Regardless of whether you are a pub landlord, restaurateur or property owner, investing in an outdoor heater makes a lot of sense. This additional bit of warmth will be greatly appreciated by regular patrons, casual diners and party guests wanting to enjoy the great outdoors even when the weather gets a bit chilly.
However, with so many outdoor heater options available, knowing which one to choose can be a bit difficult. This is especially tough now that new and innovative infrared heaters have come to market, which promise the ultimate in energy efficiency and instant warmth.
But do infrared outdoor heaters even work? Let’s take a closer look at the technology and see whether they are better than oil and gas alternatives, and whether outdoor infrared heaters are energy efficient.
Infrared Heating Technology
Infrared technology is typically used to detect heat in objects rather than produce it. However, it can be cleverly harnessed to deliver large amounts of warmth in virtually any environment.
An outdoor infrared heater will operate in the far infrared spectrum, tuned between 9-14 micron metres. This narrow range produces sun-like heat but with no health or safety issues.
Heat is generated by electromagnetic waves, which cause molecules to oscillate and release energy. This energy is what gives us warmth.
The Difference between Infrared Heaters and the Alternatives
Traditional outdoor heaters fuelled by gas or oil will attempt to heat the surrounding air, which is far from ideal. This warmth will simply rise up and escape your garden or outdoor space sooner rather than later.
However, infrared outdoor heaters will propel warmth onto surrounding objects, which absorb this energy and slowly release it. This is similar to how the sun heats the earth and is much more efficient and effective than the alternatives.
Due to their efficient nature, indoor infrared heaters are becoming increasingly popular too, as they do not dry the air or lose warmth through ventilation.
The Benefits of Outdoor Infrared Heaters
Along with superb efficiency and instant heat, outdoor infrared heaters also bring about a number of additional benefits too. These include:
- Silent operation – Outdoor infrared heaters do not feature a fan and are therefore silent, making them ideal for noise-sensitive environments or to create a serene ambience.
- Safe heat – As opposed to ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun, which have the potential to cause serious and even fatal skin conditions, outdoor infrared heaters do not produce any harmful radiation.
- Eco-friendly – Alternative heaters will use either gas or oil as their fuel source, producing toxic carbon emissions that will damage the environment. However, outdoor infrared heaters are very eco-friendly, as they only require a small wattage of electricity.
- Cost-effective – Seeing as outdoor infrared heaters will warm up specific areas and objects rather than the air, energy isn’t wasted and money can be saved on your utility bills.
- Zero maintenance – Once installed, an outdoor infrared heater requires zero maintenance, as there are no moving parts or lubrication to worry about.
- Uniform heat – With gas or oil heaters, warm air will quickly rise up and escape the area. But with an outdoor infrared heater, you will receive an even spread of warmth directly on people in the vicinity.
Do Outdoor Infrared Heaters Work?
In a word, yes, outdoor infrared heaters do work. This is mainly because the technology behind this kind of appliance is rooted in proven science.
Outdoor infrared heaters target objects rather than the air, which are propelled with energy from electromagnetic waves. Energy in the form of heat is then dissipated from the objects, providing an even, consistent and pleasant temperature.
These principles are the same as the sun, and owing to the fact this energy source has been providing planet earth with heat for billions of years, it is difficult to argue against the science behind outdoor infrared heaters.