Stop Losing Money on Your Patio Just Because It’s Cold
It’s a frustrating cycle. You’ve got a great outdoor space, but the moment winter hits, those tables go empty. Most people try to fix this with standard heaters, but here’s the problem: they try to heat the air. And the second a breeze kicks up, all that warmth just blows away. Your guests are still shivering, and you’re losing revenue. That’s why we use recessed shortwave infrared heaters. Instead of fighting the wind, these units work differently. They send out heat that hits people and objects directly. Think of it like the sun on your skin on a crisp spring day. You feel the warmth instantly, regardless of the breeze. The Setup We tuck these units right into the ceiling. It keeps everything looking clean and out of the way. Because they use shortwave technology, you can mount them higher up without losing that " cozy" feeling. The trick is to set them up in a grid. That way, you don’t end up with those annoying cold spots where one guest is sweating and the person next to them is freezing. Getting the Placement Right There is a bit of a balancing act here. If you put them too high, the heat just doesn’t hit with enough punch. But if they’re too low? Your guests might feel like they’re sitting under a heat lamp at a buffet. We use high-grade reflectors to keep the heat in a tight cone, but you’ve got to get the height just right to make it feel natural. The Bottom Line for Your Business When people are actually warm, they stay. They order that extra bottle of wine or a dessert they weren’t planning on. It turns a “dead” winter patio into a spot people actually want to be in. But a quick heads-up on the boring stuff:check your electrical panel. These units pull a lot of power—often 1500W to 2000W each. If you run a bunch of them on one circuit, you’re going to trip a breaker right in the middle of the Friday night rush. Trust me, that’s the last thing you want. We usually suggest dedicated circuits for each heating zone just to keep things running smoothly.