An outdoor patio can be a favorite spot to relax on a cool evening until you realize just how cold those nights can get! Enter, an infrared patio heater. But, what comes to your mind when you hear this? A warm, cozy space, or a painful bill arriving at your doorstep after every month? Let’s shed some light on whether infrared patio heaters are indeed expensive or not!

Understanding Infrared Patio Heaters

Infrared patio heaters are a popular choice due to their energy efficiency and heat output. As they work using infrared radiation, they warm up objects directly without wasting heat on the surrounding air, utilizing radiant heat to provide a comfortable environment, much like the sun! Sounds effective, right? But, does energy efficiency translate into cost efficiency? Let’s dig a bit deeper.

Energy Usage and Cost

The good news is that infrared heaters are known for their lower running costs compared to their traditional counterparts, particularly gas heaters. This is because they directly heat objects and people, instead of the air in the holed-up patio area.

To put this into perspective, let’s do a little math. The typical energy usage of an infrared patio heater is between 1.5KW and 3KW per hour. So, if your electricity rate is approximately $0.12/KW and you use the heater for around three hours per night, the cost would be between $0.54 and $1.08 per night. Over a month, this totals between $16.02 and $32.04. Now, that isn’t too bad, is it?

Comparing Costs with Other Heaters

If you’re still dubious, it might help to compare the costs with other heating alternatives. Let’s take propane heaters, for example. A standard propane heater uses about 1lb of propane per hour, and with the current average price of propane around $3 per pound, it would cost about $9 per evening, or around $270 a month. Quite the difference, isn’t it?

Saving on Costs

Even better, you can save on costs by opting for heaters with variable heat settings or timers. By controlling when and how hot your heater runs, you can significantly cut down on energy usage and, by extension, your bill. Similarly, picking the correct size heater for your space can help prevent unnecessary overuse and waste of energy.

Concluding Thought

So, are infrared patio heaters expensive to run? As we can see, they are comparatively less expensive than other outdoor heating options, offering a balance of cost-effectiveness and comfort that few other options can compete with. So, don’t let cold nights keep you away from enjoying your patio. With an infrared heater, you can find a cozy spot out in the open without burning a hole in your wallet.