When you open the main door of the house or apartment, and step out the door, where are you?

You are in your patio.

The patio could be attached to your front door or back door. Usually it's open, no wall, no enclosure and has concrete or stone work for a base.

If you have a "enclosed patio" you might not realize it's a patio because you use it as a storage room or you think it's one of the rooms in your house. Or it was a patio and someone enclosed it to be a -- porch.....

Another way to help you ensure that it's a patio is: there is no heat in patio.