subject: Outdoor Patio Heaters Stretch The Outdoor Season [print this page] Although evenings may be growing colder and summer may be fading away, there's no reason to retreat indoors. With the use of an outdoor patio heater, you can bring the comfort of the indoors to your backyard and significantly extend your outdoor living season. In some parts of the country, you may even be able to entertain outdoors all year round. With a wide range of models to choose from, outdoor patio heaters can add a touch of style as well as warmth and ambience to your outdoor space. Moreover, no matter what size of outdoor living space you have to work with and no matter what the decor theme of your backyard may be, there are many great garden patio heater options for you to choose from.
Heaters for patios and porches are growing in popularity as a result of the fact that they allow people to comfortably enjoy their outdoor living space even once the warmth of summer has passed. By being able to make use of patios and porches for more weeks of the year, many people feel as though they have more usable living space. Also, entertaining guests outdoors creates a special atmosphere that simply cannot be re-created indoors. With patio heaters, outdoor dinners and gatherings don't have to be confined to the summer months and you and your guests can stay warm and comfortable even on cooler evenings.
For those who are interested in purchasing heaters for patios and porches, it's important to be aware of the various options available and the pros and cons of each choice. To begin with, patio heaters are available as electric patio heaters and propane patio heaters. The most efficient electric outdoor patio heaters use infrared, shortwave technology to deliver radiant heat. This means that all people and objects in the path of the beams from electric patio heaters will receive heat. Electric garden patio heaters are available in many different styles and designs, including full-size / floor model patio heaters & tabletop lamp-style patio heaters, including those & ceiling/wall mounted patio heaters. Wall & ceiling-mounted units direct heat downwards to warm the area below.
Electric patio heaters offer several advantages over the propane variety. For example, they can be used anywhere there is electricity theres no need to buy or re-fill fuel containers. Plus, since these garden patio heaters use radiant heat, less heat is lost to the atmosphere and more heat reaches the people trying to keep warm. Also, electric outdoor patio heaters are great for more enclosed spaces and porches as they do not burn fuel and thus do not produce any emissions. Another benefit of electric heaters is that they are available in a wide variety of styles and models, including floor / full-size, umbrella-mounted tabletop styles, providing options for many different patios and outdoor spaces. These units are typically competitively priced, plug into a standard 120V household outlet and are extremely energy-efficient to run. Among the most popular electric patio heaters are those manufactured by Blue Rhino & Solaira.
In contrast to electric patio heaters, propane patio heaters do not use radiant heat. Instead, these heaters for patios and porches use propane to warm the air around them rather than sending out beams of heat. The propane fuel is contained in a standard (usually 20 lb.) canister, which can easily be refilled as propane is very commonly used. As with electric heaters, propane patio heaters are available in different models and styles, allowing purchasers to choose an option that will work best for them. For instance, Endless Summer & Blue Rhino propane patio heaters are available in full-size and tabletop models which stand 7.5 feet tall and 3 feet tall, respectively.
Endless Summer & Blue Rhino propane patio heaters are very simple to use and also offer efficient, inexpensive operation. In contrast with electric patio heaters, propane patio heaters are often better suited for larger outdoor spaces, as they can heat greater areas than electric-powered patio heaters. Plus, since they do not require a power cord they are completely portable, so they can be moved to any outdoor location, as desired. Some even feature wheels and stands for even more convenient portability. On the other hand, some propane heaters for patios and porches may not be suitable for smaller, more enclosed outdoor living spaces, as they require greater clearance & air circulation for safe operation. It's also important to keep in mind that hot air rises, and since propane heaters heat the air around the unit, some heat may be lost in this manner. However, most quality propane patio heaters will still offer good efficiency.
While electric and propane garden patio heaters provide excellent ways to extend the outdoor living season, outdoor fire pits and outdoor fireplaces offer another great alternative. With many stylish designs and models available, outdoor fire pits and outdoor fireplaces provide a first-rate way to add warmth and atmosphere to outdoor patio entertaining. Whether you prefer outdoor fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, electric patio heaters or propane patio heaters, a quality unit will allow you to comfortably enjoy your outdoor living space for many more weeks of the year.
