Patio Heaters

One should consider that different outdoor settings have different needs when it comes to heating, so it's up to you to decide what is best for your patio. Patio heaters dispense heat in a circle pattern while spot heaters focus the heat in just one direction. Both patio heaters and spot heaters are available as stand alone units, but patio heaters are also available as tabletop units, ceiling mounted units and in-the-ground units.

Most patio heaters are quite powerful and can provide even heating in a circular spread up to 20 feet in diameter, depending on the model. If you require more intense heat that to be focused on one direction, then it is best to opt for a spot heater. If however you are after something stylish that will fit into the surroundings of your stylized garden, then patio heaters are preferable as they often come in many different designs.

Here is a list of what you need to know about patio heaters:

Portable Heaters

Portable patio heaters are great because they have no fuel line to worry about. Most of them have in built fuel tanks. They can be moved around easily from place to place as needed. With up to a 20-foot range, it is possible to cover almost any sized patio with just a couple of these beauties.

Tabletop Heaters

These kinds of patio heaters are small, portable and very inexpensive. They are very good options for people who only need to provide heat over a small area. They also do not need fuel lines. Because of their limited heat range, they come complete with built-in fuel tanks and can keep burning for a good few hours. Usually these patio heaters are designed so that the fuel tank is in the base of the heater though some models do have fuel lines.

Ceiling and Wall Mounted Heaters

If you don't want to clutter up your patio too much then a ceiling mounted or wall mounted heater might be the best choice for you. These patio heaters can provide as much warmth as portable or in-ground heaters. Most often, these heaters will be permanently installed. They are usually bolted into place and then hooked up with the gas supply of your house so you don't have to worry about refueling.

In-Ground Heaters

Constructed for their power, permanence and all around stability, in-ground patio heaters will usually spread heat around a much broader radius than most types of portable model. As with ceiling and wall mounted heaters they're usually connected to the local gas supply, however it is possible to buy models that have fuel tanks too if you require powerful heating in a more remote location. These types of patio heaters are mostly used by commercial businesses such as restaurants and bars.

Range and Power Ratings

British Thermal Units, or BTUs are used to express the power ratings of patio heaters. Simply, the higher the BTU rate is, then the more heat the unit will deliver.

Construction

Most patio heaters are made out of steel as this is by far the most suitable and durable material for them. Some cheaper models use low quality aluminium, but these are usually best avoided if you want your heater to last. Heaters can be made from different types of steel including stainless steel and weather treated steel.

Fuel

Another important consideration regards to patio heaters is how the heater is fueled. Many portable patio heaters use gas or liquid propane tanks. Others, most often wall mounted or in-ground heaters, can be connected to the property's natural gas supply which is ideal if you want a permanent fixture. Some models of portable and tabletop heaters have the option of different kinds of fuel and there are two models to choose from.

Safety Features

Patio heaters can come with a variety of different safety features that will provide comfort and piece of mind. Some of the features available include cut-off switches that make the heater switch itself off automatically after a period of time in order to prevent gas leaking out. Some portable and tabletop patio heaters also cut off automatically should they fall over due to built-in tilt shut-off switches.