Outdoor Heating- What Are The Best And Most Cost-Effective Options?
Guest post by Hubert Dwight
An outdoor space is the best place to relax and to spend quality time with your family and friends, however this pleasure is usually limited to some extent during colder seasons and some cooler summer evenings.
To enjoy your patio at any time whether it is day or night perhaps you need to invest in a patio heater.
Many people feel that a patio heater would be outside of their budget, but there are many affordable outdoor heating options available on today’s market.
So, if you’re asking what options you have for outdoor heating, then let us compare some of the best choices available.
Natural Gas Heaters (Mains Gas)
Natural gas heating has been a cost effective way to add warmth to outdoor venues if your property already has. mains gas .
The installation charges are high compared with bottled gas as you will need a plumber to install pipes to heater locations but the running costs are substantially lower.
They are available in a range of options including table top and free standing models.
Larger heaters are capable of warming up an area of more than 3m in diameter.
An advantage over bottled gas is you don’t have to worry about refilling because there is a constant supply of fuel.
Most heaters are a point source so the temperature will drop considerable as you move away from the source.
LPG Heaters (Bottled Gas)
As the name suggests, this outdoor heating option uses bottled LPG, but in many ways is similar to Natural Gas.
Using gas bottles mean they are completely mobile so you can move them to different locations as needed.
These heaters have a low initial cost as you can set them up by yourself without needing a plumber for installation.
Running costs are however higher than natural gas and there is the inconvenience of having to regular exchange gas bottles, as they run out.
Radiant Electrical Heating
This heating option is good for outdoor use mainly because the radiant heat warms you, not the air around you so minimal energy is lost into the atmosphere.
With long heating units rather than a point source it more evenly heats an area.
It is a convenient as you don’t really need to worry about filling propane or gas, as well as being low maintenance.
Low profile heat strip units (like the Heat Strip Classic units in this photo) can be mounted unobtrusively high on a wall, on a pergola, or on the roof of an al-fresco area, where is will be above the reach of young children.
If you are looking for a safe low-profile options, these are well worth considering.
Great article… we have had our builder put in dedicated junction boxes for the Heat Strip 3200W units (which require hard wiring).