Calcana Buying Guide

Calcana patio heaters are the only patio heaters on the market that have a patented variable or modulating burner that can accommodate most installations. Calcana has had great success in heating patios from the extreme conditions of Canada to the mild requirements of Mexico. The modulating burner allows you to use one outside heater for all your needs; from melting snow to providing a gentle blanket of warmth for your patio; one heater for all seasons at the turn of a dial. Calcana heaters produce gas-fired energy in the form of infrared waves, these heaters warm your patio at the turn of a switch. Calcana heaters heat more area with less fuel than any other style of patio heater. Units are design certified to operate in outdoor environments, which include wind, rain, snow and temperatures as low as -40F. For indoor applications, the units can be safely vented through the wall or roof. To help guide in selecting which model is right for you, we have created a 4 easy step buying guide.

Step 1: Measure and Analyze the Space

First step in determining how many and which heater to purchase is to measure your space. You need to decide if you are looking to heat the entire space or a just a specific seating area within that space. Calcana infrared gas patio heaters produce a warm blanket of infrared rays that will keep people and objects within its heat bloom warm, not the air. Calcana offers two heat outputs, standard output, and high output. Depending on the architecture of your space and what you are looking to heat, spot heating or overall heating, can help you determine which model is best for you. Look at the table below to help narrow your search.

Spot Heating Applications: Exposed/non enclosed, using 1 heater only.

Entire Patio Heated: Exposed/non enclosed, using 2 or more heaters.

Semi, Temporary, or Totally Enclosed Installations

Note: The two biggest variables that determine the model and quantity of heaters required for an application is wind and climate.

• Wind: If your location has wind greater than 15 miles an hour, it is recommended that some form of wind protection be used to reduce the cooling effect of the wind.
• Climate:If your location has an ambient temperature below 50° F and you want the patio area to be comfortable, it is recommended to always use the largest model available and depending upon your location, you may be required to use multiple units to achieve the desired results.

Once you have measured your space, confirmed the type of patio you have and have identified which model you would like to have, you need to confirm if you can maintain the proper clearance to combustibles to install a Calcana gas patio heater. See our pre-installation checklist for some pointers.

Step 2: Determine how many BTUs you need for your Patio

A good rule of thumb to verify how many BTU’s you need for your patio is to take the cubic feet of an area multiplied by the desired rise in temperature to get the total BTUs needed to heat your space. Divide the BTU needed by the BTU output of the heater, and you get an idea of how many heaters you will need. Remember, wind can affect the heat output so if you live in an area that is susceptible to high wind, you may want extra units in the space in addition to considering the Platinum series heaters that have a higher wind rating than the Tungsten series heaters. Use calculator below, enter the dimensions of your space and your desired rise in temperature followed by the BTU output of the Bromic gas heater of your choice.

Step 3: Select your Mounting Brackets

Because there are so many different mounting options available, Calcana sells all the mounting brackets separately. Below are 3 questions to ask yourself to help you figure out which brackets are right for you.

1. Are you purchasing a 304 SS heater or a 316 Marine Grade heater?

You will want to match your mounting brackets with the same material as your heater. 304SS Brackets or 316 MG Brackets

2. What size is your Heater?

• 5-10 ft: 2 Hanging Point Brackets
• Larger than 10ft: 3 Hanging Point Brackets

3. How do you want to install your heater?

Wall Mounted: do you want the heater to cantilever off the wall and face straight down? Or do you want the heater off the wall and at a 25 degree angle?

Cantilever

2 Hanging Point For 5'-10' heaters

3 Hanging Point For heaters larger than 10'

25 Degree Angle

2 Hanging Point For 5'-10' heaters

3 Hanging Point For heaters larger than 10'

Ceiling Mounted: do you want the heater to face straight down? Or do you want the heater overhead at a 25 degree angle?

Straight Down

2 Hanging Point For 5'-10' heaters

3 Hanging Point For heaters larger than 10'

25 Degree Angle

2 Hanging Point For 5'-10' heaters

3 Hanging Point For heaters larger than 10'

Calcana heaters have been installed in thousands of residential patio and commercial applications all over the world, If you are still unsure which option is right for you please reach out to our Patio Specialist today!

Additional Installation Tips for Calcana Heaters

Do not install a unit in a recessed cavity. It is important to remember when mounting a heater overhead that it is not installed in a recessed cavity. This is best described as the heater being recessed into the ceiling. A heater installed in a recessed cavity can become over-heated and cause damage to the unit as well as the surrounding structure.

Spot Heating: Area Heated (coverage or spread pattern) by a Particular Unit.

The higher the mounting height, the less intense the heat will be. If it is necessary to install the heater at an elevation higher than 9', it may be necessary to select the next larger heater or use two heaters.

Entire Patio Heating Applications

The entire patio area can be heated with multiple units. When using multiple units, the outside heaters are installed with their spread patterns overlapping. In this type of installation, there is a cumulative effect from the overlapping of the spread patterns which increases the size of the area heated by the heater.

Semi Enclosed, Temporarily Enclosed* or Totally Enclosed Patios

*Removable Side Curtains

Our standard output patio heater models are the best choice for these applications. The heaters in this series can be connected to either a roof chimney or side wall vent that will safely exhaust the by products of combustions from the area being heated. Please note that enclosed patios require less heat because they usually have some form of barrier (side curtains, roof) to help contain the heat in a given area.

Note: To achieve even heat coverage, it is best to use multiple units with the heaters parallel to each other, separated by 8 to 14' and with the burner heads on opposite ends.

Calcana Clearance to Combustibles (Outdoor Applications Only)