable all they need is an electric outlet. So you can easily move your electric heater everywhere around your patio and place them wherever you feel like. All you need to do is ensure that they’re being placed next to an electric outlet.
Unlike gas heaters which you can’t move once you’ve installed them.
Safety
When it comes to safety, electric heaters are the way to go and gas heaters carry with them a lot of risks.
Since gas is combustible, there is a high level of risk while using gas heaters. Most of the gas heaters are light in weight and can get tipped over once in a while due to some external forces.
When tipped over gas heater can cause a major accident and can even be detrimental to our life.
Whereas, electric heaters are much safer and can even be fitted onto our ceilings.
Environment Friendliness
With their high level of efficient heating electric heaters are much more eco-friendly than gas heaters. Electric heaters do not give out any emissions and are much safer.
The consumption of energy is also lesser in electric heaters when compared to gas heaters.
Cons
Cost
Electric heaters are quite pricey especially when it comes to installing and setting up. Also when it comes to using electric heaters you get to spend a lot running the electric heaters. This is because of the cost of fuel that is required to run an electric heater.
Heating Speed
Since it takes time to charge the filament, electric heaters are slow to heat our surroundings. So if you’re using them for your patio, you have to wait for some time after plugging it in so it could completely warm up your entire patio.
Enclosed Space
Electric patio heaters are only great for small and enclosed spaces. This is because they take longer to heat your space, so if you have a large patio they may not be able to heat your patio like you would want them to.
Gas Patio Heaters
Natural gas patio heaters are great for warming up well-ventilated patios. They are quite the perfect fit for homes with already existing natural gas lines as this makes the installation and setting up easier.
They are perfect for large outdoor areas or events like a large outdoor party. Gas heaters have a great heat output so large coverage of your outdoor arena is assured. They also come in these cool and sleek exteriors that blend in perfectly with your decor. These help with giving your patios an amazing look that your friends and family will love.
Natural gas heaters are extremely powerful and can be very energy-efficient. This is why they are not only a perfect fit for residential decks but are also perfect for commercial decks and patios.
So if you’re searching for the perfect for your commercial patios then a gas patio heater is a safe choice. They’re perfect for heating restaurants deck and they do it in such a short time that your customers won’t even feel it. Regardless of how large your patio is, natural gas heats the whole outdoor fast and keeps it warm.
Pros
Cost
Gas heaters are very cost-effective. They are very easy to set up and install. The cost of fuel for running a gas heater is lower irrespective of your area.
Heating Speed
Gas heaters are better than electric patio heaters in heating speed. They can heat our surroundings faster, so once you plug them in you can expect your patio to be warm almost immediately.
Cons
Difficult to use
When it comes to ease of use gas heaters are quite far off. They are not extremely difficult to use but they can be quite hard to maintain.
Gas heaters require a specific level of fuel for them to function properly so you’ll need to check for that. They also need periodic checks so you can ensure there isn’t any leakage.
Less Safety
Gas heaters carry with them a lot of risks, this does not make them bad but you need to always remember to be cautious. Gas is combustible and that can be quite dangerous leading to fires. That’s not all if a gas heater is tipped over it can cause accidents and in some situations cost you your life.
Non-Eco-Friendly
Gas patio heaters are non-eco-friendly. They give out emissions and are less safe. They also consume more energy.
Conclusion
It is important that you pay attention to the factors that you must consider when buying a patio heater as this action will help you get the perfect outdoor heater for your outdoor space.
It could be propane patio heater/gas patio heater or electric patio heater.
Since we’ve established that patio heaters are one of the most popularly used items to warm our surroundings.
It is necessary to study the differences between a gas-based patio heater and an electric patio heater before you make your choice.
If you are not thinking about the cost and if you absolute love the idea of your outdoor space getting warm fast then you can get an electric heater so long as you have the perfect space for it. The perfect space for an electric heater is a small outdoor space or an enclosed outdoor space.
On the other hand if you want better heat output that helps with cold temperature regardless of how large the space is then a natural gas heater is your best choice.
Regardless there’s no bad or good patio heater be it propane patio heater or gas patio heater or electric patio heater. Every heater is made perfect for certain situations, houses and also event. So don’t write any heater off your mind.