Electrical | General | Heat & AC | Pool / Spa | Plumbing | Roofing | Solar | LP Gas
Landscape | Contact Us | Links | Home Improvement | Home
Home Improvement Information Site Map



Warm Up the Night! Patio Heaters and Fire Pits


In some areas right now, the weather is ideal for sitting outside in the evening -- the bugs have gone and the sky is clear -- but the nights are chilly. Don't let the cool evenings send you inside -- extend your outdoor living season by heating your deck or patio.

Different heaters are available for different needs and circumstances. A heater will be powered by propane, natural gas, alcohol-gel, electricity, wood, or wood substitutes such as charcoal or artificial logs. Depending on the size and the heat source, they may warm only a small space or heat a party-size yard.

For all heating units to perform optimally, they will need the right location. The ideal site is a combination of walls or fences (to radiate the heat back into your space) and overhead structures that will prevent the wind from blowing directly through your selected area.

Here are some tips for effective and safe use:

  • Wood-burning fireplaces and fire pits are generally the least expensive to buy and to operate. Check for zoning ordinances to be sure that you can burn wood on your property. Some municipalities allow wood burning in a small chimenea unit, but will not approve a built-in or dug fire pit. Wood-burning units range from small collapsible units on wheels for easy portability to huge built-in concrete fireplaces. If you are permitted to burn wood, you are sure to find a unit to suit your needs!

  • If you have a pottery fireplace, or chimenea, use it cautiously as these units are lightweight and reasonably fragile. To keep the fire from getting hot enough to break the chimenea, it's best to use kindling-size wood.

  • Many wood-burning units have optional cooking grills so your fire can do double duty warming your toes and your tummy. Try this yummy "pizza" recipe, cooked up in campfire irons.

  • Any open fire is a potential hazard. Keep any overhead sparks from tree branches or patio overheads, and be sure to teach children proper fire safety.

  • Natural gas heaters are easy to use but are usually built in and, although bottled gas may be purchased, are best limited to those areas that have natural gas service.

  • Propane heaters can be economical to operate. Depending on the heat output level you set, a standard propane tank can provide 10-12 hours of heat.

  • Propane-powered "mushroom" or "umbrella" heaters (so called because of their shape) are the best choice for heating large areas. They radiate warming rays from the top cylinder and provide a comfort zone of 12 - 20 feet in diameter. The propane tank is hidden in the bottom of the unit. It's a good idea to put these units away when not in use as they can be sensitive to the elements. Smaller tabletop units are also available.

  • Although electric heat is usually the most expensive, there are a few electric heaters designed specifically for outdoor use. Be sure that any heater that is left outside is rated as such.

With the wide selection of outdoor heating devices available, you're sure to find one that right's for you. So heat up the night - and go right on enjoying your outdoor space.

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on "Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space". Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com


MORE RESOURCES:
Electrical | General | Heat & AC | Pool / Spa | Plumbing | Roofing | Solar | LP Gas
Landscape | Contact Us | Links | Home Improvement | Home
Home Improvement Information Site Map


US Home Improvement Announces New Line of Replacement Windows
MarketWatch - 6 hours ago
PEABODY, MA, Aug 19, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- US Home Improvement is happy to announce a new line of replacement windows has been added to its line ...


Rebuilding at Home Improvement Stores?
Motley Fool - 7 hours ago
... and Home Depot (NYSE: HD), and while they weren't pretty, life finally may be starting to get easier for the two big-box home improvement retailers. ...
Home improvement retailers fall with Home Depot Forbes
No.2 US home improvement retailer's profit falls 7.9% in 2nd quarter Xinhua
Sector roundup: Home improvement, gold miners CNNMoney.com
Seeking Alpha - CNNMoney.com
all 676 news articles


Home improvement won't improve quickly
MarketWatch - 10 hours ago
The home-improvement industry has weathered the storm, analysts are saying. "The sector "may not fully recover for a long time, but we've seen the worst," ...


Rock Star's Home Improvement Irks Marin Hikers
CBS 5, CA - 10 hours ago
TERRA LINDA (CBS 5) ― It's a heavy metal dispute that has noting to do with music. A metal fence on Metallica frontman James Hetfield's Terra Linda property ...


Home improvement for Build It magazine
Press Gazette, UK - 13 hours ago
The new-look October issue of the Ocean Media Group publication includes a new section on home improvement, featuring case studies of readers' home ...


Brits 'looking to long-term' with home improvement projects
Safestore.co.uk, UK - 16 hours ago
British homeowners are now willing to "invest a bit more in the long-term" for the duration of the credit crunch through improving their homes. ...


Los Angeles Times

LA ordinance would require new home improvement stores to set ...
USA Today - Aug 15, 2008
New home improvement stores would be required to provide amenities to day laborers under a bill that the Los Angeles City Council approved this week. ...
LA adopts day laborer rules for home improvement stores Los Angeles Times
Should big home-improvement stores be required to provide shelter ... NBC Sandiego.com
City ordinance seeks to encourage laborer shelters in Los Angeles Xinhua
New York Times - Los Angeles Times
all 55 news articles


Residents stock up for storm at SW Fla. home improvement stores
The News-Press, FL - Aug 18, 2008
It showed today at home improvement retailers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot where crowds were active but orderly as people prepared for tropical storm Fay ...
It’s not too late to buy a generator in Lee County The News-Press
all 3 news articles


24dash

Connaught completes first property in Blackpool home improvement ...
24dash, UK - Aug 18, 2008
... relax in style after her home became the first to receive a brand new kitchen and bathroom as part of a multi-million pound home improvement programme. ...


Home improvement must wait for Morton
Greenock Telegraph, UK - Aug 18, 2008
By Roger Graham FRANKLY, Morton got what they deserved out of this match at Cappielow on Saturday — nothing. After the opening two displays of the season ...

Home-Improvement - Google News

Electrical | General | Heat & AC | Pool / Spa | Plumbing | Roofing | Solar | LP Gas
Landscape | Contact Us | Links | Home Improvement | Home
Home Improvement Information Site Map

site map

MediaRocket |