The UK’s weather is rarely ever predictable and even at the height of summer we have to contend with sudden gloomy skies ruining barbecues and family gatherings. The sun goes in and likewise so do we – back indoors to vegetate in front of the TV and grumble. Unlike other warmer countries, gardens in the UK sometimes need a little extra help to make them more usable and inviting during the cooler seasons. Outdoor heating solutions make alfresco seating areas usable throughout a greater portion of the year and can help people get the most from their patios and back gardens.
Keeping exterior spaces well-heated is especially important for commercial spaces such as bars and restaurants that have garden or terrace seating. During the colder months, these spaces can effectively become no-go areas and cut down a business’ seating capacity significantly. Heating outdoor areas allows them to be kept in use and can increase foot traffic into your business. After all, customers will naturally gravitate towards a business with a warm outdoor area than one that’s chilly and unwelcoming.
What you may not know about outdoor heaters is that many can also be used to heat large and draughty indoor spaces such as warehouses, factories, garages and churches. The large volume of air in these environments can be tricky to heat with conventional heating methods, but the radiant heating of infrared can easily provide targeted heating that doesn’t rely on moving warm air around the room to be effective.
Every outdoor space will have different heating requirements depending on the layout and what mounting options are available. Heatingpoint offers a wide variety of outdoor heaters to cover a multitude of situations and applications, no matter whether it’s for small patios or large industrial areas. Outdoor heaters are generally made up of the following types: gas, electric and solid fuel burners. Of these categories, we currently provide gas and electric outdoor heating solutions, so take a look at the information below to learn more about their potential applications.
Electric Outdoor Heaters
The vast majority of electric outdoor heating solutions use infrared to keep people warm. This is because infrared – heat radiation – doesn’t rely on the movement of air to transfer heat. It warms people and objects directly, just like the warmth provided by the sun, and is well-suited to combating the lower temperatures felt outside. Infrared is an incredibly versatile heating method and can provide different kinds of heating depending on the type of infrared wavelength used.
Infrared heaters work differently to convection heaters in that they project heat outwards in a defined area, almost in the same way as a spotlight, and need to be positioned correctly to ensure that seating areas fall within their heating span.
Outdoor infrared heaters go by many different names depending on what type of infrared radiation they use, so it can sometimes be a little tricky for customers to know what kind of heater they need to look for.
Quartz Heaters
The most common type of outdoor infrared heater is often referred to as a ‘quartz heater’ due to the type of heating element they use. These heaters produce a more intense form of infrared which works well in outdoor applications, although the heat they produce can become uncomfortable if used for a prolonged period of time. They’re also called ‘near-infrared’ or ‘shortwave’ heaters due to their tighter wavelength range.
Near-infrared heaters get to a much higher temperature than other infrared heaters and will emit an orange glow when in use. This can make them the preferred choice for two reasons – firstly, it’s much easier to tell when the heater is still in use; and secondly, it can provide a comforting additional source of light. The high temperature emitted by these heaters is the reason they use quartz around the heating element – regular glass would simply melt away when exposed to these heat levels. Quartz heaters produce instantaneous effects and can also be purchased with ‘ultra-low glare’ technology which reduces the orange glow to a minimum. Our lowest priced quartz infrared heater is £199.99.
Ceramic Infrared Heaters
These kinds of outdoor heater are often called ‘no glow’ heaters because they produce no visible light when in use. They also utilise a much gentler form of radiation called far or longwave infrared that is much more easily absorbed by the body and can be used for long periods of time. Far-infrared is so gentle that it’s even used in incubation units, although the downside is that it can take longer to feel the effects in an outdoor environment due to its lower intensity.
Far-infrared can be the preferable choice if you want a permanent installation for a seating area that gets used frequently or for long periods of time. This mellower form of radiation is much more comfortable but its effects may be lost in particularly exposed locations. A common application for this form of radiant heat is for speeding up the drying process of walls and plaster. Far infrared can penetrate deeply into brickwork and provide even, reliable warmth without superheating any air bubbles beneath the plasterwork.
