Now that you have considered the three fuel sources and the different styles, hopefully you have made an initial decision on which style and type is best for you. The hard part is over, now let’s consider other important factors that you will need to prioritize to help finalize your decision.
5 Factors to Consider
1. What Do You Want to Heat?
Outdoor spaces come in all different types of shapes and sizes and determining what you want to heat is probably the most important question to ask yourself. Do you want to heat your entire patio or is there just a specific gathering area that you want to focus on?
If you are looking to heat a large space with minimal units, Gas or electric permanent install heaters will be the best choice. These will allow you to mount the heaters to a wall, beam or ceiling and direct the heat out into the patio. If you are looking to heat just a small space where you like to read a book and drink some coffee, then maybe a portable unit would be more than enough.
2. What’s your Budget?
Patio heaters have endless possibilities as far as style and sizes and there are multiple brands to choose from so giving yourself a max budget will help narrow your search. When setting your budget, you need to consider any additional costs that may come up. For example, do the heaters come with mounting brackets and controls or do I need to purchase those separately?
Portable heaters usually range in the $100 - $800 range based on material. Electric heaters typically range in the $500 -$1000 range depending on size, wattage, and style. Gas Heaters range in the $800 - $1500 range depending on size, BTU rating and material. The larger the space the more heaters may be required for your space or the higher the wattage and these costs can add up quickly. With multiple brands to choose from there is a solution for every budget big or small.
3. What Power Do You Have Available?
If you are looking to do a permanent installation of a gas or electric heater you must determine what kind of power is required to operate the unit.
If you are looking at natural gas, do you already have a gas line plumbed to handle the unit? If you are looking at electric what is the voltage requirement? Effective electric heaters are usually operating off 208V or higher so making sure that your panel can handle the additional load will be key.
4. What’s the Typical Weather?
Infrared patio heaters are not going to turn winter into summer. Radiant heaters are known to give off a comfortable warmth where it can feel anywhere from 8 -10 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature.
Take into consideration what your typical ambient temperature is, and this can help you determine how many and what kind of heater to consider. For example, if you live in a windy area gas heaters may not be the best solution because the flame may be blown out. For these scenarios it would be best to go with electric units or a gas heater with a higher wind resistance rating.
5. How Do You Want to Control Your Units?
Keeping your budget in mind after you have selected your heater you will want to be aware of what control options are available. When planning your heating system is to ask yourself “how do I want to control these units.” Whether you are looking for a simple hi/lo switch on the wall or interested in more sophisticated variable control settings, it's important to know if the heater of your choice has the control capabilities that you are looking for. Remember, the more features you want out of your heating system, the higher the cost will be.
With our list of industry-leading brands to choose from, we are confident we can help you find the perfect solution to accommodate your application. Our trained staff has years of experience and are happy to help you choose the best solution for your outdoor space. Our Patio Specialists are ready to answer all of your questions, give us a call today and take advantage of our FREE heating design consultation at 855-298-4922.