Ask anyone who’s hosted an outdoor party in Melbourne: the weather can go from perfect to freezing in an hour. It can turn cold after sunset even in late spring. Heating is one of the most commonly forgotten items on a hire list, and it’s often the reason a party winds up early.
Here’s a quick guide to the heaters we hire and which one suits your event.
The heater options
Mushroom patio heaters
These are the tall heaters you see in café courtyards. A patio heater throws heat in a circle around itself, so guests naturally gather around it. They’re best for courtyards, decks, gardens and open-sided marquees where people are standing and mingling. They need overhead clearance, so check the height under pergolas or awnings.
3 burner gas radiant heaters
A 3 burner radiant heater sends heat in one direction rather than all around. Point it at a seating area or table group, or place it against a wall to warm a patio. They sit on wheels, so they’re easy to move, and they’re lower than patio heaters, making them a good choice where overhead clearance is tight.
Gas blower heaters
A gas blower heater pushes out a lot of warm air quickly. Run it in bursts to bring the temperature up, not continuously. They suit sheds, balconies and larger spaces with at least one open side.
Diesel radiant heaters
Our diesel radiant heater is the most powerful option we have. It suits bigger spaces and larger events where several gas heaters would struggle to keep up.
How many heaters do you need?
There’s no one-size answer. It depends on:
- The size of the area: a small courtyard and a large lawn are very different jobs.
- Open vs enclosed: wind strips heat away quickly in open spaces, so more open spaces need more heaters.
- How guests are set up: seated guests at tables suit radiant heaters, while mingling crowds suit patio heaters.
- The time of year and time of night: a June evening needs a lot more heat than a November afternoon.
Tell us your venue size, setup and date, and we’ll recommend the right type and number. That’s the easiest way to avoid hiring too few or too many.
Always have a spare gas bottle
This is the mistake we see most often. Parties run longer than planned, and gas runs out at the worst moment. Hiring a spare 9kg gas bottle for each heater, or at least a couple across the event, is cheap insurance against your guests ending up in the cold.
Heating a marquee
Heaters are one of the most popular add-ons to marquee hire, especially in autumn and winter. A few things help keep a marquee warm:
- Ventilation for gas heaters: gas heaters need proper airflow, so tell us how enclosed your marquee will be and we’ll advise what’s suitable.
- Flooring: this keeps guests off cold, damp ground, which makes a big difference to how warm the space feels.
- Walls on the windward side: these keep heat in without fully enclosing the space.
- Lighting: this matters, because heated evening events usually run past dark.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use gas heaters indoors?
Outdoor gas heaters are designed for open, well-ventilated areas. If your space is enclosed or partly enclosed, talk to us first and we’ll recommend a suitable option.
Do I need to supply gas?
No. We hire 9kg gas bottles alongside our gas heaters, so you can sort heating and gas in one booking.
When should I book heaters?
As early as possible for winter weekends and the months around them, when demand is highest. Add them when you book your marquee, tables and chairs.
Where do you deliver?
We’re based in Campbellfield and deliver across Melbourne. See our areas we service, or read more about party hire in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Not sure what you need? Browse our full range of heater hire, call us on 0478 785 686, or request a quote and we’ll help you work it out.
Planning for warmer weather instead? Read our summer party equipment hire guide.