Who owns outdoor patio? This is a perfect spot to spend romantic nights while looking at starry nights or to enjoy breakfast while bathing under morning sun. Even though both are favorable scenarios, there are cold nights as well. To keep the patio function, there should be natural gas patio heater installed in the unit.
Read also: 19 PATIO SET WITH FIRE PIT TO MAKE YOUR BACKYARD FOCAL POINT
1. WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS USING NATURAL GAS PATIO HEATER
Natural gas is not the only option for patio heater unit. However, it is the most popular options for many houses. The house owners could simply follow the trend, but it will be wiser to understand the reasons. First of all, the other models cannot beat natural gas heater in well-ventilated outdoor space. It provides maximum warmth with very minimum noises.
For those who value the artistic side, natural gas has plenty of models to choose. Surely, one of the options would match to the patio vibe. In addition, there will be almost no case of running out fuels for natural gas heater. If the house owners pay the bill on time, there should be no problem with the power outage. Thanks to the installed system, the cost for running natural gas heater is affordable as well.
There are some downsides of natural gas heater that the house owner should know. Once the heater is set, they are easy to operate. However, the gas heater should be installed properly. The house owner must call professionals to do the job. Moreover, it could be applied on the wall or floored patio only. Note also that the outdoor patio should be well-ventilated.
2. CONSIDERING THE TYPES OF NATURAL GAS PATIO HEATER
As mentioned above, natural gas heater has many models. In general, there are three big categories of the model: freestanding, wall mounted, and table top. Of course, each of them has different strengths. The freestanding model is great for those who love flexible setting. It is also suitable to warm large area in the patio. Usually, the average heat output is 40,000 BTU. This makes them the most powerful type.
The next model is wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted. It is highly recommended for houses with children and pet. By installing the heater on the wall, the unit will be out of reach. Another advantage of this model is the possibility to set the angle the warmth. Unfortunately, it also means that the heat is concentrated in one area only. Keep in mind to install securing braces to prevent falling unit.
The last model is tabletop. It is the most beloved options for many houses. The house owners could simply put them on top of the table. The heat will spread to all directions. If the persons move, the heater unit could be brought as well. Its size is compact and mostly come with power output. Therefore, there should be no burnt problem while moving the heater.
3. COUNTING THE NUMBERS
If the house owners already have a type in mind, the next questions would be the number of heater unit to buy. Don’t forget that each model has different heating unit (BTU). The bigger the BTU number, the hotter it will be. The thumbs up rule is simple: small patio pairs well with small unit gas heater and bigger patio might need more. But how to do the precise calculation, especially to reach certain temperature?
To begin with, the BTU refers to the ability to raise temperature by one degree. In the other words, one BTU means one degree hotter or cooler. This is why the BTU number in heater unit starts with thousands or ten thousand. The house owners should not be intimidated by this number. To measure the proper BTU, one should multiple cubic footage and calculate the temperature rise as well.
For example, the regular temperature is 40 Farenheit. Then, the house owners want to make it warmer: 75 Farenheit. The temperature difference is 35 Farenheit. Now, it is time to calculate the warmth for the whole patio. Say the measurement of the patio is 40 feet by 60 feet. The warmth should be raised eight feet from the ground by 35 Farenheit, so the multiplication result is 672.000 BTU.
4. LOOKING AT SAFETY ISSUES ABOUT NATURAL GAS PATIO HEATER
Natural gas heater emits warmth, which could be dangerous for the surrounding, especially for patio with wooden construction. To prevent this kind of issue, the best thing to do is reading the manual carefully. Find the warnings about what should and should not be done. Usually, the house owners should pay attention on empty space around the heater unit.
Because of the safety issue, many people are concerned about the setting to place natural gas heater. There are two unsuitable conditions for gas heater: under the roof and on the covered porch. The distance between the heater and the material would be too close it may start the fire.
The perfect setting for gas heater is on the deck. Other settings such as tent, gazebo and screened porch might be okay as long as the manufacturer say so. If you cannot find any information regarding these places, it is okay to give a call. The customers have the right to know.
5. LEARNING ABOUT OTHER WARNINGS
In addition to fire accident, heater unit could be dangerous if it falls on any surface. Some models could automatically shut off when they are tipped over. As expected, they come with a price. Therefore, there is no better option than weighing the heater unit properly. Check the daily weather: windy day calls for heavier anchor.
After using the gas heater unit, many people leave the unit outside. Is this okay? Well, the answer is written on the user manuals. To keep the top performance of heater unit, it is good to provide cover. This effort will prevent water, small insects or fine dusts to slip into the machine. Also, make sure to schedule the gas heater cleaning.
At least, it should be checked and cleaned thoroughly once in a year. The house owner could also make it once every two months. By cleaning the unit, the risks of fire or machine failure could be minimized.
