We are all spending more time and money on our garden and patio areas with the new trends in outdoor living, which is probably partly due to the many TV Gardening DIY programs. We are discovering that creating an inspirational outdoor living space is something we all can do. It is so much easier today with the wide range of soft and hard landscaping products, lighting, decorations and garden accessories all available on the market.

One of the latest innovations is the deck and patio heater which allows us to spend our precious leisure time enjoying our garden or patio area both later and earlier in the year or on a cool summer evening. It doesn’t matter if we are entertaining family and guests or simply relaxing. Gas patio heaters provide instant controllable heat and warmth, thus making your outside room as comfortable and enjoyable as any of your inside rooms. On days when the temperature is not as warm as one would like, the patio heater can be turned on to give off a heat circle of around 6 meters. And after sun set gas patio heaters have another advantage, when they create atmosphere for your party or to just have a tranquil evening with a friend.

When choosing a gas patio heater always make sure that it has all the necessary safety features such as; a tilt sensor, which will cut off the gas and flame if the patio heater is knocked or blown over while it is in use and also an auto shut off switch which will cut off the gas if the flame is blown out.

Patio heaters come in many shapes and sizes. Two of the most popular are the upright standing heater, sometimes available with a circular table around the gas bottle housing. And the other one is the table top patio heater.

Heat output is measured in kilowatts and sizes of these gas patio heaters range from 12kw up to 15kw. The largest ones are usually used for pub, hotel and commercial environments. Table top heaters are very popular but are a lot smaller and also have a much smaller heat output but they are a very effective way of providing heat to people immediately around the garden table.

The finishes of the gas patio heaters are usually a range of powder coated colors to the more expensive stainless steel models. Beyond the main difference of style the finish can also have an effect on the potential life span of the heater. Stainless steel patio heaters look by far the most impressive and will keep their shine for many years. Powder coated patio heaters tend to weather slightly less well and will rust if the powder coating is damaged.

Patio heaters run off bottled gas, mainly propane but sometime butane which is widely available in most countries. The regulator which is usually supplied with the heater, clips straight onto the bottle and is easy to install. Gas regulators are supplied by all gas bottle suppliers, but ensure that you take your gas bottle along to the dealer as there are varying sizes of bottle head.

Accessories for patio heaters include covers ( which are a must if you intend to leave it outside during the winter), wheels – which will enable you to easily move the heater around the garden, ballast tanks which give extra stability and most good patio heaters actually come with a gas bottle regulator installed and ready for easy attachment.

Some safety points worth remembering:
-Position it in a fairly sheltered area, as this will both reduce the likelihood of damage in strong winds and also increase the amount of ambient heat output.
-If the heater is outdoors during the winter, buy a patio heater cover and protect you heater with it.
-Always leave the gas bottle in the heater to give it extra weight.
-If your patio heater comes supplied with a ballast tank in the base, fill it with sand or if none is available, use water but mix car anti-freeze with it, otherwise the tank may crack when freezing occurs in winter.
-Do not let children use the patio heater as a toy or climbing frame.

Patio heaters require very little maintenance if any at all other than an occasional wipe to keep it clean and looking good, and will extend your time on your deck or patio in comfort and style. Enjoy long nights throughout the year with your patio heater.

Continually developing “Ideas for Outdoor Living”