With summer just around the corner, many of us will be thinking about what outdoor heating we will want in our gardens. Essentially there are four main choices of heating to choose from:

• Fire pits
• Chiminea
• Electric heating
• Gas heating

Each of the three different types of outdoor heating have their own benefits and drawbacks. Some will require fuel that is readily available from most stores and others you will need to go to specialist stores to purchase, gas for example. There are also other factors to consider such as how much they cost to run. The cost of running a gas heater will generally stay the same. However, wood may be cheaper for some people as they will be able to use the wood that they use in the house. Whilst probably not something that will influence a purchase, something to consider.

If you have children, safety may also be a major factor in what type of heating to choose. Electric heating and gas heating would definitely serve their purpose in this regard.

However, if you are going for an aesthetic feel, then good old fire is certainly going to do the trick and you won’t be disappointed. Here we look at all the different types of heating and aim to provide you with all of the information you need to make an informed choice about how you are going to heat your garden this summer.

Here are some pointers that you should think about as you go through the options:

• How big is the space that I am looking to heat?
• Do I have easy access to electric where I am planning to put the heater?
• How often will I intend to use it?
• Will I have easy access to fuels? Wood & gas?
• Where will I store the heater when not in use?
• Will I need a cover for the unit?
• How heavy do I want it to be?
• Is the area suitable for burning wood?
• Is there enough ventilation for burn wood?

Whilst not an exhaustive list, they are some of the elements that you should be thinking about.

Fire Pits

What are fire pits?

Fire pits are quite simply an open fire in the garden that you chuck logs onto and enjoy the heat and light that it produces. Fire pits come in a range of sizes and will suit most gardens or patios providing that there is nothing too flammable around where you are planning on putting it.

How much heat do fire pits produce?

Fire pits really are the traditional form of heating for any garden. Fire pits will vary on how much heat they produce. At the start, they will produce little heat because all you will have is flame. However, once the fire is established, you will encounter radiant heat from the embers that will certainly warm those that are sitting around it. The trick here is to light it before the heat is needed so that it has a chance to heat up.

It will also depend on what fuel you use. Hardwood is best to use because it will produce the hot embers that you need to create the radiant heat. Although, you will want to consider buying some kiln dried hardwood so that you are able to get the fire started quickly and produce those embers early on. We would certainly recommend lighting the fire an hour before you need it. One rule is almost certain, don’t use wet wood. This will only smoke and make it unpleasant for those sitting around it. Kiln dried will have the complete opposite effect and will burn very clean. Whilst this is more expensive, you won’t regret it from an experience point of view. Also great for occasional use if you are worried about cost.

What fuel can I use in a fire fit?

Following on from how much heat they produce, you are going to get the best result from wood such as kiln dried hardwood. This is available from most garden centres but will come at a premium. If you are going to be burning a lot of wood over the summer period, you can often have it delivered on a pallet – this also makes a nice display.

Where possible, you will want to burn hard wood. After all, your experience of the fire is going to be paramount and you are not going to want a lot of smoke. Soft wood, depending on the type that you are burning can have a tendency to spit. As many of the fire pits are not contained, you will not want this spitting near you and will render it useless if it is doing so.

You may also want to consider choosing different woods if you want to provide a certain aroma outside. Apple is a great wood and whilst hard to find, it smells delicious when burned in an open fire pit.

Chiminea

The other alternative to a fire pit is the chiminea. These, in the right place are just beautiful. There are so many designs available from 360 degree to only front opening models. Chimineas are also good from the point of view that they force the smoke up into the air so to avoid it blowing across you whilst sitting outside. Also, as the structure of the chiminea heats up, it also creates a lot of radiant heat so that you won’t need to sit near it to get the benefits.

How much heat does a chiminea produce? 

Believe it or not, a chiminea actually produces a lot of heat. Because there is a finite space to burn the wood, you can generally only get it so hot. However, this will also depend on what type of wood that you are looking to burn. Burning kiln dried wood, is certainly going to get you the best results. However any type of seasoned hardwood will do.

You will also need to consider the type of chiminea that you are looking to buy. Some of them only have openings in the front and others have a 360 degree heat offering. If placing in a corner, then an open front chiminea will be perfect. Although, if you are placing it in a more open space, you might want to consider one of the more open products.

Needless to say, a chiminea is going to keep you fairly warm on a cooler summers evening. You will need to invest in some gloves if you need to open a door to fuel it but this inconvenience is certainly worth it.

What fuel can I use in a chiminea? 

In the main, wood is the preferred choice of fuel for a chiminea. Some models may allow you to use coal and I have seen some of these. However, from experience, you will only want to use the coal to get the fire going and to generate heat. From the point that you have heat, you will want to ensure that you are using dry hardwood. Kiln dried wood is best because it burns clean and produces a lot more heat. If using it in large quantities or you have a log burner, consider getting a pallet of them as they are great at getting the fire started.

Electric Heating

Electric heating certainly serves it purpose in the garden. It is suited to both the occasional user and someone who really likes to eat alfresco. Lighting a real fire every day, will certainly take its toll unless you have a lot of time on your hands. Electric is also much safer is you have small children as it is less likely that they will burn themselves on it.

The only downside of having outside electric heating is that once you have installed it, you will find it difficult to move it. You may also need to consider how you are going to power it. It can be quite expensive as it is recommended that you fit a separate circuit. This can be quite helpful as you can often opt to install some outdoor power at the same time. Most outdoor heaters are around the 2KW mark in terms of consumption. Based on current energy prices, this will cost approximately £0.30 an hour to run. Something to think about if you are going to be using it a lot.

Compared to wood, electric heaters will also offer instant heat. You really won’t need to wait long at all to feel the benefits. Although, you will miss out on the sound of crackling wood and flickering flames.

Gas Heating

Gas heating outside certainly had its uses. It is pretty much instant in terms of delivery and safe to use when safety precautions are taken. Because you are going to need to purchase the gas, it can be a little more expensive than other means of heating but certainly has its benefits in terms of mobility. If you are going to struggle to get electricity to an area of the garden or it is simply not practical to burn wood, then gas is going to be your best bet.

Believe it or not, when we think of gas heaters, we tend to think of the iconic heater like the one pictured above. But there are many other designs out there, including table top ones for a more intimate experience. You can also get gas fire pits if you want the ability to be able to turn it on and off in an instant.

In terms of cost, you are looking at approximately £1.20 an hour to operate. However, this very much depends on the type of heater you are using and the cost of propane gas in the local area.

There is no doubt about it that having heating outside is a wonderful experience but can also be quite expensive. It will certainly add some ambiance to any garden area and not to mention keep you warm outside so that you can enjoy your outdoor space at times when it would be otherwise too cold to do so.

We hope you have found our outdoor heating guide useful.