The Most Important Safety Consideration Regarding Propane Patio Heaters
No question you can expand the use and enjoyment of your patio or deck with an LP patio heater. However, they generate high heat from gas, so are they safe?
You should not be considering an outdoor patio heater if you want perfect guaranteed safety. For the same reason, you should not purchase any kind of electric or gas appliance, furnace, hot water heater or similar product. Gas or electric powered cars? Better to saddle a horse.
Ultimately, no one can guarantee anything is perfectly safe, including patio heaters and horses. However, the way we use that patio heater or horse is a huge determining factor in its safety. Learning and following common sense safety measures, such as those presented here, will go a long way toward making sure your experience is a safe and enjoyable one.
The most common propane source for patio heaters is the traditional, reliable 20 lb. propane cylinder used for years with outdoor gas grills. It should ease your mind to know that it would take a great deal of conscious, tireless effort for you to explode a propane cylinder. It just does not happen very easily.
The connections between a patio heater and propane tank should receive more attention, because if they are faulty, a gas leak may result. A burning flame, no matter how it is fueled, also should demand attention. This is not to say that old rusted, dented or otherwise damaged propane cylinders, valves, collars or footings should ever be used. They should not, because of the increased likelihood of a gas leak.
Should you smell gas, shut off the gas and extinguish the flame. If the odor continues, contact your gas supplier or fire department. They will be able to restore safety and peace of mind.
Smell is not the only test for gas leaks. Applying soap and water to connection points with the gas valve open will create visible bubbling where there is a leak. Owner’s manuals may suggest other ways to test for leaks. One very important and often overlooked precaution is to read and follow owner’s manual guidelines.
Checking for leaks using a match or lighter is not a recommendation you will find in any owner’s manual. Either is smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. If you are not sure why, please advise your friends and family so they may wait in the street.
Even though better manufacturers check factory connections for leaks, parts can loosen as a result of movement during shipping. Make up your mind to take the time to double-check every connection. Also, most patio heaters require at least some assembly, so take whatever time is needed to do a good job.
Great care should be taken in assembling products such as this. Complete all steps as directed and do not force any parts together. If this is not your specialty, find someone special to help you.
Outdoor patio heaters should not be used indoors, as every owner’s manual will state. Indoor fireplaces have chimneys for a reason. Burning anything requires proper ventilation, and patio heaters are not equipped with a chimney. Combustion of propane creates carbon monoxide, which, in enclosed areas, can kill you.
Another common sense precaution is to keep things away from the heater that could catch fire. Clothing, paper products, toys, the siding on your house, shrubs and other vegetation are all examples of things you should keep at least three feet from the heater. If the manufacturer recommends greater clearance than that, then follow those guidelines. For instance, materials such as gasoline, paint, and other flammable liquids and vapors require far greater clearance.
The dome and burner of an outdoor patio heater are extremely hot during operation. The surface of a heater’s emitter can reach temperatures approaching 1600 degrees Fahrenheit.
It goes without saying, keeping children and pets away from hot surfaces is important. Adults need to be reminded as well. Fortunately, a patio heater’s height keeps the dome and burner area out of reach for many children. Even so, adults and children should be warned about the hazard of touching that part of the heater. Protect yourself as well by not moving the heater while it is in operation. Certainly take care not ever to leave the heater burning and unattended.
Manufacturers usually recommend not using a patio heater if there are winds in excess of 10 mph. That is good advice. So is placing your heater on a stable, hard and level surface. Following these two guidelines will eliminate all kinds of risks should the heater fall over. Well-made units have automatic shut-off switches, but they do not eliminate every potentiality.
To our original question, yes, outdoor propane patio heaters are safe. Their fundamental safety, as well as that of propane use, have been greatly enhanced by higher industry standards and more stringent regulations. The unknown factor is the individual using the heater and his/her safety consciousness. If that is you and you have read this far, it is a good bet that you will safely enjoy your patio heater for years to come.
Chris Basher is considered an expert on outdoor patio heaters , fire pits, outdoor patio fireplaces, and other backyard products. He is the owner of www.FirePitNow.com, an outstanding Internet place to find these and similar products. For other valuable, free information regarding outdoor patio heaters and similar products, be sure to visit his website.
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Comments on The Most Important Safety Consideration Regarding Propane Patio Heaters
Great tips, especially the one about not lighting a match. I once saw a property manager do that to a hot water heater, after he held the gas on for a minute or two. Good thing he had glasses on as he lost the eye brows.
No question about it, gas patio heaters are perfectly safe to use. Another tip though is to have it checked out once a year by a qualified technician. Your gas supply store should be able to put you in touch with one.
Great tips, thanks for the article. The one with keeping away flammable things is kind of obvious, but it sure needs mentioned. Although I don;t thing anyone keeps gasoline or gas near his patio heater, those things are usually found in the garage…