Oklahoma’s shoulder seasons — late October through March and April — are among the most pleasant months for outdoor entertaining in the Broken Arrow area, but evening temperatures can drop quickly after sunset, cutting outdoor gatherings short. A heating solution integrated into the outdoor kitchen and covered patio design extends the functional outdoor entertaining season from roughly 5 months to 9 or 10 months in the Broken Arrow climate, significantly improving the return on the outdoor kitchen investment. VistaScapes & Design designs outdoor heating into covered patio and outdoor kitchen projects from the initial planning phase, routing gas lines, electrical circuits, and structural attachment points before construction is complete rather than retrofitting heat sources to a finished patio.
Outdoor Fireplace: The Premium Heating Solution
A masonry outdoor fireplace is the highest-performing heating and aesthetic element for a Broken Arrow outdoor living environment: the radiant heat output of a full-sized outdoor fireplace (36-inch to 42-inch firebox opening) warms a 15-foot by 20-foot covered patio seating area effectively at ambient temperatures down to the low 30s Fahrenheit; wood-burning fireplaces produce more radiant heat output than gas fireplaces of the same firebox size; gas log fireplace inserts in masonry fireplaces produce 40,000 to 80,000 BTU and provide consistent, on-demand heat without the need to manage firewood. The masonry outdoor fireplace also provides the most significant aesthetic return of any heating option: it defines the outdoor living space architecturally, creates a gathering focal point, and is consistently the element that differentiates premium outdoor living environments in the Broken Arrow real estate market. Firebox sizing for Oklahoma’s entertaining climate: a 36-inch firebox opening is appropriate for a 200 to 300 square foot covered patio; a 42-inch opening is preferred for larger covered patio environments (300 to 500 square feet). The outdoor fireplace should be positioned on the wall opposite the primary seating arrangement — at the far end of the covered patio from the outdoor kitchen — creating a living-room analogy where the fireplace anchors the seating zone and the outdoor kitchen anchors the cooking and dining zone. Construction: masonry outdoor fireplaces in Broken Arrow require a concrete footer, CMU block core, refractory firebox liner, and chimney with appropriate draft height; all masonry outdoor fireplaces in Broken Arrow require a building permit.
Infrared Heaters: Practical and Efficient
Electric or gas infrared patio heaters mounted to the covered patio’s overhead structure are the most practical supplemental heating option for a Broken Arrow outdoor kitchen: infrared heaters warm objects and people directly through radiant heat rather than heating the air (which escapes immediately in an open-air patio environment); this makes infrared heaters dramatically more efficient than convection heaters in the outdoor application. Electric infrared heaters for Broken Arrow outdoor kitchens: 240V electric infrared heaters (1,500 to 4,000 watts, 5,100 to 13,650 BTU) mount directly to the covered patio’s rafters or blocking between rafters; they require a dedicated 240V circuit from the panel; they produce immediate heat with no warm-up time and no gas supply requirement; a 4,000-watt unit provides meaningful warmth in a 12-foot by 12-foot zone at 40°F ambient. Natural gas or propane infrared heaters: gas-fired infrared tube heaters (30,000 to 80,000 BTU) mounted overhead produce more heat output than comparable electric units and are appropriate for larger covered patio areas or for colder Oklahoma temperature events; they require a gas supply line rough-in during construction and a gas shutoff at the heater location. Positioning infrared heaters in a Broken Arrow covered patio: mount at a 45-degree downward angle over the primary seating zone, positioned to direct radiant heat toward seated guests rather than toward the ceiling; multiple lower-BTU units positioned along the seating perimeter provide more even coverage than a single high-BTU central unit. VistaScapes & Design routes the electrical circuit and/or gas stub-out for overhead infrared heaters during covered patio construction on any project that includes heater installation in the scope.
Call VistaScapes & Design at (918) 779-1317 for a free outdoor kitchen consultation in Tulsa. We’ll design the heating solution — fireplace, infrared heaters, or both — into your covered patio from the construction phase.
