How to Effectively Heat your Patio on a Budget

If your family is anything like ours, we love to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Our patios have become our favorite home hangouts, for family and friends to enjoy good food, a great glass of wine, and rambling conversations that we’ll reflect on for weeks. Chilly weather puts a damper on our outdoor fun… but it doesn’t have to! Selecting the right options for heating your patio will not only warm the hearts of your loved ones but can be done without having to dip into your kids’ college funds to pay for it.



As is almost always the case when discussing options for your home, start with a critical look at your space. We’re not just talking measurements of length and width, but where do people USE your space. A large patio is fantastic, but if people tend to spend time in your conversation pit, dining table or outdoor kitchen and ignore the more open spaces, maybe you don’t need to heat the entire patio. Focus on the spaces where your people congregate, and we can extend our outdoor living time without breaking the bank.

Now that you’ve narrowed down the need for outdoor patio heating, let’s look at options. In larger spaces (like those outdoor kitchens or dining spaces) consider using a wall- or ceiling-mounted energy efficient patio heater (whether natural gas, liquid propane or electric). When choosing between electric and gas heaters, here a few strengths and weaknesses to consider:

Pros: Cheaper (lowest cost per BTU to run), and throws heat further (covers a wider area)



Cons: Expensive to purchase (compared to electrics), Installation costs (requires both gas and electric runs), higher maintenance (more cleaning), requires ventilation (more clearance and airflow required) and is heavily affected by wind

Pros: Cheaper to purchase (compared to gas), low installation cost (only electric run required), low maintenance (no “burners” to clean), no ventilation (can even be used indoors), not effected by wind



Cons: More expensive running costs (most expensive per BTU), shorter heating range (covers a smaller area).

Pro Tip: Smaller spaces can be served in multiple ways… one of our favorites is to use an energy efficient patio heater that is portable (again, using efficient portable gas patio heaters or efficient portable electric patio heaters). Small conversation areas, dining areas and bars can be heated easily when needed using these portable solutions, and they can be stored away when the summer sun looms bright again.

When you consider the best efficient patio heater for your home, you’ll find that the top contenders use infrared heat. Infrared heat is different than heat produced by a flame… infrared heat warms the things in the room, not the air in the room. This means that your chair, your body, even your dog is warmed by infrared directly (the heater creates waves that warm all that it reaches), but not all infrared heaters are the same. The best efficient patio heaters create short wavelengths of heat (short-wave heaters), which are virtually unaffected by the wind – making them ideal for patios and terrace heating, as well as the outdoor areas of bars and restaurants. We’d suggest looking at short-wave heaters from Solaira, Aura, Dimplex or RADtec for the most efficient short-wave patio heaters.

The energy efficient patio heaters we have discussed so far focus on keeping your people warm the best way possible… while keeping costs in line. Sometimes there’s no substitute for an actual fire – we give up some efficiency for the romance and beauty that only comes from a flickering flame. Gather your friends and family around a blazing fire pit and watch the warmth of the flame reflected in their gaze as your conversation continues into the night. Select from natural gas, liquid propane, or wood-burning fire pits to brighten your night sky. But fire pits are not just efficient patio heating… the style and artisanry achieved by the craftsmen of our outstanding line of custom & artisan fire pits become an immediate focus of your friends’ interest, before you even light the fire.



Selecting the best heating solution for your outdoor living space means matching the right size and type of outdoor patio heater to your space. Intimate 2-person dining areas, small conversation areas or a single chaise-lounge for your evening retreat from the rat race would be well suited for a freestanding gas heater or freestanding electric heater, like the RADtec Tower Flame or the Fire Sense 02117. Larger family dining areas are perfect for a mounted electric patio heater or mounted gas patio heater, such as the Eurofase EF60240S or the Sunpak 12002. The largest of areas would be best served with a high intensity gas fired infrared heater capable of heating 40’ x 58’ of floor space, like the Ndustria 045140NG.



We can see that it’s possible to extend your valuable outdoor patio time by selecting the right outdoor patio heating, and with prudent sizing and an eye toward value you can do so without breaking the bank. Taking a long, critical look at exactly what outdoor patio spaces you would like to heat will help to control costs, while providing just the right coverage for your family. Selection of which products are the best for you is easy – we have an unparalleled selection at Patio Heat and Shade, and if you need a little help, we have the best patio heating specialists in the business just waiting for your call. We will be thrilled to work with you to help whittle down the options and get you the most efficient heating for your patio while keeping your budget intact. At Patio Heat and Shade, we’re there for you every step of the way.