Natural heat with infrared heaters
They radiate heat like little suns, making you feel lovely and warm. Infrared heaters create pleasant temperatures in next to no time, and are easy on your bank balance as well as the environment. Let us tell you how they work.
How infrared heating works
Infrared heaters work completely differently to standard gas or oil radiators. Unlike infrared heating, these standard models work using convection: cold air is heated and then distributed around the room. Radiation heating works in a completely different way: it turns the energy of electricity into infrared rays and warms up objects - such as blankets, floors and walls. From there, the heat radiates back into the room. The beneficial heat of infrared rays is also used in medicine, where its deep penetration is used to relieve muscle tension and treat skin conditions. Infrared heating has long been used in animal husbandry, e.g. to keep newborn piglets warm. Modern infrared heaters are built into glass panels or hybrid panels and hung on the walls like mirrors or pieces of art. They create natural heat that feels like sunshine on your skin.
Benefits of infrared heating
When it comes to effectiveness, infrared heaters are significantly superior to modern gas and oil heating systems: its waves, which are created by the interaction of electricity and a special carbon fibre or a graphite coating, use at least 86 percent of the available energy - this can even reach up to 100 percent. Conventional heaters just can’t keep up: depending on the radiator, their effectiveness is only 60 to 80 percent. This means: infrared heaters are gentle on your bank balance as well as the environment! Eco-friendly electricity users can turn up the heating with a clear conscience. And: once installed, infrared heaters are very low-maintenance. No need to call in a chimney sweep. People with allergies also benefit from this special heating option, as infrared heaters don’t disturb dust particles.
Who are infrared heaters suitable for?
Originally, infrared heaters were used to heat large halls, as the heated air doesn’t just gather in the ceiling, rather it is absorbed by people and objects directly. Today, many private homes use infrared heating. The rule of thumb is: the fuller a room, the better the heat performance. Plenty of furniture, ideally made from natural materials like wood, linen or wicker, as well as residents themselves, can absorb and radiate infrared rays. They indirectly help to warm up the room. Infrared heaters are especially suited to rooms that only need to be heated for a short time, like bathrooms. Turn on the heater when you wake up and the cold tiles will quickly warm. After a short shower, your bathroom will be so warm that you can start your day with a spring in your step. This is where infrared heating fulfils its full energy-saving potential, taking the lead over central heating in the long term. Whether infrared heating is worth it for your entire home depends on your electricity rate. It’s worth doing some in-depth research. In many cases, infrared heating is a good addition to an existing heating system: the central heating is turned on in frosty temperatures and turned off in spring. If there are cooler days or nights during those in-between months, you can use an infrared heater.
Different kinds of infrared heaters
Infrared heaters aren’t just practical sources of heat - they’re also stylish additions to your home. You can, for example, buy flat, portable heating panels with enamel coatings that can be written on to function as a memo board or white board. Art heaters can be printed and their colourful motifs make them ideal design elements for your living room or children’s bedroom. Simple glass or mirrored heaters can be integrated into your existing interior design or simply fade into the wall. They are especially popular in bathrooms and hallways. An alternative for the bathroom is a special infrared heater with drying function that warms your towels before use and dries them afterwards. Another benefit: infrared heating in a bathroom warms up tiles, making cold feet a thing of the past. They also prevent steamed-up mirrors and mould growth in the bathroom. You can also buy infrared heaters in the shape of hanging spheres or as freestanding portable heaters.
Tips for installing infrared heating
Different models have different levels of performance. How many Watts you need for your infrared heating depends on the size and insulation of your home. Fundamentally, the advice is to heat rooms with several lower-performance heaters rather than one high-powered heater. This will give you the best results. Please note: wall-mounted heaters can only work efficiently when the walls are well insulated from the outside and have a special plaster and suitable paint on the inside. Both include fine glass fibres that help to optimally reflect heat. If you want to use infrared heating to heat your floors, you should choose a floor covering that lets rays pass through.
Infrared heaters are energy saving and efficient
Infrared heaters offer a range of benefits compared with conventional gas and oil heaters. Most of all, homeowners will get their money’s worth, as the investment will pay for itself after the new system is used for a while. For renters, a cleverly arranged infrared heater can be a great addition to an existing central heating system.
Infrared heating accessories: thermostats let you set the perfect temperature in your rooms
To use your infrared heating in the most energy-efficient way possible, you should use an external thermostat.
You can choose at what room temperature the wireless thermostat turns the heating on and off, or you can set a desired temperature that the thermostat should keep constant. Alternatively, you can set a time for the heating to turn on - so it springs into life shortly before you arrive home from work. This means you don’t need to heat unneeded space again - saving the environment and your bank balance!
Our tip: to make sure your thermostat can establish the correct room temperature, you should keep it away from draughts and not place it on an exterior wall.