Natural Gas Patio Heaters

What Is a Natural Gas Patio Heater?

A natural gas patio heater is an outdoor heater plumbed into the same gas supply that runs a home's furnace, range or grill. Because the fuel arrives through a pipe rather than a tank, there is nothing to buy, swap or store, and the heater stays ready whenever you want it. The trade-off is location: a natural gas heater lives wherever the gas line can reach, so it suits patios, decks and terraces where the seating is already settled.

Most heaters in this collection are infrared: a ceramic burner, glowing emitter or steel tube sends radiant energy onto people, furniture and floor rather than warming the air, which is why they keep working on an open patio where a breeze would carry warm air away. The post, portable and suspended models work differently, with a burner under a wide reflector that spreads heat outward in a circle.

Natural Gas Patio Heater Styles: Ceiling Mount, Wall Mount, Post and Portable

• Ceiling mount and wall mount infrared heaters. Compact ceramic or glass-fronted units that bracket to a wall, beam or soffit and tilt to aim heat at seating. They free up floor space entirely and suit covered patios, pergolas and restaurant terraces. Many offer two heat stages and remote or wall-switch control.
• Linear and tube heaters. Long radiant tubes or low-profile emitter runs, built for large covered patios, commercial terraces and warehouses. Some are certified for indoor commercial spaces as well as outdoors.
• Permanent post heaters. A tall reflector on a post anchored into the deck or ground, fed by a gas line run to the post. This is the classic freestanding look without a propane tank in the base.
• Portable heaters. Freestanding heaters that can be moved within reach of a gas outlet. Some connect through an optional quick-connect hose kit, so they can be unhooked and stored without tools.
• Suspended heaters. Reflector heaters that hang from a ceiling or overhead structure, keeping the floor clear.

Natural Gas vs. Propane Patio Heaters

The heater technology is often the same; the difference is the fuel supply. Many models here are built in both fuels, so the choice usually comes down to your site rather than the heater.

• Best for natural gas: a fixed seating area within reach of a gas line, heaters that run often or for long evenings, and commercial patios where swapping tanks is a chore.
• Best for propane: spaces with no gas line nearby, or heaters you want to move freely around the yard. See our propane patio heaters for tank-fed models.

Dual-fuel models are ordered in the fuel you will connect. Natural gas and propane run at different supply pressures through different orifices and regulators, so choose the natural gas version rather than planning to convert later.

Installation: Gas Line, Power and Clearances

A natural gas patio heater is not a plug-and-play purchase. Plan for three things before you buy.

• The gas connection. Running a gas line to a patio is a job for a licensed gas fitter or plumber, and many jurisdictions require a permit. The line has to be sized for the heater's demand alongside everything else on it, and each model lists the minimum inlet pressure it needs on its product page.
• Power, if the model needs it. Manual-ignition heaters need no wiring. Several models with electronic ignition, two-stage controls or remotes do: some wire to a 120 V circuit, some run through a 24 V transformer, and some must be wired by a professional.
• Mounting height and clearances. Each heater publishes its own recommended mounting height and minimum clearances to ceilings, walls and combustibles. Confirm with your heater's manual and local code before choosing a location.

Residential and Commercial Use

Many heaters in this collection are commercial grade and are rated for indoor and outdoor commercial use but for outdoor use only at a residence. A handful, mainly the tube and linear heaters, are certified for enclosed commercial spaces, where they must be vented or supplied with ventilation air as the manual and local code require. Check the rating on each product page before installing a heater anywhere other than open air or an open-sided cover.

Explore Related Gas Patio Heater Styles

• For every gas heater, natural gas and propane together: Gas Patio Heaters
• For tank-fed heaters you can move freely: Propane Patio Heaters
• For heaters that bracket to a wall to save floor space: Wall Mounted Gas Patio Heaters
• For long overhead burners built for large covered areas: Radiant Tube Heaters
• For radiant heat across electric and gas models: Infrared Patio Heaters
• For a heater with no gas line at all: Outdoor Electric Heaters
• For the full range of fuels and formats: Patio Heaters