Infrared Patio Heaters

An infrared heater warms people and objects directly instead of heating the air, which is why it keeps working on an open patio where a breeze would carry warmed air away. This collection spans electric and gas models in ceiling-mounted, wall-mounted, flush-recessed, freestanding and portable formats.

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How an Infrared Patio Heater Works

An infrared heater warms people and objects directly instead of warming the air between them. That is the whole reason it belongs outdoors: heated air drifts off with the first breeze, while radiant energy lands on whoever is sitting in front of it. Step out of shade into winter sunshine and you feel the same thing, warmth arriving without the air being any warmer.

Electric and gas both radiate

Electric infrared heaters need a circuit rather than a fuel line and mount close to a ceiling, which makes them the usual answer for a covered patio or a screened porch. Gas infrared heaters are certified to a standard written specifically for them, and their reflectors and radiant screens exist to aim the heat downward. Gas covers the widest output range and suits open patios and cold climates, at the cost of ventilation and clearance.

Short wave, long wave and glare

How hot the element runs decides how much you see. A hotter element emits shorter-wave infrared with a strong visible glow, heats quickly and is easy to feel immediately. A cooler element emits longer-wave infrared with little visible light, which is gentler and much less intrusive over a table. Choose the bright one for a cold open deck and the quiet one for a dining area where the glow would compete with the lighting.

Where it goes

Overhead is the default, because it puts the heat above head height and keeps the floor clear. Ceiling and wall mounts cover a seating group, and flush-recessed electric models sit inside a soffit so only the face shows. A gas heater must never go in a ceiling recess or soffit, because it needs open air to burn and to clear its exhaust. Portable models need no installation at all. Where one heater falls short, two overlapping units beat one mounted higher.

Frequently Asked Questions about Infrared Patio Heaters

How is an infrared heater different from a regular space heater?

A conventional space heater warms the air and relies on that air staying put. An infrared heater sends energy straight to whatever is in front of it, so the warmth lands on people, furniture and paving rather than on the breeze. Outdoors that difference decides everything, because warmed air simply drifts away and radiant heat does not. It is the same reason you feel warm stepping into winter sunshine on a cold day.

Are electric patio heaters infrared?

Yes. Every electric patio heater works by infrared, which is what separates it from an electric fireplace. A fireplace uses a fan-forced coil to warm the air and is meant for indoors, while an electric patio heater radiates and is built for outdoors. If you are shopping for warmth on a deck or a porch, the patio heater is the appliance that will actually deliver it.

Do gas patio heaters count as infrared?

They do. Outdoor gas patio heaters are certified to ANSI Z83.26, a standard titled Gas-Fired Outdoor Infrared Patio Heaters, and their manuals describe radiant screens and reflectors whose job is to aim that heat downward. How much of the output actually arrives as radiant heat varies with the design: a heater with an enclosed emitter behind a reflector sends nearly all of it at the people below, while an open-flame pyramid or mushroom model loses a good share upward as hot air. Both are infrared heaters, but the enclosed ones hold up better in wind.

Why do some infrared heaters glow brightly and others barely at all?

It comes down to how hot the element runs. A hotter element emits shorter-wave infrared and gives off a strong visible glow, which delivers heat quickly and is easy to feel the moment it is switched on. A cooler element emits longer-wave infrared with little or no visible light, which is gentler and far less intrusive over dinner. Neither is better in the abstract; the choice is whether you want instant heat or an unobtrusive one.

How high should an infrared patio heater be mounted?

Most models here call for 6 to 12 feet, and the right figure depends on the unit and its angle. Bromic asks for 6 feet wall-mounted and 8 feet ceiling-mounted. SunStar's gas heaters drop from 8 to 11 feet when aimed straight down to 6.5 to 8 feet when tilted 30 to 60 degrees, because angling the heater brings the pattern closer. Too high and the warmth spreads thin, too low and the area it covers shrinks.

Can an infrared patio heater go under a covered porch?

An electric infrared heater is the straightforward choice, because it burns nothing, needs no flue and clears the ceiling by inches rather than feet. Gas is possible under a roof that is open on two or more sides, but it needs real ventilation and far greater clearance, and it must never sit in a ceiling recess or soffit where its exhaust cannot escape. Check the clearance table in the manual for the specific model.