There are many ceramic infrared heaters that are suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. We also provide industrial ceiling mounted heating solutions for warehouses, workshops and garages that need comfort heating over a larger area. Our range of ceramic infrared heaters starts at £329.99.
Installation Options
Wall Mounted Infrared Heaters
Mounting infrared heaters to a wall is often the most appropriate option if you need to keep them out of the way of children. This will ensure that your heater is out of harm’s reach and can be targeted at seating areas so that they have a dedicated heat source. For outdoor wall mounted heaters, it’s always advisable to look for a product that has a high IP rating so that it will be able to withstand rainy weather without getting damaged. Some models are compact enough so that they can be mounted on the underside of patio umbrellas and can provide a similarly discreet heating solution.
Free Standing & Portable Infrared Heaters
Portable quartz heaters are useful if you think you will need to move your heat source frequently. It’s a popular heating choice if you have to move workstations a lot or work between different sites. Some free-standing quartz heaters are units in their own right, whereas some wall mountable models can become free standing heaters when purchased with a separate tripod. Not all free-standing heaters are weatherproof and can only be used beneath covered outdoor areas such as awnings and gazebos, so it’s important to check they have the appropriate IP rating beforehand.
Ceiling Mounted Infrared Heaters
This option usually won’t be applicable for domestic heating but it can be very useful in commercial settings. Ceiling mounting your heaters will ensure that the range of heat is unobstructed by walls or objects and allows an uninhibited spread of warmth over a greater area. It also means they’re kept well out of the way of curious fingers!
IP Ratings
As outdoor electric heaters will often be exposed to harsh, rainy weather conditions, it’s important to choose a product that has the right level of protection. All outdoor heaters come with an IP (ingress protection) rating to indicate what level of protection they offer against solids and water. Every outdoor installation is different and a multitude of variables can affect what kind of IP rating you’ll need. The installation area could be sheltered or unsheltered, it may be facing into a particularly exposed location or partially obscured by another building. In the end, it’s common sense that will dictate what level of protection your outdoor heater will need. Don’t worry if this is all new to you, we have a complete rundown of IP ratings and what they mean on our blog. In general we would always suggest opting for at least an IPX4 rated product for an unsheltered outdoor installation.
Gas Patio Heaters
There are a number of reasons why you might opt for a gas outdoor heating solution over electric. They often present the more attractive and interesting aesthetic choice over boxier looking infrared products, almost looking like a dramatic street light in your garden. Some gas heaters even have visible flames which can make a stunning visual feature when entertaining guests or keeping customers warm.
They also provide a standalone heating option which doesn’t involve hard-wiring into the wall or trailing extension leads around. If for whatever reason you’re unable to use electricity or install a permanent electric heater, gas provides the perfect solution. Once you’ve chosen a spot for your gas patio heater, all that remains is to anchor it to the ground to make sure it’s nice and secure.
Gas patio heaters use reflector caps at the top of the heater to reflect radiant heat where it’s needed. In a way, these heaters act somewhat similarly to electric infrared heaters as the cap helps to project this radiant heat in a defined area. Some gas patio heaters have an adjustable reflector cap to allow heat to be angled toward other areas rather than just the space directly below the heater.
Many of our gas patio heaters can be used with either butane or propane and provide a degree of flexibility when choosing fuel types. However, we advise using propane with gas patio heaters as it burns effectively even at lower temperatures. Propane regulators come as standard with our Heatingpoint gas patio heaters so if you do decide to use butane instead, a separate regulator will need to be purchased.
Smaller tabletop gas heaters are also available and provide a stylish centrepiece to outdoor seating areas. Our tabletop gas heaters start from £119.99 and our full-sized gas patio heaters begin at £199.99.
Shop Today
Make your garden a year-round space for entertainment with our range of outdoor heaters. We’ve curated this selection of products to provide you with heating solutions for every application, but if you need any guidance at all, don’t hesitate to give our friendly sales team a call. Our Heatingpoint team will be able to make suggestions based on the exterior space you’re working with and are happy to provide you with a free, no obligation quote. Call us on 0330 880 7008 or take a look at our extensive outdoor heaters buying guide for further information.