If you use a 2000-watt electric heater for household purposes for 8 hours a day, your daily total electricity consumption will be around 16kWh, and you would have to pay $19.6 per week in the US. Using the 2000-watt patio heater for 8 hours daily in commercial spaces will cost $2.176 daily and $65.28 monthly. If you use it in low power modes, such as 500 kWh, 1000 kWh, 1500 kWh, and so on, the billing structure will be different and less.
How Much Electricity Does an Electric Patio Heater Use per Hour?
The amount of electricity a patio heater consumes can be determined by the heat output, that is, the watts it provides.
For example, a 1500-watt patio heater with maximum power output will consume 1.5 kW per hour, whereas a 4000-watt patio heater consumes 4 kilowatts per hour.
Below is a table for your easy understanding of different patio heaters and their hourly electricity consumption rate-
Patio heater heat-output | Electricity Consumed Per hour |
1000 watts | 1 kWh |
1500 Watts | 1.5 kWh |
2000 Watts | 2 kWh |
2500 Watts | 2.5 kWh |
3000 Watts | 3 kWh |
4000 Watts | 4 kWh |
Gas vs. Electric, which Patio Heater's Bill is Budget-Friendly?
Considering cost, safety, and portability, electric patio heaters are the most budget-friendly option for people in warm or less chilly regions . However, a natural gas patio heater is the cheapest option in colder areas. A typical 40,000 BTUs propane patio heater costs around \$1.60 per hour, while a natural gas heater costs only around \$.50-.\$.60. An electric patio heater rests in the middle between propane and natural gas type. For instance, a 4000-watt electric patio heater will cost approximately $0.70 per hour.
If we consider the heating output, propane or natural gas patio heaters provide more heat output, generally around 40,000 BTU. However, an electric patio heater does not give the same amount of BTUs a gas patio heater offers, but you would have to use multiple electric heaters if your space requires up to 40,000 BTUs or more; as you may already know, 1 BTU = 0.293 watts.
So, to get 40,000 BTUs, you’ll have to use an electric patio heater capable of 11,430.12 Watts, or you may use three 4000-watt patio heaters for the outdoors. Now, let’s compare the total costs to produce 40,000 BTUs for gas and electric patio heaters;
Propane patio heater, | Natural Gas patio heater, | Electric Gas patio heater |
$ 1.6- $1.9 per hour | $ 0.49 per hour | $ 1.80 per hour |
Chart of Electricity Bills Electric Patio Heater
Here we have considered a 2000-watt patio heater as a standard and provided the calculated costs of daily (8 hours), weekly, and monthly consumption rates with expenses.
Time | Consumed electricity | Estimated Cost |
1 day( 8 hours of use) | 16 kWh | $ 2.8 |
1 week | 112 kWh | $ 19.6 |
One month | 480 kWh | $ 84- $ 86 |
Cost Calculator
If you are not sure about self-calculation and hesitating over different power levels, here is a simple chart for you to have a glimpse of the 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 4000 watts patio heaters’ approximate costs based on usage hours;
Patio heaters | Average Use | Estimated cost/ per month |
500 watts | 4 hours a day | $ 0. 35 |
500 watts | 8 hours a day | $ 0. 7 |
1000 watts | 4 hours a day | $ 0.7- $0.8 |
1000 watts | 8 hours a day | $ 1.4 |
1500 watts | 4 hours a day | $ 1.05 |
1500 watts | 8 hours a day | $ 2.1 |
2000 watts | 4 hours a day | $ 1.4 |
2000 watts | 8 hours a day | $ 2.8 |
4000 watts | 4 hours a day | $ 2.9- $ 3.0 |
4000 watts | 8 hours a day | $ 5.6 |
Is the Bill Worth It?
The worthiness of the bill will be determined by how much you are using it and the amount of space it is heating. Electric patio heaters, especially the infrared types, are taken as 100% energy efficient, so people having kids or looking for safety will find the bill worthy of its service for covered porches or semi-covered outdoor spaces.
However, running multiple electric patio heaters can be expensive simultaneously, as the electricity rate fluctuates and gas heaters provide more outdoor heat output.
FAQ Section:
How much does running a 1500-watt heater for 8 hours cost?
Using a 1500-watt electric patio for 8 hours straight will cost you $2.1 per day and $63 a month.
Mathematical calculation:
The electricity currently for households is 0.175 US dollars per kWh, and if you have a 1500-watt electric patio heater, it will consume 1.5 kW per hour.
So, multiplying the per kilowatt cost with the hourly consumed electricity, we get 1.5 x 0.175 US dollars = 0.2625 US dollars.
If you use a 1500watt heater for 8 hours daily, it will costs 0.2625 US dollars x 8 = $2.1 a day and $63 a month.
Do 1500 watts use a lot of electricity?
A 1500-watt electric patio heater uses up to 1500 watts or 1.5 kWh per hour; it can efficiently heat a medium-sized space, a very average amount of electricity consumed by a patio heater. Compared with other home appliances, especially water heaters, room heaters or other electric cooking accessories consumes more electricity than this amount. And if you want to compare with gas patio heaters, it’s safer and budget friendly than a propane patio heater.
How many units does a 2000w heater use per hour?
A 2000-watt electric patio heater consumes around 2 kW per hour and costs around.
Mathematical calculation:
Electricity currently for households is 0.175 US dollars per kWh, and if you have a 2000-watt electric patio heater, it will consume 2 kW per hour.
So, multiplying the per kilowatt cost with the hourly consumed electricity, we get 2 x 0.175 US dollars = 0.35 US dollars an hour.
So, if you use a 2000Watt heater 8 hours a day then it will cost you $84 a month.
How much does 500 watts cost per hour?
If you use the patio heater in 500-watt, the heater will consume only 0.50 kilowatts per hour. Therefore, it will cost around 0.05 – 0.0875 US dollars per hour and 21$ a month (for 8 hours each day use).
Final Summary
Both gas and electric patio heater can benefit different types of needs of consumers, and each of them has good advantages and disadvantages. If you worry about operating costs and prices, electric patio heaters can be a cost-effective, energy-efficient, safe, eco-friendly, and easy-to-use. Natural gas heaters are the cheapest among gas and electricity. Still, they must provide mobility and sleek designs for multiple space usages, such as electric patio heaters, because propane is costly when considering infrared electric patio heaters.
