Tuesday 27 December 2011

Buying a Patio Heater With Confidence

Outdoor patio heaters can be found on offer at numerous E-commerce stores as well as major brick and mortar stores. The question then becomes where to buy from and more importantly which brand is going to give the best bang for the buck. Another very important consideration is the fuel source that you have available to you at your location.

Price isn't everything - Test their Outdoor Heater Knowledge

Where to buy from - it is so important to be sure of all of the needs above are dealt with that you should ask questions and run as fast as you can if you are not given specific answers that you can verify. On-line stores generally offer best pricing, but I recommend that you call and speak with their customer service as you do need to ask the questions. If they do not appear to be knowledgeable about the product call another company.

Which Outdoor Patio Heater is Right

Look for outdoor electric and gas heaters that operate on the principal of generating the heat via infra-red rays. The benefit of this that the heat generated does not heat the air but heats the object. The object being, the human body, concrete/tile floor etc. One should also be aware that although gas heaters are sold as infra-red heaters, for them to operate in this manner, they need to be run on their high heat setting.

Which is the correct heater for your needs - outside heaters are available in versions running off liquid propane, natural gas and electricity. From a cost of running perspective, natural gas is generally the most cost effective followed by the other two forms at about an equal cost? For the casual user the cost of running will not be a significant issue due to the generally low hours that the heater is used for on a daily basis. For commercial installations this can very quickly become an issue. Both electric and gas heaters come in formats that are free standing or wall mounted. Where possible a wall mounted heater is the preferred choice due to the fact that you then free up floor space and avoid loose wires or gas feeds to trip on.

Outdoor Electric Heaters

Electric heaters are available predominantly in 120V or 240V format. The power rating of the heater is limited by the voltage. You therefore will not see 120V heaters running at more than 1500W which is equivalent to most ladies hair dryers. These 120V heaters are mostly used where you have one or two chairs closely situated and you would place the heater next to the chair or between them and receive very localized heat. In moving up to 240v electric supply your power options increase substantially with the 6000W heater generally being about the most powerful unit that you will find. At this point it becomes very important that you select the correct heater based on your criteria. You need to look at the height at which you will be able to install the heater, how large an area you want to heat and what your prevailing temperature will be at the time that you want to use the heater. With outdoor electric heaters matching the heater to the installation height is critical. By not being aware of this criterion you will invariably find that you have less heat than what you expected or needed or if the heater is too powerful for the installation height, you will constantly be uncomfortable with a feeling of being overheated or worse yet cooked. It is best practice to install a heater that is slightly more powerful than what you estimated your need to be and then be sure to use a controller that allows you to control the heat output as needed.

Gas Patio Heaters

Gas heaters - come in free standing versions and wall mount and as mentioned, use propane or natural gas as the fuel, otherwise know as, outdoor gas heaters. Free standing heaters have an average output ranging between thirty to fifty thousand BTU. The available brands and models range in price from $199 to $1500. As is the case in most instances in life, you get what you pay for. The low cost versions generally burn at a lower heat than advertised, don't have parts availability and will need replacing far sooner than the better quality units. Wall mount gas heaters are available in versions that use a low voltage electrical current to ignite the heater from a switch on the wall or via a remote.

Whatever your choice or installation, it is always recommended to purchase from a company that is knowledgeable about their product.

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Gas Patio Heaters: Your Efficient Winter Heaters

Who doesn't know about gas patio heaters? For sure, all of us know how important and valuable these heaters are for they are the most needed during winter time. They are the most common decorative items that shall not be missing in your exterior particularly if you are living in one of the coldest places. There are many benefits that you could get out of having heaters and you don't only spend for them just to complete your exterior set up. They are not just purely for decorations or purely for giving you warmth. They add a different glow in the place, making it more romantic and alive.

patio heaters are actually categorized based on their fuels. There are various types of heating units that you can find but based on costumers rates and reviews online, the top choices include the electric, propane and gas heaters. These three heating units work with ease and lesser problems. Their functions and controls can be learned easily. They can be bought along with their handbooks or manuals so even if you are new to such heaters, you can still learn how they work and how to care for them. For most, gas heaters are the most efficient units during winter. They are getting more popular despite the rise of much modern units maybe because they perform a lot better than the rest of the heating units. gas heaters are used both for residential and commercial reasons. Now, if you think you need new heaters for your old ones are not working that good anymore then try gas heater. It's efficient and would warm your space the entire winter.

People usually give preference to gas patio heaters. With gas heaters, no more outlets needed, lesser harm, and they are friendlier so if you like to have the most convenient heaters then let it be the gas heating units. Their fuel tanks are actually placed on their bases so despite the strong wind, they remain steady. Start looking for the right gas heaters now and feel free to get portable types.

These gas patio heaters are really efficient during winter. They help you battle the cold. They give you warmth while adding that lovely flickering flame in the outside. They are a great way to fully enjoy your patio the rest of the winter. So this time your exterior can be filled with life despite the cold weather that draws you to stay inside.

Thursday 8 December 2011

Are Outdoor Electric Patio Heaters Really Affordable?

Deciding on a patio heater should always start with the choice of energy source. You’ll make life so much more easy for yourself once this done. So what make the case for electric patio heaters so strong, and what are they exactly?

Basically, electric patio heaters are fuelled by electricity as a power source. They are available on a variety of models, ranging from heaters fixed to your wall, lone-standing as well some mounted to your patio umbrella.

A Big concern for many homeowners is utilising their outdoor space optimally. If you only have small area to work with, an electric patio heater may be the number one choice for you.
If your patio area have a low head space, and outdoor electric patio heater will be a good option, as big propane heaters may be unworkable with these area. Heaters fixed to the wall is great for countering this problem and will still leave you with a lot of space to work with.

Electric patio heaters also have a very focussed heat emission. As opposed to propane heaters they do fulfil their function in keeping your guests warm and aren’t merely heating up the outdoor area, leaving everyone and everything feeling an unnatural, crisp warmth. This is arguably one of the most frequent complaints that homeowners have with propane heaters.

The maintenance and operational costs of your electric patio heater will differ massively from one region to another. It’s worthwhile doing some initial studies and cost forecasts on this to see which option will yield the lowest monthly financial commitment over time. On the issue of costs, if you are trying to trim down as much as possible on the initial spend, an electric heater will be the best choice. They tend to be dramatically lower priced than other heaters.

If you are trying to avoid the smelly, gassy odours of propane heaters, an electric patio heater is also a very good choice. Not only will you eliminate the odour and noise problem, but you will also be able to use your heater indoors – provided that you purchased a loose standing heater which you can move around.

So many homeowners consider safety as a top priority when choosing a suitable patio heater. Although electric patio heaters do have an element of danger in the form of chords and switches, they are substantially safer that its propane and gas counterparts. Bear this in mind especially if you have kids.

Even though outdoor electric patio heaters don’t do much decoratively, they are functionally a great asset to have in your patio area and will keep your friends and family nice and cosy at a staggeringly low capital outlay.