If you love spending time outdoors you know how much cold weather can be a killjoy. Luckily, with the invention of outdoor heaters, chilly nights no longer end the fun. They have become very popular with cafés and are widely used to prolong the outdoor season and prevent weather from interfering. Along with this, heaters can add to the décor of your yard, depending on their design. Your yard as much as your home as a whole, are a great way of expressing your style so the right heater can serve as an accessory. With such a great variety of styles, finding cheap outdoor heaters is not that much of a difficult thing to do.
Before you set out to buy a heater, you have to have general info of the types of heaters there are and the way they function. According to type of mechanism used for a heater to function, heaters are divided into gas, electric and radiant heaters.
Gas Heaters
Gas heaters on their own can be split into three categories based on the type of fuel they use: butane, propane and natural gas. Based on the thermal capacity, gas heaters have the highest coverage per capacity, which means they radiate heat over a large area. While butane and propane have tanks that could be refilled once fuel is out and are easy to supply, the natural gas is connected to your natural gas source. Since these types of heaters do not need electrical connection and work through ignition system, you could save on electricity but get to spend more when buying the gas supplies.
Electric Heaters
Electric heaters as you might guess work with electricity. You can easily install them yourself and save money on electricians. They are safe to use because there is no flame and contrary to popular belief, they offer a huge savings of up to 90% in running costs. Considering the superior heating coverage, compared to gas models, electric ones are by far the cheap outdoor heaters option in the long run.
Radiant Heaters
Radiant heaters also function on gas and propane though their system is more efficient which is why they are mentioned separately. They cover large areas also, even for less amount of energy spent and they produce energy by converting gas/propane to infrared heat. They are among the most recommended ones specifically because of the coverage and with so many radiant models that are sold you would be able to find cheap outdoor heaters.
Another division is made when we compare the styles of outdoor heaters so we differentiate between: floor or free standing heaters, table and wall or ceiling heaters.
Floor/Free Standing Heater
The floor or free standing heaters are usually gas heaters. They do not have any installation needed, you just set them up anywhere you want. At the base they have the fuel tank (specifically for propane models) which also gives them stability to stand. These heaters are usually the ones you would see in cafés. There are some electric models as floor or free standing as well though they are not that common.
Tabletop Heaters
Though some table heaters (which are smaller in size and are also called tabletop) work on propane and are among the least expensive heaters, there are also the type of table heaters that work on wood or coal. The second type is ideal for preparing BBQ as well, along with providing heat, and this asset makes them even more desirable whereas the tabletop heaters are usually ideal for heating smaller areas.
Wall/Ceiling Heater
Wall or ceiling heaters are electric radiant heaters, but some types of propane and natural gas models can also be found. Wall or ceiling heaters are perfect for compact spaces so if you are in need of a heater but lack in space, this is the type for you.
Once you know all of these different types of outdoor heaters, you have to decide on the place where you want them installed and space required accordingly. Electric types are perfect for indoor use as well, but mind you this does not go for gas types, especially those fuelled by propane as it can accumulate a lot of carbon monoxide. Worth noting, make sure you take all safety precautions and have nothing in the way of the heater, so you will have all the outdoor fun with no worries.
