Types of patio heater

 Patio heaters are a great way to keep your guests warm as the nights draw in towards the end of the summer months.  Whether you are interested in buying a portable patio heater or a stainless steel patio heater, it is worth understanding the different fuels they use so you choose the best one for your summer barbeque.

 

Gas patio heaters can be manufactured to operate on either propane, natural gas or butane.  Propane patio heaters are particularly popular in the UK but commercial patio heaters usually use gas.

 

Propane Patio Heaters

 

Those patio heaters which are built to use propane are calibrated to accept propane gas at a pressure of about 37 mbar.  These types of garden patio heaters are recommended if you are looking for an all weather, all-season, all-year-round patio heater.

 

Butane Patio Heaters

 

A butane patio heater is calibrated to take pressurised butane at a pressure of approximately 28 mbar and these are great for summer and autumn but do not function well at all in the winter months.

 

Butane works at its optimum with low pressure domestic appliances indoors or on outdoor patio heaters, but for the latter only in the summer and early autumn months.  This is because with butane the liquid will not convert to the gas at below freezing point (which is required for the fuel to burn).  It will sometimes work but will be very slow and deliver small and inefficient amounts of gas to the patio heater.

 

Natural Gas Patio Heaters

 

The pressure your patio heater will be set to will vary according to which country you live in.  The natural gas patio heater will be calibrated to run on the applicable mbar rating set in that particular country oddly enough. 

 

Propane patio heaters and butane patio heaters must not under any circumstances be connected up to a natural gas source.  It is also highly advisable to consult a Corgi registered fitter before trying to sort out a natural gas patio heater yourself.  This will help avoid any nasty accidents or upsets at this year’s summer party or barbeque!

 

Patio heaters are a great way to make your outdoor summer barbeque or dinner party homely and make all your guests feel really comfortable.