Options for heating your outdoor area

Here in Perth, we like to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle where possible, thanks mostly in part to the fantastic weather we experience for most of the year. So when the winter chill hits, it can be hard to move our socializing and home living inside.

If you have an outdoor area that is relatively sheltered from the weather, you can simply add heating to ensure you are able to continue enjoying the space during the colder months.

Here’s our list of just some of the options available to heat your outdoor space:

• Gas heaters: there are three main options when it comes to gas heating for outdoor areas.
• Mushroom-style – these free-standing heaters have a domed or mushroom shaped roof or lid. To feel warmth, you usually need to sit quite close to the heater. They are quite inexpensive to buy but can be heavy and hard to move around.
• Pyramid flame glass – with a pyramid shape, these heaters look nicer than mushroom-style heaters but take up more floor space. You also need to sit quite close to feel the warmth.
• Ceramic gas heater or infrared – these can be the most expensive type of gas heater but it gives off a nice warmth for several meters either side. They may not look fancy, but they are definitely the most cost-effective of the three.
• Heat strips: these are ideal if you don’t want your heater to take away any floor space from your outdoor area. They are electric, meaning you won’t be spending extra money on gas bottles. They can be more expensive to buy than gas heaters, but will prove more affordable in the long run. They are also very low maintenance.
• Fire pits/chiminea: there is nothing better than sitting by an open fire, but you must consider safety if choosing to buy a fire pit or chiminea - they are probably not ideal if you have small children. You also need to consider the cost of buying wood (or the time devoted to collecting wood). If you are in a heavily populated suburban area, you also need to consider the effect of the resultant smoke on your neighbours. Because of this, these are probably best suited to semi-rural homes.