Ideal for keeping warm on chilly nights or extending your enjoyment of the outdoors into the colder months, patio heaters provide cost-effective heating. Follow these simple rules to keep yourself and friends and family safe while enjoying the comfort and warmth of your heater.
Safety for outdoor patio heaters
How to avoid getting burned
Like any appliance, an outdoor patio heater requires care in handling to prevent injury and ensure optimal performance. Follow these guidelines when enjoying the warmth and charm of your outdoor heater and you can stay cozy as long as you like.
- Placement. Never operate an outdoor heater indoors. Make sure to place the heater a safe distance away from any part of a building, including walls, overhangs, gutters, or shades. Outdoor heaters radiate a kind of heat that warms people and objects rather than the air, so an object placed too close to the heater runs a greater risk of combustion the longer the heater operates.
If it looks like something might be a little too close to the patio heater, either move the object or the heater without delay. Keep track of all awnings, terraces, and balconies. If your porch is screened in, consult the manufacturer's instructions before operating a patio heater. Although almost any heater will automatically turn off if it falls over, install non-slip surfaces near the unit to prevent accidents.
- Storage. Exercise caution when storing fuel for the patio heater. If you use a propane tank or other form of canister fuel, store it in accordance with the supplier's instructions. Any flammable liquid should be stored in a locked garden shed.
- Precaution. Make sure the heater is up to standard before you start using it. A representative of a utility company can often perform a free inspection to ensure that the fuel line remains unobstructed and the burner will function correctly.
- Take a look around. Check the base of the patio heater as well as the burner. Remove or cap any screws that stick out. Check periodically for anything loose, rusty, sharp, or broken.
