AEI Corporation

Stop Retreating Winter By Installing An Outdoor Radiant Heater

Posted: February 21, 2022 at 03:29 PM

7 minute read | Heaters

Winters seem only to get longer, and cold snaps affect the lives of North Americans from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Our experience about what constitutes feeling cold may be subjective, but an overhead patio heater system can cure that discomfort. That’s largely because a well-thought-out outdoor radiant heater installation allows residential and commercial property owners to reclaim space when Arctic blasts steal away.

Understanding the best-suited heating technology and where to position electric, propane, or NG heaters delivers quality of life benefits for homeowners and profits for business professionals. If you recently had to retreat indoors because cold weather swept across the region, consider how the savvy use of infrared suspended heaters could change your fortunes.

Why Install An Outdoor Radiant Heater?

There are two basic types of outdoor heaters used for outdoor or semi-enclosed settings. The first involves flame-driven heat that warms the air around people and objects. This method has become obsolete when compared to infrared technology. The heat generated strictly from fire is subject to uneven disbursement and the whims of winter winds. The very warm air keeping you comfortable will be erased by even the slightest breeze.

The state-of-the-art infrared technology used in an outdoor radiant heater does not just warm the air around people and objects. Instead, it warms the physical objects themselves within its throw radius. No matter how determined old man winter is to ruin the peaceful enjoyment of your patio, veranda, or restaurant’s outdoor seating area, people remain comfortable when adequately positioned near an infrared heater.

How Infrared Heater Placement Can Increase Efficiency?

Infrared heaters provide superior efficiency largely because the comfort they provide cannot be blown away by the wind, and they are super easy to turn on and off.  

It’s essential to consider throw radiuses and potential impediments when installing infrared heaters such as the Sunpak or Infratech models. People who are new to infrared heat or have little experience installing heaters should confer with their contractor or ask us directly how to achieve the most effective heat coverage for your patio space.

When investing in 365-day indoor-outdoor comfort, create a strategy that maximizes the throw radius of each unit. Remember that radiant heat is only more effective if you plan accordingly.

Best Practices When Mounting Suspended Heaters

Installing patio heaters overhead ranks among the best ways to take advantage of this cost-effective technology. Next-generation products such as the Sunpak, Infratech, and some Sunglo heaters can be securely hung on any sturdy outdoor structure. A thoughtful layout of overhead suspended heaters generally involves strategies such as the following.

• Dining and Seating Areas: Outdoor BBQ grill enthusiasts can maintain comfort levels when dining on patios or verandas by positioning suspended heaters to deliver warmth during sit-down meals. The same holds true for restaurant owners with patrons who prefer outdoor dining.
• Gazebos: People sometimes consider gazebos a fair-weather option. This does not have to remain the case. For example, the Infratech outdoor radiant heater can be connected to a designated power electrical line. Secure it overhead and gain the peace and solitude of a gazebo year-round.
• Open-Air Patios: It’s not unusual for residential and commercial property owners to deploy classic mushroom heaters on decks and patios without an overhang. Iconic infrared mushroom heaters such as the Patio Comfort, and Sunglo provide excellent throw radius and flexibility. But when square footage is at a premium, an overhead patio heater may be a better option. Industry-leading models can be snuggly and safely installed under soffits.

Although mushroom heaters are excellent, overhead mounting strategies consume zero floor space. They can be inconspicuously tucked away in ceilings, secured to beams, or mounted on posts away from buildings to warm seating areas throughout a landscape. All property owners require is an energy source and the will to improve outdoor and semi-enclosed spaces.

What is the Best Energy Source for an Overhead Patio Heater?

One of the items that tend to hold property owners back from transitioning seasonal spaces to 12-month opportunities involves liquid propane tanks. While mushroom heaters can be deftly designed to house portable tanks in the base, overhead models do not necessarily require this type of fuel system. Essentially, overhead heaters typically do not task you with swapping out tanks.

People taking advantage of inexpensive natural gas can have a professional run an energy source to an overhead or wall-mounted Sunpak system. This industry-leading heater product line runs efficiently on natural gas as well as propane. Depending on the specific model, it can generate 25,000 to 34,000 BTUs of effective radiant heat. Both fuel sources are widely considered environmentally conscious because they burn cleanly. The low-cost difference between propane and NG heaters is nominal in many areas.

Home and business owners who do not already have propane or NG in place have the option of running heaters via electricity. Infratech models remain a leading outdoor radiant heater powered solely by electricity. Single and dual element heaters are considered energy-efficient. It’s essential to have a designated line created by a professional to ensure connection safety. The flexibility of these overhead patio heaters makes the best energy source the one that’s simplest and most cost-effective for people who invest in outdoor comfort.

Refine Your Outdoor Radiant Heater Strategy

Investing in an infrared heating system that delivers you from the seasonal ice age can be finely tuned. When installing multiple units, control panels can be used to run only the suspended heaters that are providing immediate comfort. This caveat lowers energy costs that are already considered cost-effective. Property owners can also utilize timers to ensure the heater is not left running while unused.

Winter isn’t going away, and cold spells will continue to seasonally evict people from the fresh air and starlight until you take determined measures. Regardless of where you reside in North America, a smartly installed outdoor radiant heater or complete system remains an excellent financial and quality of life investment.