Outdoor Heaters

Finally Purchased and Installed a Outdoor Patio Heater (video)

September 8, 2012 By Peter Leave a Comment

Our new patio heater on our deck.

I’ve been thinking about purchasing an outdoor patio heater ever since we built our new deck a couple of years ago.

A couple of months ago I got serious, did my research and purchased one. Originally, I was looking at a stainless steel model but in the end I picked a heater that has a brown tube and a wicker basket to hide the propane tank.

The patio heater is pictured to the right.

I don’t have a lot of spare cash and when I purchase something I tend to do a fair bit of research to make sure I’m getting a good quality product at the best price.

Here’s a list of the different avenues my research took:

Local stores that specialized in outdoor heaters and barbecues
Local hardware stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s and Rona
Visiting sites online that sold outdoor heaters

What to consider when purchasing a new patio heater

One of the biggest things to consider is price. I noticed a few different price points. They start around $150, the mid-rand is around $300 and the high-end is around $500. These price might be slightly different in your area, but you get the idea. And like anything you can get more expensive than this if you want to
Can you get spare parts and get it repaired if something goes wrong. I found this was only possible with the high-end models. So this is something to consider.
The biggest issue with patios heaters is that something gets into the burner area and the tube gets plugged. For some reason spiders like the smell of propane and they like to crawl into this area.
Originally, I was going to get a natural gas model and then plug it into a gas connection on the outside of the wall. This will save a lot of time replacing propane tanks. In the end I decided to go with a propane model so that I could move it around on our deck. This turned out to be a good idea. Are new deck is big and we have an area for eating and just sitting around. I can move it between the two areas depending on what we are doing.
If you are going to move it around, make sure you get one with wheels. This makes it really easy move and it will be easier on your deck or patio instead of dragging or rolling it. They can be pretty heavy with a full propane tank.
If you do go with a model that uses a propane tank, don’t forget you will need to purchase this. About another $40.00.

Which heater did I purchase and why:

I really wanted to purchase the high-end heater, but in the end the dollar amount won out and I went with the mid-range model. I like the people at Gasland and their price was competitive to the same model at a different shop. I also new that they could get parts and service the propan heater, but I’m thinking if I take good care of my heater it should last a few years. I will updated this post if that doesn’t pan out.

Here’s the reasons why I purchased the Paramount Wicker Patio Heater from Home Depot:

I thought the price was reasonable and affordable.
I purchased it from Home Depot and I’ve always been happy with their service and return policy.
46,000 BTUs is a lot hotter than the lower price model and very close to the high-end heaters.
The brown wicker matches our wicker furniture.
Better quality than the lower end models.

Assembling the patio heater

It took me a couple of hours to assemble the patio heater. I could have done this quicker, but I also filmed the process and that added to the assembly time. And here is the video of me assembling the heater:

What is your experience wtih purchasing and assembling an outdoor patio heater? Please leave a comment below if you have a comment, tip or question.

Filed Under: Articles, Blog, How To, Outdoor Heaters, Videos

An Infrared Heater Can Add Instant Warmth To Your Patios And Decks

June 4, 2012 By Peter Leave a Comment

I love patios and decks because they enable us to live an indoor-outdoor lifestyle. But while every door in my house opens onto a patio or path of some kind, I can’t use all of these areas all year round. Some aren’t covered, some don’t have the ability to incorporate either built-in or moveable seating, and some simply become too cold or wet when the weather is inclement.

Stay warm on your deck or patio with this infared heater that heats up to 100 sq. ft

For a deck or patio to earn its worth 365 days of the year, it needs to be designed carefully. Clearly you won’t use any outdoor area every single day of the year, but the point is that if you want to, you should be able to. Comfort is a primary consideration – and this doesn’t only apply to seating. If a patio or deck becomes too cold in winter, it won’t be a very pleasant place. This is why you should consider an infrared heater that you can use when conditions get cold and uncomfortable.

Why bother to heat a patio?

Currently my most-used patio is the one closest to my living room. It features a great built-in brick barbecue that we use all-year-round. We use it for cooking and also build fires to keep us warm on special evenings all year round.

Because the patio area is covered, it doesn’t matter if it rains. I love the sound of rain on the corrugated fiberglass patio roof, but I have to admit it can get cold sitting out there, particularly in winter. This realization led me to consider buying a heater of some sort that we could use outside.

Patio heating options

Certainly a basic cave-man fire in a barbecue, or in a similar structure built specifically as an outdoor fireplace, can keep you warm. But there are other options, specifically using gas or electricity.

The former includes both natural gas and propane heaters, some of which are portable. Most look like lanterns and are made from some sort of plated metal or stainless steel

While some electric patio heaters look just like garden post lanterns, others look like table lamps. They are made from a variety of materials including steel (which is sometimes powder coated), stainless steel, cast aluminum and even tough resin.

