Outdoor heaters extend the usable season of a Broken Arrow covered patio by providing supplemental heat during Oklahoma’s cool fall evenings and early spring mornings — the shoulder seasons when the outdoor living space would otherwise sit unused. A well-heated covered patio in Broken Arrow can be comfortably occupied on evenings with temperatures as low as 35 to 40 degrees with the right heating configuration, effectively adding 2 to 3 months to the outdoor living season on each end. VistaScapes & Design plans outdoor heater rough-in requirements as part of every Broken Arrow covered patio electrical and gas specification.
Infrared Overhead Gas Heaters
Infrared overhead gas heaters for Broken Arrow covered patios: ceiling-mounted infrared gas heaters — ceiling-mounted infrared gas heaters (Bromic, Infratech, Schwank, Detroit Radiant) mount to the covered patio’s ceiling framing or beam and direct radiant heat downward into the outdoor living space; unlike convection heaters that heat the air (which dissipates quickly in an open outdoor environment), infrared heaters heat objects and people directly through radiant energy transfer — a person standing under an infrared heater feels warm even with outdoor air circulation; this radiant heating property makes infrared heaters significantly more effective on open or partially open covered patios than convection heat sources; ceiling-mounted gas infrared heaters are available in natural gas or liquid propane configurations; a single 30,000 BTU natural gas heater covers approximately 100 to 150 square feet of covered patio area; a 16 by 24-foot covered patio (384 square feet) typically requires 2 to 3 heaters for full coverage depending on the layout. Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat gas heaters — Bromic is a premium Australian brand well-regarded in the outdoor living industry for its design quality and heat output consistency; the Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat series uses a commercial ceramic infrared element rated at 30,000 to 38,000 BTU; the Tungsten Smart-Heat’s directional heat distribution concentrates heat below the heater rather than dispersing it broadly, which improves efficiency in open covered patio environments; Bromic also offers an automated control system (Bromic Smart-Heat Controller) that allows multiple heaters to be controlled simultaneously from a wall switch or smartphone app; Tungsten Smart-Heat heaters retail in the $500 to $900 range. Gas supply requirements: ceiling-mounted gas infrared heaters require a natural gas or propane supply stub-out in the ceiling framing at each heater location; the supply line must be sized for the combined BTU load of all planned heaters; planning the heater locations during the covered patio’s construction phase allows the gas supply to be roughed in before the ceiling finish is installed, avoiding the cost of cutting through finished ceiling materials.
Electric Infrared and Propane Options
Electric infrared heaters and propane heater options for Broken Arrow covered patios: electric infrared heaters — ceiling-mounted electric infrared heaters (Infratech, Bromic Platinum Electric, Calcana) are an alternative to gas infrared heaters when a gas supply stub-out in the ceiling is not available or not planned; electric infrared heaters use quartz or carbon fiber heating elements powered by 240V electrical circuits; a single Infratech W-Series 4,000-watt electric heater produces approximately 13,650 BTU and covers approximately 80 to 100 square feet; electric heaters require a dedicated 240V 30A or 40A circuit at each heater location; the operating cost of electric infrared heating is higher than natural gas for the same heat output due to Oklahoma’s energy pricing, but the installation cost is lower when gas stub-outs are not already planned; electric heaters have no combustion byproducts and are appropriate for fully enclosed covered patio environments. Propane mushroom heaters — freestanding propane mushroom heaters (the standard tall patio heater shape) use a 20-pound propane cylinder and produce 40,000 to 46,000 BTU from an exposed burner head; mushroom heaters are inexpensive ($80 to $200), require no installation, and can be moved or stored; the disadvantage is that the propane cylinder must be refilled or exchanged regularly, the heater tip-over risk in Oklahoma’s wind, and the mushroom heater’s heat dissipation characteristics — heat rises from the top burner head and much of it escapes upward rather than warming the occupants below; mushroom heaters are more effective for small groupings of people than for heating an entire covered patio area. Wall-mounted electric heaters — surface-mounted electric infrared strip heaters (Dr. Infrared Heater, Mr. Heater) can be installed on the covered patio’s wall or beam faces as a lower-cost alternative to ceiling-mounted units; wall-mounted heaters direct heat horizontally into the space and are effective for seating areas positioned directly in front of the heater; the installation is simpler than ceiling-mounted units because the electrical connection is at wall height rather than requiring wiring through the ceiling framing. VistaScapes & Design plans heater locations, electrical rough-ins, and gas supply stub-outs for covered patio heating systems as part of every Broken Arrow project specification.
Call VistaScapes & Design at (918) 779-1317 for a free covered patio consultation in Tulsa. We’ll plan the heating system for your covered patio and include the rough-in specifications in the project proposal.
