Heating

Outdoor heaters are good for customer comfort, but can be bad for the environment as they contribute directly to global warming. From an ethical as well as cost-efficient stand-point, it makes sense to use efficient heaters that produce the maximum heat possible from the fuel that they use.

The main forms of external heaters are:

• Radian (infrared) heaters: these heat objects rather than the air around them, and work relatively well even in a light breeze. Electrical versions are often called Quartz heaters.

Electric heaters can be fixed to walls and some versions are suitable for the underside of canopies, awnings and umbrellas. They can also be fitted with motion sensors so that they are only on when there are people in the area – saving you money.

• 'Mushroom' heaters - usually powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and can be fixed or portable. These can be very affordable to buy and convenient to use but the portable versions will need to be monitored and refilled regularly.

It is also possible to obtain table-top gas heaters but, if you’re thinking of using these products ensure they cannot be knocked over and cause fires.