A New York outdoor kitchen usually earns its keep from May to October and then sits under covers for half the year. It does not have to. With the right overhead cover, radiant heat and a fire feature, a terrace in Brooklyn or a patio in Nassau County can host dinner in December. The work is in the planning, and most of it happens before the first post goes in. Start with our outdoor kitchen collection and the heating and fire pieces below.
This guide walks through the full winter outdoor room: infrared heaters from Bromic and Infratech, pergolas and louvered roofs, fire tables, outdoor fireplaces, wind screens, lighting and refrigeration. Every mounting height and clearance here comes from the manufacturer's own installation documentation.
The short answer
A year-round outdoor kitchen in New York needs four things: overhead cover, mounted infrared heat aimed at the seating, a fire feature for atmosphere, and protection from wind. Electric infrared heaters from Bromic or Infratech are the most flexible choice, especially on NYC terraces, because they need no gas line and can sit close to a ceiling. Gas heaters work well on open Long Island patios but need more clearance, open sides and calm air. Plan the electrical circuits and heater positions before the pergola or roof is built, and expect to winterize most outdoor refrigerators regardless.
Key takeaways
- Infrared heaters warm people and surfaces, not the air, which is why they work outdoors in winter.
- Bromic Tungsten Electric must hang at least 96 inches above the floor; Infratech's C-Series manual allows 72 inches with model-specific recommended heights.
- Bromic gas heaters need 8 feet to the ground, 3 feet to combustibles above and to the sides, and are designed for winds up to 10 mph.
- Run conduit and blocking for heaters through the pergola or roof framing while it is being built, not after.
- Most outdoor refrigerators are not made to run through a New York winter. True and Lynx both call for winterizing.
In this guide
- What a winter outdoor room needs, at a glance
- Which patio heater works best in a New York winter?
- How high do infrared heaters need to be mounted?
- Do you need a pergola or louvered roof?
- Fire tables and outdoor fireplaces
- Wind, lighting and refrigeration in the cold
- Planning in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk
- Our recommended models
- Which should you choose?
- Frequently asked questions
What a winter outdoor room needs, at a glance
Think of the space in layers. Each one solves a different winter problem.
| Layer | What it solves | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead cover | Snow, rain, and a place to mount heat and light | Louvered roof or solid pergola roof |
| Radiant heat | Warmth at the table and the grill | Electric infrared under cover; gas on open patios |
| Fire feature | Atmosphere and a gathering point | Dining height fire table or outdoor fireplace |
| Wind control | Heat loss and unsteady flames | Glass wind guards, screens, planted edges |
| Lighting | Dark by 5 pm from November to February | Warm low-voltage fixtures, heater and light combinations |
| Refrigeration | Cold drinks without a trip inside | Outdoor-rated units, winterized per the manual |
Which patio heater works best in a New York winter?
Infrared. Bromic and Infratech heaters warm the people, furniture and floor in their path rather than the moving air, which is what holds up on a 35 degree evening by the water.
The real decision is electric or gas. Electric units such as the Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat 4000W and the Infratech C-Series C2024 produce no combustion, mount close to a ceiling and need only a 240 volt circuit. Bromic rates the 4000W Tungsten for up to 120 square feet and the 6000W for up to 144 square feet.
Gas heaters such as the Bromic Platinum 500 Smart-Heat put out serious heat (39,800 BTU on natural gas) and suit a large open patio with a gas line already nearby. Bromic's manual notes the gas heater is designed to function in winds up to 10 mph, and it may not be installed in residential indoor areas.
For a deeper comparison, see our patio heater buying guide and Bromic vs Infratech.
Electric patio heaters Gas patio heaters Bromic Infratech
How high do infrared heaters need to be mounted?
The answer depends on the exact model. These figures come directly from each manufacturer's current installation manual.
| Heater | Height above floor | Key clearances |
|---|---|---|
| Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Electric | At least 96 inches | 13 inches front of heater to ceiling on 4000W and 6000W tube suspension (9.84 inches on 2000W and 3000W); 3 feet clear in front; 20 inches between heaters |
| Infratech C-Series | 72 inch minimum; C-2024 recommended at 7 to 8 feet, C-4024 at 8 to 10 feet | Wall mount: 18 inches to adjacent walls and 12 inches to ceiling. Ceiling mount: 18 inches to walls and 6 inches to ceiling. 36 inches in front |
| Bromic Platinum Smart-Heat Gas | At least 8 feet | 3 feet to combustibles above and to the sides; 14 inches above with Bromic's heat shield |
Angle matters as much as height. Infratech recommends wall-mounted C-Series heaters be tilted 30 to 60 degrees down, with about 45 degrees ideal. Bromic asks that Tungsten Electric be mounted with the elements horizontal and the face angled down outdoors; mounting it vertically voids the warranty.
