This is a floor-mounted patio heater.

At one time, patio heaters were more available for commercial purposes and not suited well for the residential owner.  Whether it was cost, size or application, the patio heater was something you only saw at your favorite restaurant’s outdoor patio or at large outdoor events.  All this has changed with the introduction of the types of portable patio heaters we are discussing here.

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There are floor-stand styles and other table-top versions.  The typical floor-standing patio heater is capable of heating an area approximately 10-15’ in diameter.  They use propane fuel, in most cases, to burn at about 40,000 BTU throwing a very comfortable amount of heat.  They also have settings so you can control the amount of heat it is giving off.  At full high heat, a typical propane patio heater will last about 8-10 hours.

Your patio may not be that large in size, so you may not require a heater that is capable of this heat output.  For smaller applications and spaces, there is the table-top patio heater that was mentioned above.  This style is exactly as it sounds, it sits atop a table or shelf that provides more local heat to a smaller group of people.  This can give you a nicer and more cozy feel to your patio gathering.  Who knows, maybe you are just spending some time out there with your significant other and don’t need to be heating a large space.  There are no rules against both of these types of patio heaters on your patio at once.  In this way, they could act much like a patio shade and a patio umbrella do.  One provides large shade cover, one is a bit more ‘spot’ specific.  You could have the floor-stand one blasting out its heat for your whole space and find that there are little nooks and pockets on your patio that your table top heater could hit more effectively, all while saving you more in terms of fuel costs and wasted heat.

At Patio Covers Place we are always looking for ways to spend more time outdoors in the quiet and restful space of a patio.  So, it should come as no surprise that when there are ways to make that possible more of the time, we are big supporters.  There was a time when portable patio heaters were more reserved for commercial uses.  You’d see them at restaurants or outdoor events, but rarely at someone’s home.  Well, innovation and costs have made those notions a thing of the past.

A close-up shot of the patio heater.

Today, there are several different styles of patio heaters that can be used for residential applications.  The most popular and easy to use style is the propane patio heater.  You’ve seen these at your local home improvement and warehouse stores.  They look similar to an old street lamp.  They have a base that houses the propane tank and then a neck or post that has a line that runs up to the burner.

You can find a variety of styles for each patio heater.  Some come in stainless components, others are more rustic looking.  There are even table top patio heaters that are shorter in stature and are meant to sit atop a table or shelf.  They can be quite robust in the amount of heat that they produce.

Patio Heaters:  Specifications and Cost

Again, there are different sizes available to suit your particular needs regarding heat output for your patio.  If you have a large enough patio or deck, you may need to invest in more than one outdoor patio heater.  It also depends upon the size of the gathering you are having.  You can get away with one patio heater to cover an area of approximately 10-15 feet.  Factors such as wind, seating arrangements and outdoor ambient temperature affect these numbers.

Some standard sizes for the height of a floor model are around 90 inches.  This equals about 8’ tall, give or take depending upon the model.  The burn time can also vary, but for this larger floor resting model, you can expect to get roughly 8-10 hours of heat.  This also depends on several factors, not the least of which is the settings you use.  These burn at roughly 40,000 BTU, so they produce a lot of heat.  They can be quite dangerous if someone were to contact the burner or emitter screen.

For safety reasons, there is an auto-shut off switch on many that cause the flame to extinguish if it is knocked over.  If you are hosting parties or entertaining, this is a distinct possibility as people get a bit more ‘loosened up’ you could say.  If you are concerned about this specific issue, you may be safer with an electric patio heater.  These also have fail-safe components, but no scare with the propane.  Also, you will not have to worry about filling the tank.  However, there is the issue with mobility as it needs a power source.  All in all, a patio heater is a very safe and friendly addition to any patio.

These ‘friends’ will cost you about $150-300 USD for a standard size model that is capable of giving you just the type of heat you are looking for.  If you want a more intimate setting, you might consider a patio fireplace.  These can be a bit more cozy and allow for a more intimate setting.  Keep in mind they will need to be more actively tended to unless you also get a gas one of these.  There is no need to freeze out on your patio.  Get one of these and not only will you be the envy of the neighborhood, but you’ll have the busiest patio in town.

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