Patio heaters allow restaurant, bistro, bar, or similar eatery owners to offer outdoor dining space during cooler months. A warm, comfortable dining space feels much more welcoming for patrons when the air feels chilly or is fraught with cold drafts.
Many dining establishments opt for portable, floor-standing patio heaters to warm up their outdoor area. However, these models can be cumbersome, incredibly conspicuous, or even dangerous in some weather conditions. There really is a better way to provide safe, efficient heat for outdoor guests. Read on to learn more about overhead patio heaters and three ways they transcend traditional floor model heaters.
1. Overhead Heaters Are Unobtrusive and Discreet
Floor heaters are very noticeable inside any dining space as they rest among tables and chairs. Sometimes their presence detracts from or shatters the over-all ambiance of a romantic, rustic, or minimalist dining theme. Saddles and wooden tables scream Western better than a sleek aluminum floor heater.
Overhead heaters are mounted on the ceiling or wall to better blend in with their surroundings. Their flush design means diners and patrons barely notice them. A skillful installer can place one or more heaters in such a way as to integrate them into nearby architecture to make their presence unobtrusive and discreet. For example, heaters can rest beneath patio eaves or within an archway.
2. Overhead Heaters Free Up Floor Space
When outdoor dining space is at a premium, patio heaters are the last thing you want to place on your patio. Even more, heaters can clutter the feel of a space and impede the flow of traffic between tables, exits, and the kitchen.
Overhead heaters free up floor space. This feature gives you the freedom to add more tables and chairs if necessary during peak dining season. Additionally, the absence of bulky heaters means an open, safer space for diners and employees to navigate and lessens the chance for an accident.
3. Overhead Heaters Stay Safely in Place
Fall and spring are ideal times in many climates to utilize patio heaters, but what about during the hot summer months when you no longer need them? Employees must move and store those heaters. Particularly heavy or bulky models can be difficult to safely maneuver.
Also, inclement weather at any time of the year can impact patio heaters and make their presence dangerous. Brisk winds may tip a heater and cause injury or burns. Finally, are your employees trained to adjust or add fuel to patio heaters? This task can be risky if someone doesn’t understand the correct techniques to safely do so.
Overhead heaters are securely out of reach and, thankfully, permanently fixed in place. Because they remain in place year-round, your business won’t have to bother with their transfer, removal, or storage during the off-season. Fuel and temperature adjustments are easy for employees to access via a removed control panel. This feature allows users to avoid direct interaction with individual floor units.
Just as importantly, overhead heaters are out of reach of diners. Patrons cannot access temperature controls or accidentally touch hot heating elements. Their height keeps individuals from bumping into or tipping over a heater. This feature is especially helpful if your eatery caters to children or individuals that are unaware of the potential for danger that floor patio heaters can hold.
Overhead heaters are designed to produce an even distribution of heat that radiates downward onto any outdoor dining space. We at Patio Heater USA offer overhead heaters for any type of restaurant and eatery. Contact us for more information about how we can integrate any number of overhead heaters seamlessly and discreetly into your facility to warm your guests and employees.