From our install team
The one thing we wish every client knew: decide where the heaters go before the roof framing is closed in. On our installs, the clean results come from running conduit through a beam or post and adding solid blocking where each bracket lands. Retrofitting after the fact means surface conduit, and that is the detail that makes a beautiful pergola look unfinished.
Do you need a pergola or louvered roof?
For true winter use, yes. Overhead cover keeps snow off the cooking surface, gives the heaters a mounting point at the right height and holds a little radiant warmth in the space. A louvered roof is the most versatile: open for summer sun, closed against December sleet. Explore options on our pergolas and sunrooms page or design one in the pergola 3D configurator.
Cover changes the heater rules. Bromic's gas manual permits overhead cover with no more than two walls. With more than two walls, at least 25 percent of the total wall area must be completely open, and at least 30 percent of the remaining wall area must be open and unrestricted. Electric infrared has no combustion, which is why it is the usual choice once a room starts to feel enclosed. Our guide to the best patio heater for a covered patio covers this in detail.
Not sure what fits your space? Send us your terrace or patio dimensions and ceiling height and we will map heater positions and circuits before your pergola is ordered. Book a free design consultation and we will help you narrow it down.
Fire tables and outdoor fireplaces: which adds more in winter?
Heaters do the warming. Fire is what draws people outside in January. A dining height fire table like the American Fyre Designs Cosmopolitan Square doubles as the table itself, which suits a terrace where every square foot counts. Browse our fire pit tables for chat, dining and bar heights.
Clearances vary by maker, so read the manual for your model. As one example, EcoSmart Fire specifies that furniture stay at least 24 inches from the flame of its gas fire tables and that any ceiling overhang sit at least 72 inches above the burner. Those numbers apply to EcoSmart products only.
An outdoor fireplace is the architectural choice. A unit such as the Napoleon Riverside 42 anchors one end of the room and blocks wind from behind the seating. Our outdoor fireplace buying guide and gas fire pit guide go deeper on both.
Fire pit tables Outdoor fireplaces
How do you handle wind, lighting and refrigeration in the cold?
Wind
Wind strips radiant warmth from skin and pulls at flames. A glass guard such as The Outdoor GreatRoom linear folding wind guard steadies a fire table flame, and our wind guards collection covers most burner shapes. For the room itself, a solid wall, a fireplace or dense planting on the prevailing wind side does more than any heater upgrade.
Lighting
From November to February it is dark before dinner. Warm, low fixtures feel calm; bright floodlights do not. Our landscape lighting collection includes Lumien brass and bronze fixtures, and the Bromic Eclipse combines a heater and a light in one pendant over a dining table.
Refrigeration
We will be direct here. We have not found an outdoor refrigerator in our lineup whose manual approves running it through a New York winter. True tells owners to winterize once temperatures consistently reach 32 degrees or below. Lynx sets the trigger at a daily low of 38 degrees and warns that running below it voids the warranty. A year-round kitchen still needs a plan for the coldest months: winterize the outdoor units, or keep a beverage refrigerator in a heated space nearby. See our winterizing guide and outdoor refrigeration guide for brand-by-brand steps, and shop outdoor refrigeration such as the Lynx LN24REF.
From our install team
Put heaters on a dimmer or a smart controller rather than a plain switch. Bromic's Smart-Heat controls and Infratech's input regulators let you run at partial output on a mild night and full output in January, and in our experience that is the feature owners end up using every evening.
Planning a winter outdoor room in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk
NYC terraces and roofs. The Department of Buildings says propane barbecues may not be stored on balconies, roof decks or roofs of apartment buildings, and propane tanks may not be stored on roofs at all. We apply the same caution to portable propane heaters and do not recommend them for apartment terraces. A natural gas line must be installed by a NYC licensed master plumber. Electric appliances are allowed on terraces and roofs, and DOB advises having a licensed electrician confirm the circuit can carry the load. That is a large part of why electric infrared is our default for Manhattan and Brooklyn terraces.
Opening a roof to occupants, or adding a structure, can require a DOB filing. DOB's Buildings Bulletin 2018-002 also requires rooftop furniture, planters and similar items to be anchored against wind. Co-op and condo house rules are often stricter than city code, so bring the board in early.
