Can You Use a Patio Heater Indoors? Avoiding Safety Hazards
Many of us have been there… You’d like to have additional heat in an indoor space (like a garage, basement or other area where you would like to spend more time), but your current HVAC system doesn’t cover it. Hey, you’ve got that nifty patio heater, and it works fantastically outside, without the wind it will work even better inside… right? Welp, the real answer is “that depends.” Almost all gas heaters ARE NOT TO BE USED INDOORS, which all electric patio heaters work just fine (some better than others, as we’ll note below). There are some exceptions and gotcha’s, so read carefully and pay attention. The answer for your specific space depends on the space itself and the patio heater you have.
The reason that outdoor many patio heaters work so well outdoors is that they have SPACE to vent their obnoxious (and potentially deadly) carbon monoxide (CO) and Nitric Oxide and nitrogen dioxide (NOX) gasses. Without proper ventilation, these gasses may cause the occupants of the house to become drowsy and eventually cause death… both things we’d like to avoid. In fact, recent data shows that 22 people die per year from using gas heating devices indoors… and that’s 22 too many. Don’t do it, not even for a little while.
Firstly, let’s talk about your space. If you intend to use a gas patio heater inside, there has to be a tremendous amount of ventilation (by ventilation we don’t mean a door to another room; we mean direct and open access to the outside air). In fact, our patio experts have put their heads together and come up with the definitive guide called the Pre-Installation Checklist for Gas Heaters. This guide clearly details the space required to have a functioning gas heater indoors, if your space isn’t compliant, then a standard gas (natural gas, LP gas or portable of either) isn’t suitable for you to use indoors. A large amount of space (25-50%) in your room has to be directly open to outside air for this to be possible. The best rule of thumb here is that if you’re unsure if you have enough open outside air, the answer is NO, you can’t use your gas heater in that space. Safety is and always will be first.
When we say you can’t use a gas heater indoors, that’s a 98% blanket statement that is typically true. There are SPECIFIC gas heaters that are specially built to be vented to the outside through specialized piping, and these gas heaters (when installed properly to manufacturer’s specifications) ARE SAFE TO USE INDOORS. In fact, that’s why they’re so special. Remember that these large gas heating systems put out a TON of heat, so your indoor space needs to be sizable for these to be appropriate. Here’s a couple that we’ve had great experiences with:
Nope. These systems are designed for outdoor spaces only and have no safety devices to save you from those potentially deadly gasses. You should never use a portable heater, whether it’s liquid propane or a “blower heater” (typically fueled by Kerosene) in an indoor space. Just. Don’t. Do. It.
Absolutely. Electric patio heaters, whether mounted or freestanding, are perfectly safe to use indoors (if you abide by the clearances from things like walls and flammables per the manufacturer’s instructions) and are an excellent source of indoor heat. Even so, we have a strong suggestion for you:
Here are a couple of our electric, long-wave infrared heaters that would be perfect for your indoor spaces:
Reviewing all of the options, our experts overwhelmingly suggest using an electric patio heater indoors. Electrical heaters are perfectly safe when following manufacturer’s instructions for clearances (and the like), and the long-wave variety is by far the prettiest option for indoor heating.
Ensuring the safe operation of an outdoor heater involves maintaining an appropriate distance from combustible materials.
Go Long (wave) – Infrared electric patio heaters come in three different options: short-wave, medium-wave, and long-wave. Each has their benefits and drawbacks (check out our expert’s guide called Types of Infrared Heat Explained) and should be considered before purchase. Generally speaking, long-range infrared electric patio heaters are phenomenal for heating indoor spaces. The gentle heat they put of is very different than the short-wave heaters, much more comfortable when a moderate heat is what’s required… and they don’t have the glaring red grills that medium- and short-wave heaters do.
Here at Patio Heat and Shade, our focus is on keeping our customers happy and (most importantly) safe. For us it’s always been, and always will be, the people that come first. Follow our suggestions here, and be sure to always abide by the manufacturer’s installation specifications to be certain that you are getting the absolute most out of your heater while keeping your loved ones safe.
If you have a question about whether a specific heating system would be appropriate (either indoors or out), we’ve got you covered. Give us a call, and our patio experts will be right there with you, every step of the way. You can rely on our products and advise… at Patio Heat and Shade we promise to treat you like family.
