If you actually spend time in your outdoor areas as often as you can, you will notice that come evening hours, there is a chill that can be felt in the air. Often this drop in temperature causes you to abandon your beloved space and head indoors. In your search for solution to counter the effects of this temperature change, you will find that the use of patio heaters always come up.

Before you seize the opportunity to purchase the said solution to your prevalent outdoor chill dilemma, here are interesting facts that you should know about your patio heaters.

Patio heating devices come in three major types according to their source of fuel. They can be a propane gas type, a natural gas or an electric type. The propane gas heater is the portable type because it comes with its own supply of propane fuel tank. Natural gas and electric ones, on the other hand, are installed in fixed forms because they are hooked up to a steady and often fixed fuel line.

Breaking down the fixed and portable types, you will find that in fixed models, there can be wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted units. Portable selections, on the other hand, can either be free-standing or table-top models.

A 20 lb. tank that often comes with free-standing propane heaters can last for approximately 10 hours. If you are a frequent user of your outdoor rooms, you should have a back-up unit in place or better yet invest in the other types (natural gas or electric) that offer continuous fuel supply.

During the operation of the heaters, the base where the tanks are located doesn't get hot. Instead, it is the dome and the emitter screen only that heats up. Be careful not to touch these things upon turning off. Use thick gloves or mittens or to be completely safe from burns, wait for 30-45 minutes until they cool down thoroughly.

All patio heating devices cannot be used indoors. They are designed for open spaces because they can emit fumes that will be hazardous in a confined indoor area.

You should also know that all the units come with safety switch. For gas type tanks, there is an automatic shutting system where the gas supply is automatically shut off upon the device tilting to 18-degrees. In electrical units, safety switch shuts down if it gets exceedingly hot.

When it is windy outside, you can't operate the gas patio units in an open space. Such heaters are designed to work around 10 mph winds only. If it gets faster than that, they automatically shut down.

Further, you can't convert your propane type to a natural gas operation because the line tubing needed in them is different. Propane gas types make use of copper. Meanwhile, stainless steel is used on natural gas types.