A good indoor propane space heater will differ slightly from an outdoor use propane space heater. The obvious concern that you want to think about first and foremost is the safety of the device, then worry about how well it heats. If it is a heater designed for the outdoors, it may heat too well to be safe indoors. Another consideration is you need to have adequate ventilation for the exhaust of an indoor propane heater. Carbon Monoxide buildup is a real threat that can cause death if it is not dealt with properly. Fortunately, almost all the devices on the market today have an automatic switch-off if carbon monoxide is detected to be a high levels. The device will simply stop working, solving the problem and making it safe again.
There are many different types of indoor space heaters, such as electric, butane, kerosene, and propane. Propane is a great choice because of the efficeincy of which the gas burns. Propane is relatively cheap as well. Since this heater is for indoor use, there will be some nice features that you want to look for. Some heaters will disperse their heat by using reflective heat. That means there is a reflective surface behind the glowing, hot area, and the heat reflects into the room. Other propane space heaters will rely on fans to circulate the air. The fan may run on electricity, so it needs an outlet close by to run correctly.
Other heaters will just be rely on convective heating and are electric, which run electricity through heating elements to make it hot. The heat rises, and that’s how the room is heated. You need to be careful about starting fires with these devices as the heating element is exposed and if something is put too close to it, obviously it could ignite.
Propane space heaters can either be mounted on the wall and connected to the piping within the house, which would need to be professionally installed, or they can be more portable and connected directly to a propane tank. These propane tanks are very similar to those found at the gas station or grocery store for gas grills.
An outdoor propane space heater differ from indoor models because they don’t worry about ventilation as much. For instance, a tower that heats a patio relies on wind and open air to disperse the carbon monoxide exhaust, whereas an indoor propane heater will need a duct that pipes the exhaust outside. Be wary of this fact, and smart about installing an indoor propane space heater, and not another device that isn’t properly designed for the job and you and your family will be safe.
Some great brands of indoor heaters are Mr. Heater, Pentair, Noritz Residential, and Heatstar. These can come in all types of designs. For a garage space heater, you could consider a hanging one that suspends from the ceiling on chains and looks much like a florescent light fixture. Others can be very portable and be hand held. Some will mount on a base board, which are more for the home. Take a look online and you’ll find some great ideas for different types of indoor propane space heater.