New buildings. NYC Local Law 154 applies to new building filings, not ordinary renovations of existing buildings. New York State's All-Electric Buildings Act prohibits fossil-fuel equipment in new buildings of seven stories or less on or after December 31, 2025. The state agreed in November 2025 to pause enforcement pending appeal; the Second Circuit upheld the law on June 30, 2026, and as of October 19, 2026 it is not yet enforced. The statute does not name outdoor gas appliances specifically, so confirm with your building department before running gas to a new build. Details are in our Local Law 154 guide and Long Island gas ban guide.
Long Island. Town rules differ. The Town of Huntington lists pergolas, exterior gas or wood fireplaces and barbecues over 4 feet among projects that need a building permit. The Town of North Hempstead's accessory structure guide lists a 10 foot side and rear setback for a fireplace, fire pit or barbecue, and a 3 foot setback with a 10 foot height limit for a pergola. Check with your own town or village before you finalize a layout.
Our recommended models
We picked these for winter performance, manual-backed mounting flexibility and how well they sit in a finished outdoor room.
All patio heaters Outdoor fireplaces Outdoor kitchens
Which should you choose?
Choose electric infrared if:
- You are on a NYC terrace or roof, or in a co-op or condo.
- The space has a roof or more than two walls.
- Your ceiling or pergola beam sits around 8 feet.
Choose gas if:
- You have a large, open patio on Long Island with natural gas nearby.
- You can mount at 8 feet with 3 feet of side and overhead clearance.
- The site is reasonably sheltered from wind.
For most of our New York clients, the answer is electric infrared under a louvered roof, with a gas fire table or outdoor fireplace for atmosphere. It suits the widest range of buildings and rules. Plan the circuits first, then the structure, then the furniture.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use an outdoor kitchen in a New York winter?
Yes, with overhead cover, mounted infrared heat and wind protection. The grill and fire features work in the cold. Most outdoor refrigerators and ice makers still need to be winterized per their manuals, so plan for drinks to come from a heated space in the coldest weeks.
How high should an infrared patio heater be mounted?
It depends on the model. Bromic Tungsten Electric must be at least 96 inches above the floor, Bromic Platinum Gas at least 8 feet, and Infratech's C-Series manual gives a 72 inch minimum with recommended heights of 7 to 8 feet for the C-2024. Always follow the manual for your exact heater.
Are gas patio heaters allowed on NYC terraces?
Natural gas must be installed by a NYC licensed master plumber, and DOB says propane barbecues may not be stored on balconies, roof decks or roofs of apartment buildings. Building and board rules often go further. Electric infrared is usually the simpler path on a NYC terrace.
Can you put a heater under a pergola or louvered roof?
Yes. Electric infrared heaters are designed for mounting under cover at the clearances in their manuals. Bromic gas heaters are permitted under cover with no more than two walls; with more walls, at least 25 percent of the total wall area must be completely open and 30 percent of the rest open and unrestricted.
Do I need a permit for a pergola or outdoor fireplace on Long Island?
Often, yes. The Town of Huntington lists pergolas and exterior gas or wood fireplaces among projects that require a building permit, and North Hempstead sets setbacks for pergolas and fireplaces. Rules vary by town and village, so check with yours.
Talk to a specialist
Plan an outdoor room you will use in January
We have been designing, selling, installing and servicing fire features and outdoor kitchens for over 30 years across New York City, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey and South Florida. We will lay out heat, fire, cover and power together so the space works in every season.
Book a free consultation Call 718-326-4328Showroom: 58-30 Maspeth Ave, Maspeth, Queens. Our Greenvale, Long Island showroom at 13 Glen Cove Road opens winter 2026. Plan your visit.
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Written by the NYC Fireplaces & Outdoor Kitchens team. Last reviewed October 2026. We sell, install and service the products discussed here.
Sources: Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Electric manual (US), Bromic Platinum Smart-Heat Gas manual (US), Infratech C-Series instructions, EcoSmart Fire gas clearance requirements, True Residential undercounter install manual, Lynx outdoor refrigerator owner's guide, NYC DOB barbecue tool kit, NYC DOB Buildings Bulletin 2018-002, NY Energy Law 11-104, Barclay Damon on the Second Circuit ruling, Spectrum News on the enforcement pause, Town of Huntington projects requiring permits, Town of North Hempstead accessory structures guide. Specifications change; always confirm with the manufacturer's current installation manual.