You have invited your friends over for an outdoor evening to hang out and relax. You are standing next to your newly installed patio heater with a cocktail in one hand.
Suddenly, you hear a buzzing sound, and it starts bugging you. The buzz flashes past your ear. There are more bugs near the propane heater, so you start wondering, do patio heaters attract bugs?
Well, bugs and insects are attracted to heat emitted by gas-powered patio heaters. The warm carbon dioxide has an appealing scent that invites bugs and mosquitos. The electric infrared patio heaters are an alternative that doesn’t attract bugs.
This article discusses the concept in detail.
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Are Patio Heaters Effective?
Patio heaters are effective in keeping you and your guests warm outdoors. However, they tend to attract bugs, which would ruin your fun if you don’t control the situation.
The evolution process of insects incorporates the association of natural gas byproducts (carbon dioxide) with food. Mosquitoes will frequent the heat source in search of food. Naturally, the people next to the patio heater will be the mosquito’s food source.
You are now aware that patio heaters attract bugs. The challenge becomes, what strategy do you employ as a remedy to this bug problem.
Through informative research, we have identified remedies to this challenge. You can use the following tips to get rid of the bugs limiting your outdoor patio fun. One of the best things about these techniques is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money dealing with mosquitos.
How Do I Keep Mosquitoes and Bugs Off My Patio?
As much as heaters attract bugs, don’t let these insects and bugs keep bugging you. For protection, use chemical, homemade, or traditional bug solutions. Let’s get started with chemical solutions.
Use Chemical Insecticides
Insecticides are among the best and widely relied upon bug killers. Destroy your outdoor patio peace destroyers using chemical insecticides.
However, there is a downside to using these chemicals. When insecticides come into contact with the human body, they are considered dangerous and harmful to people and the environment.
Therefore, make sure that you use a small amount of insecticide and store the rest away from children’s reach.
If you decide to go with a less radical solution, it will be a bug repellent that will not harm you and the environment.
Insecticide Granules
Just like other living creatures, insects are attracted by sexually suggestive environments. The bugs will be attracted by the sexual pheromones in the insecticide granules. They will get destroyed immediately after the insect comes into contact with the granules placed near the patio heater.
Electrical Solutions
One thing that you have identified is that propane heaters attract bugs that would potentially end your outdoor patio party before it even starts.
It would be best if you had an efficient alternative solution that is environmentally friendly. Here are a few alternatives:
Using Electric Diffusers
Once you note that your heater, powered by natural gas, produces carbon dioxide that attracts bugs, consider buying an electric diffuser. Plug the diffuser directly to a power source near the mosquito breeding grounds, which in most cases, are near the heat source.
You can research the diffuser using liquid recharges, which have essential oil-based ingredients that are an effective bug repellant.
Use Insect Light Traps (ILT)
Insect light traps use ultraviolet lights that are ecologically friendly. You may ask, how do these ILTs work?
Well, they follow a simple concept in their operation. The light source used in powering these lamps attracts the pests and kills them through electrocution.
Some models offer a three-meter protection radius in a given area while others extend this radius by an additional six meters.
The carbon dioxide and heat from the patio attract the mosquitoes leading them to their death.
Installation of Repellent Bulbs
The repellent light bulbs produce light that most bugs hate. Once they see that light, they immediately change their direction away from your home.
The bulbs are multipurpose, meaning they both attract people’s attention when placed in an open space and repel bugs.
How Do I Keep Bugs Away From My Patio?
You have constructed an appealing gazebo for your business. Clients are frequenting your food hub in the evening. You decide to buy a patio heater and utilize the warmth to attract more customers.
But something is wrong. Every time you switch on the patio heater, powered using propane, mosquitoes and bugs storm in. You are now left wondering, do outdoor patio heaters attract bugs?
There are healthy solutions to the bug problems you face once your patio heater starts attracting bugs. These solutions include:
Using Fly Swatter
One of the highly recommended tools for eliminating bugs near outdoor patio heaters in outdoor parties and events during summer is the fly swatter.
The tool is effective since it is battery-powered. There are two models of a fly swatter that you can use in any space: the gun or the electric model.
Essential Oils
Mosquitoes and flies irritate people as they enjoy the warmth of outdoor patio heaters. Manufacturers have therefore produced essential oils such as lavender HE to deal with these bugging pests effectively.
Once you decide the kind of bug spray you want, look for an appropriate spray bottle that you can use to spray the essential oil around your patio’s open space.
Even if the heat from your patio heater attracts the insects, the essential oils in the bug spray will ensure you are not disturbed.
Use of Mosquito Nets
If you decide to nap outdoors near standing water that potentially has mosquito larvae and has your patio heaters on, it will help if you use a mosquito net. The mosquito nets act as barriers that prevent mosquitoes from giving you a restless rest.
Use of Anti-mosquito Transdermal Patches
If you are hanging out outdoors and your propane heater is on, protect yourself from insects and bugs by having transdermal patches that have thiamine or vitamin B1.
Individuals prefer this method because it has a long-lasting mosquito repellent effect and poses no danger to the human body.
Tradition Bug Solutions
One of the common ways of making sure that insects don’t interfere with your outdoor peace is planting cloves on your patio.
You can also spray a mixture of white vinegar and lemon eucalyptus essential oil, which has a smell that effectively scares mosquitoes away.
Other Possible Solutions
Other than the solutions discussed above, there are other things you can do to facilitate your ultimate outdoor patio fun without having to switch off your heater powered by natural gas. Consider employing some of the following:
Mosquito Lanterns
Insects are attracted by light from the mosquito lanterns without knowing that they are headed to their death. Once you have moved closer to your patio heater, ensure the lantern is just a few steps from you for maximum performance.
The advantage of these lanterns is that they add aesthetic value to your yard and repel mosquitoes at the same time.
Strategic Positioning of Citronella Candles
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Smoke and mosquitoes are bitter enemies. Therefore, lighting candles that contain citronella produce mosquito-repelling smoke is a wise strategy in enjoying the warmth from the patio heaters without any stress.
Additionally, citronella oil from the citronella candles produces an appealing scent to the human senses and is cheap.
Using Personal Vaporizer
This tool should be used away from anything you aim to consume. Some of the vaporizers in the market are eco-friendly, meaning they reduce the amount of exposure to DEET your pores get. Other personal vaporizers don’t contain DEET.
Mosquito Bells
Mosquito bells are another attentive that facilitates a mosquito-free environment even when patio heaters are on. Place the mosquito bells near food and enjoy meals undisturbed by these horrible bloodsuckers.
Spreading Diatomaceous Earth
If you are afraid of bugs invading your yard once they sense the heat from the patio heaters, spreading diatomaceous earth all over the garden is effective in eliminating bugs before they attack your yard.
It’s a safe product to use even in a space used by children and pets as a play area.
What Is the Most Efficient Patio Heater?
The most effective patio heater that doesn’t subject you to bugs and other flying insects is the electric infrared patio heater that doesn’t emit smoke and other harmful products when consumed, such as hydrogen peroxide.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to note that the gas-powered patio heaters attract bugs. In contrast, the electric patio heaters can’t attract bugs and other flying insects.
As you settle on the kind of patio heater to purchase, consider one that will facilitate a comfortable stay.
Also, use the above-discussed ways of dealing with annoying bugs. The chemical containers used in dealing with mosquitos and bugs should be disposed of environmentally friendly.
