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Infrared Patio Heaters: FAQs

Infrared Patio Heaters: FAQs

Outdoor Electric Patio Heaters

As we reach the height of summer, with long evenings stretching out into the night, our back gardens buzzing with bright blooms and summer wildlife, there’s never been a better time to buy a patio heater. For many people buying a patio heater for the first time, the electric heating market can appear a bit confusing, so we’re here to answer all your questions. Finding the perfect electric patio heater for your garden has never been so easy – so sit back, relax, and stay warm in your garden all night long.

How much do patio heaters cost to run?

The running costs of any electric heater depend on a number of factors, including what type of heater you’re using, what level of heat you’ve chosen, and which electricity tariff you’re on. But in general you can expect to pay between 20 and 30 pence an hour to heat your patio. To estimate the cost of heating your patio, multiply the wattage of your heater with your hourly electricity rate in kilowatts. So, for example, if you’re using a Burda Term IP24 2000W at full intensity, and you’re on a tariff where you pay 12p an hour for every kilowatt of electricity you use, it will cost you 24p to stay warm on your patio.

How do I install my electric patio heater?

We sell electric patio heaters available for fitting in four main locations: on the wall, under outdoor umbrellas, on the ceiling, or floor-standing. All patio heaters should be installed be a qualified electrician for safe outdoor usage. Our larger outdoor restaurant heaters will need to be set in concrete to ensure secure fitting. See individual product installation information for more details.

How long do infrared patio heaters take to deliver?

Almost all of our best-selling infrared patio heaters are available with free next working day delivery to addresses in mainland Britain. However, a number of our more specialist Tansun and Burda heaters are not stocked in our warehouse. For these products, please allow up to two weeks for shipping and delivery. To check delivery terms for each individual product, see the delivery tab on the relevant product page.

Where are your patio heaters supplied from?

Our budget La Hacienda heaters and our Tansun patio heaters are supplied from the UK. Our Burda infrared heaters and our Herschel outdoor heaters are supplied from Germany.

What’s the difference between no glare, ultra-low glare and low glare patio heaters?

All our patio heaters use infrared radiation – a form of heat which heats directly, in the same way the sun warms the Earth, warming people and objects regardless of the movement of the air. This is one of the most efficient ways to heat outside because heat is not lost through draughts or the motion of air. However, infrared is a spectrum, and our heaters use infrared wavelengths from across the spectrum. At the lower end of the spectrum lies shortwave or near infrared. Near infrared radiation produces a low red glare and an intense level of heat. This is the form of infrared used in our budget low glare heaters. Our low glare heaters produce heat instantaneously, but while the form of heat feels intense, it is not easily absorbed by our bodies so you may not feel warm all over – the familiar pub garden “hot head, cold feet” experience. At the high end of the spectrum lies longwave or far infrared. Far infrared produces a gentle heat without any visible light. This is the form of infrared used in our high-end no glare range. No glare heaters take longer to heat up – but because they use the ideal wavelength for human comfort heating, your body will absorb the heat easily, keeping you warm all over. Ultra-low glare heaters use an intermediate wavelength which minimises the visible light but is less efficient than far infrared. For frequent use, far infrared heaters are the best choice because they are more efficient and will be cheaper to run. However, for infrequent use our low glare heaters may be sufficient and are much cheaper to purchase.

How long do your electric patio heaters take to warm up?

Our budget low glare heaters, ideal for home patios, heat up almost instantaneously – perfect for a spontaneous evening in the garden. Our energy efficient no glare heaters take longer to heat up but provide more effective comfort heating – ideal for more frequent use in commercial or industrial locations.

How waterproof do I need my infrared patio heater to be?

How waterproof you need your patio heaters to be is entirely dependent on your intended use for the heaters. Most of our patio heaters are classed as weatherproof, suitable for ordinary outdoor installation in domestic patios. We do have a selection of products which are not weatherproof – such as the Burda Term Volcano and the Burda Smart Tower – and these heaters must be fitted in covered locations such as conservatories, garages, workshops or covered balconies. For the most exposed locations, our IP67 rated heaters are classified waterproof – the best choice for exposed or industrial settings. Full details of our heaters’ ingress protection ratings can be found on the product pages of all our heaters suitable for outdoor installation.

How can I control my patio heaters?

We sell a range of patio control devices available for purchase with your heaters, from basic push start buttons to remote controllers which allow you to switch your heating on or off or change the temperature remotely. Our full range of patio heating controllers can be found on our view all patio heaters page. Additionally, individually products may have built-in control features, such as the Burda Smart Tower which can be controlled with a dimmer switch. For details of these features check individual product pages.

What’s the heating span of your electric patio heaters?

We sell electric patio heaters in a range of sizes to heat outdoor spaces both large and small. Our smallest patio heater covers a span of 8m2 whilst our largest patio heater can heat an area of 42m3.

Are your patio heaters suitable for commercial use?

View our electric patio heaters

All our electric patio heaters, apart from the budget La Hacienda range, are suitable for commercial use.

For more information on our outdoor patio heaters give our expert sales team a call on 0330 880 8383.

Eco Stores Direct are here to bring you the very latest energy news, views and opinions from across the UK. They are also suppliers of energy efficient electric heating solutions and are constantly assessing the market for the best products and the latest ground-breaking technology which they think will make a real difference to their customer’s homes. Eco Stores Direct are devoted to helping you reduce your carbon footprint and bring down your energy bills and they work hard to raise awareness of energy efficient products that can make all the difference. If you’re interested in outdoor patio heaters or slimline infrared panels, call Infrared Heaters Direct today on 0330 300 8383 for a free assessment.