Examples from Fire Sense, which is available in both the US and Canada, include:

Ordinary pole-mounted and telescoping offset pole-mounted designs with glass covers over the heating elements. These heat quickly and are easy to adjust. They operate at 90% to 100% heating efficiency, providing a nine-foot blanket of heat in seconds. These designs are supplied with PVC covers and are portable, so you can also use them indoors if you wish.
Wall-mounted designs (that may also be attached to vertical decking posts). Like the various pole-mounted heaters, these have a glass front and may be used inside or outside. They are supplied with aluminum covers.

Some pros and cons of different types of patio heaters

The two most popular patio heaters – infrared and propane – both have their pros and cons. While gas is generally considered more eco-friendly than electricity, unless you have piped gas, you’re going to have to accommodate a gas bottle which will need to be refilled from time to time. The infrared types run on ordinary household electric current and are in fact considerably less expensive to run than those that use propane gas.

The electric types generally don’t heat more than a 10-foot radius, although you can overcome this problem on a larger patio by installing two, perhaps one on either side. A pro is that the heat is not affected by wind, while gas heaters are.

Both types of heaters do a good job of heating patios, although propane heaters don’t cope well in temperatures below 40 °F because the gas starts to crystallize. In addition, many people prefer the more natural radiant heat produced by an infrared heater.

Radiant heaters are available in a range of designs that will complement all styles of outdoor furniture. Just be sure you choose one that is either ETL (which means it meets the ECA energy technology criteria) or CSA approved (which means it complies with international standards and has been certified).

Filed Under: Articles, Blog, Outdoor Heaters

Patio Heater – Infrared and Gas

March 5, 2012 By Peter Leave a Comment

If you are considering buyer a patio heater, infrared and gas are both good options. However they both have advantages and disadvantages, depending on exactly where they are to be used.

My friend has a small patio, and so the infrared heater she bought a year ago works just fine. But most electric heaters of this type don’t heat more than a radius of about ten feet. Of course you can overcome this problem by installing more than one heater, but who’s really going to want to do this? Most people would rather find a solution that works for the space they need heated.

The Difference between Gas and Infrared Patio Heaters

A typical infrared patio heater, which is of course powered by electricity and defined as a “radiant heater”, will draw about 1500 watts (a watt being a unit of power that measures how quickly energy is transferred and relates either to brightness – for lighting – or heat). They simply plug into a power source, give virtually instant heat, and don’t make any noise while in use. Currently they are still cheaper to operate than LPG (liquid petroleum gas) or propane heaters, although the latter are more portable and considered to be more environmentally friendly.

Propane heaters operate via either refillable gas bottles, or those that are disposable. Obviously the disposable units are more portable than those that link to a gas bottle. By the same token, the smaller units are more expensive to run, because the smaller fuel units cost more; also canisters generally only last for a few hours (two or three). The fact that the canisters are throwaways, also pretty well negates the eco-friendliness of the fuel, although these are the obvious choice if you are a keen camper.

Natural gas heaters are the other gas option, and they are both fuel efficient and not expensive to operate. In fact natural gas is likely to cost as little as a third of much as propane gas. On the down side, they do need to be installed professionally, which can be costly. The heaters themselves are also more expensive and they are not portable.

How Radiant Heating Works

Radiant heaters (which is what an infrared patio heater actually is) generally heat from above, warming the space underneath the heater using infrared radiation. The heat that is radiated doesn’t warm the air as such, but is absorbed by solid objects including people, without any direct contact. They radiate as much as 86% of their electrical input in the form of radiant energy.

This means that an infrared heater that is going to be used on the patio will be attached to a vertical surface, usually a wall, as mine is. You sit under the heater and simply, get warm.

While many indoor heaters are also the infrared type, it is important to ensure that you use the correct type on the patio. Don’t be tempted to try and use an indoor heater outside. There are so many good quality patio heaters of this type to choose from, you should have any reason to do it any other way.

A quartz infrared heater is a particularly good choice on a patio. Originally designed for lighting applications, quartz delivers a heat which is good enough for industrial use, and is perfect for outdoor heating purposes. A quartz tungsten patio heater infrared type has the ability to reach top temperatures within seconds. You’ll never be cold again with one of these! Better still, quartz infrared heaters deliver efficient heat and sometimes incorporate advanced air purifiers.

If you suffer from allergies, look for models and brands that have been tested in EPA-certified laboratories, preferably those that have been tested to medical standards. If they have ETL approval, it means they meet the ECA energy technology criteria, and if they are CSA approved, you will know that they comply with international standards.

Filed Under: Articles, Blog, Outdoor Heaters

Outdoor Gas Fireplace Safety

December 29, 2010 By Peter Leave a Comment

If you have an indoor or outdoor gas fireplace it’s important to keep you and your children safe. Here’s a few safety tips from BC Children’s Hospital:

Fireplaces should be kept off during your baby’s waking hours.
Wait 45 minutes after turning off your fireplace for the glass to cool down before allowing your baby near it.
Install a switch lock to prevent toddlers from reaching up and turning on the fireplace, or put a cover plate over the switch in warmer months.
The glass on a gas fireplace can heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more tips on fireplace safety for your home and to go to the BC Children’s web site, please click here.

Filed Under: Blog, Outdoor Fireplaces, Outdoor Heaters