In January 2008, Euro MPs tabled a motion to ban patio heaters as part of a drive to cut CO2 emissions.
There are currently *635,000 gas patio heaters in service in the UK. Average CO2 emissions per gas patio heater are 35kg per annum.
We would discourage the use of gas patio heaters. They smell. They’re noisy. And these massive metal ‘mushrooms’ take up precious patio space. They require annual maintenance to continue working properly, and after a year or two they start to look tatty.
- Much of the heat a gas patio heater produces is absorbed by moisture in the air. Because hot air rises, nearly all of the warmth they produce (together with some environmentally harmful gas bi-products) floats up into the atmosphere. So energy is wasted.
- Gas patio heaters produce very little short wavelength infrared, so you need to be very close to them to receive any benefit at all.
- Typical fuel-efficiency of a gas patio heater is attrocious - it is only around 65%.
- For health and safety reasons, commercial organisations are required to store propane gas bottles securely, e.g. in locked steel cages, and should not move the bottles when customers are present. These practical points mitigate against using gas patio heaters in commercial settings. Many businesses are not aware of this.
- Gas patio heaters are not recommended for use under awnings.
Gas v.electric
Gas patio heaters usually have an output of around 15-20kWh. This compares poorly with an electric quartz halogen infrared patio heater. A SunSwitch Weathersafe™ electric heater draws only about a tenth of the energy used by a gas patio heater, so CO2 emissions are correspondingly very much smaller.
- SunSwitch quartz halogen infrared patio heaters do not work by heating the air - the radiant warmth is directed only where it is required - and it cannot blow away.
- SunSwitch heaters are 93% efficient at converting power into heat. This means they are extremely energy-efficient, not just compared with gas patio heaters, but with all other heating technologies.
- SunSwitch infrared heat is in a highly useable form for warming the human body, so you use less energy to feel comfortable.
Ultimately, the difference in energy useage between gas and electric patio heaters is reflected in their running costs. At least £2.00 an hour for gas, but less than10% of that for electric quartz halogen.
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*source: Calor Gas Limited.
Content (images and text) © SunSwitch Limited January 2008
