Consider investing in an outdoor heater to extend your outdoor living space if you have a backyard with a terrace or balcony. Add warmth to chilly fall or spring evenings while relaxing on your porch swing or enjoying a meal on your patio. With a heat source, you can enjoy your outdoor entertainment area in any season while creating a comfortable atmosphere.
Choose from various outdoor heating systems: electric or gas terrace heating, open or enclosed flame or heating element, etc. Your options range from practical to decorative, so your choice should depend on where and how you will use it.
The main considerations include:
1. FUEL SOURCE
Patio heaters come in a range of power sources from gas-burning (LP, propane, or natural gas), wood or charcoal, to electric. Electric or gas models allow you to control the quantity of BTUs generated. Wood or charcoal-burning fire pits are less controlled, depending on wind, humidity, and other factors.
2. SIZE
Patio heaters come as small as tabletop models and as large freestanding units. Electric or natural gas heaters can be incorporated into a home’s structure, while wood or coal versions require open ventilation. A tabletop version providing up to 10,000 BTUs provides comfort for about four people for a small patio. Larger patios or poolside decks benefit from freestanding heaters that offer higher BTUs.
3. AMBIANCE
While LP units — those often seen on restaurant patios — offer a controlled source of heat, and a tabletop version might keep a small dinner comfortable, a decorative wall-mounted unit or hanging unit might provide a beautiful alternative in your situation.
Hanging heaters give out a smaller amount of heat and work in spaces radiating out nine or 10 feet, such as a gazebo or screened porch. Often made to resemble ceiling fans, a hanging heater is typically electric-powered. A wall-mounted unit utilizes an enclosed ventilation system, so any fumes are expelled far away from your family and friends. Some wall-mounted heaters resemble a fireplace and range from traditional to very modern styles to match your design motif.
4. PORTABILITY
Carefully review how you are likely to use your heater. A portable heater gives you more location options, so a single unit can be poolside in the warmer seasons to ward off chilly evenings or moved nearer the house to extend your entertainment area to the patio through the winter.
If you intend to use your heater in multiple locations, look for one with wheels to make it easier to shift from deck to patio or poolside.
5. SAFETY
The heater you select should have easily accessible shut-off valves and switches.
If you choose to use an electric unit near a wet area, have it installed by a professional to ensure your family and friends’ protection. When using an open flame unit, such as a wood, charcoal, or open gas fireplace, monitor small children and pets to keep them away from the flame.
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Dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized service, Real Estate Broker Mike Flannagan takes pride in the relationships he builds, working relentlessly on your behalf. Mike is a Northern Virginia real estate expert with extensive experience in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Arlington Counties. Click here to get to know him better.
