Wednesday 1 June 2011

Warming The Outdoors With The Right Kind Of Patio Heater

Getting your outdoor space nice and comfortable is very important. No matter how much time, effort and money you pump into your outdoor decorating, if it ends up uncomfortable for you and/or your guests, you will find all that energy a total waste.

Nothing turns people away more than discomfort. Whether it is the hard seats, stiff-backed chairs or cold floors, anything that distinctly spells discomfort will turn people off from that spot. Some of the most common discomforts experienced by people in outdoor spaces include:

1. Chill or dampness - even tropical countries experience some kind of chill during the cooler months. Too much rain, for instance, can really damp up even the most sheltered of outdoor spaces. Thankfully, this can be fixed by simply using or installing some kind of a patio heater. For larger spaces, a commercial patio heater is preferred as they are often more efficient for use in larger areas.

2. Cramped seats - often caused by chairs that are too small. At the risk of eating up too much space, it is usually a better idea to get bigger chairs than smaller or exactly-sized ones.

3. Insufficient lighting - nobody likes having a conversation where you would have to strain to see your company's face. If the intention is to have a conversation in the dark, then insufficient lighting is justifiable but otherwise, having enough light gives you a sense of security that makes sitting in that space all that more appealing.

4. Not enough overhead shade - rain or shine, everyone wants to have shade to shelter under. On a sunny day, it is good to have shelter from the harmful UV rays or just simply avoid getting a sunburn. As for rainy days, no one likes to get wet without a change of clothes so shade on wet days is a must. Even the slightest of drizzles can make things very uncomfortable so having enough shade then will be a most welcome sight.

Of all the problems outlined above, using or installing a patio heater will prove to be the most challenging one. For one, it would take quite an effort to find the right type of patio heater:

- Gas patio heaters are easily accessible. They work through fired-up coals that reach up to the propane gas that releases heat when they reach a certain level. Often, some light is released as well which means the heater has a dual purpose.

- Electric patio heaters are the more modern counterparts. They are preferred more for their convenience than anything else. On top of that, they are also a lot safer than gas heaters as they often come with a timer and temperature gauge, which means it cuts off automatically once the targeted heat temperature is reached or after a specified time of usage.

- Portable patio heaters are usually used for camping trips. Owners of small spaces, however, may find these more economical than installing a permanent one as these are mobile to be carted to any particular part of the area. One huge benefit of using such heaters is that its portability allows it to be used in any kind of surroundings. These are also pretty safe; almost all come with an anti-tilt feature which means anytime it is tilted or slanted more than a specifically "safe" angle, it shuts off automatically to avoid spillage and fire.

- Coal patio heaters are the least used today. Often, these were used in older days as the main method of warming up the room. Patio heaters that use coal are just as safe to use as any other type of heater as coal does not really catch fire unless it is highly concentrated at. Just like in a sauna, coal emits the warmth that spreads through a room pretty efficiently.

- Solar-powered patio heaters are rare but not totally unheard of. They are powered by batteries that are charged by the sun. These batteries are also able to store large amounts of the energy, which means they are keep the patio heaters running for a while before they finally need recharging. Unfortunately, they are also the most expensive in the market.

A commercial patio heater is often of the electric sort. This is so because on top of being highly convenient and safe, it is also very user-friendly with an On/Off switch that can be manned by even the youngest of us. And with environmental consciousness at the top of everyone's priority list, a highly-economical electric patio heaters is always in high demand.