There’s no denying that infrared panel heaters are the new kids on the block in the electric heating world. Efficient, stylish, and supposedly superior to other electric heating systems, infrared is heralded as the future of modern heating – a departure from the conventional systems used around the world today. But are infrared panel heaters really as good as they say? In a regular working week, do they provide the super-efficient, super-effective heating they promise? To find out, we decided to explore some real-life examples of infrared panel heaters in action…
Do infrared heaters really work?
But before we get to the real-world examples, we thought it was wise to answer one of the most common infrared FAQs: “do infrared heaters really work?” The short answer is yes – and here’s why…
Unlike electric radiators or plumbed central heating, infrared heaters use infrared radiation to produce heat. Despite its admittedly scary-sounding name, infrared radiation is simply a form of energy that travels like light but delivers heat. Sometimes objects give off both heat and light at once, like the sun: the largest source of infrared we have.
Infrared radiation comes in different varieties, each having a different and unique speciality. Shortwave infrared produces an intense heat that’s best suited to the outdoors. Mediumwave infrared is predominantly used for large commercial spaces and is less harsh than shortwave infrared. Infrared panels use the gentlest type of infrared, called longwave or far infrared. Far infrared produces a comfortable, natural-feeling heat that’s ideal for domestic interiors.
Infrared panels create heat using conductive wires stretched across the inside surface of the panel. These wires, when drawing power from the wall, get hot and radiate heat outwards into the room. Unlike other heating systems, the heat from an infrared panel doesn’t require the movement of air. Instead, infrared warms objects and people directly – an efficient heat transfer that isn’t affected by air currents or draughts.
Infrared heating panel reviews
Now the science is out of the way, to determine how effective infrared panels are in the real world, we’ll use examples collected by Herschel, one of our most trusted and esteemed suppliers. Herschel are at the forefront of infrared innovation, creating products for the home, business, and for outdoor use. Their infrared panels can be used in a variety of locations, from offices to hair salons.
Can infrared heaters heat a house?
Slimline, unobtrusive, and easy to install, infrared panels are the perfect heating solution for a domestic property. Panels can be zoned, allowing for easy control over the temperature of each room; can be purchased in a range of sizes, perfect for tailoring your heating to the needs of each room; and provide energy-efficient heating that can slim down your monthly bills.
In a housing estate in Essex, Herschel Select Infrared Heating Panels were trialled in a 2-bed house over a period of 14 months. The council-owned property was investigating numerous heating systems at the time, but trialled Herschel’s infrared heating panels based on their reputation.
The heating panels were installed to replace antiquated storage heaters which had a combined energy output of 12kW. Herschel installed six heating panels throughout the home, controlled by a programmable thermostat generally set to 22°C. The combined energy output of all six infrared heating panels was only 3.75kW – creating a huge 30% saving on the tenant’s energy bill, which equated to a £250 saving across the year and outweighed the savings made by the previous Economy 7 tariff.
The tenant was overjoyed with her new heating system and Richard Cuthbert, a Building Surveyor for the council that undertook the work, said: “in terms of the purchasing price, an easy installation plus reduced energy costs Herschel won the contract hands down.”
Do infrared heaters use less energy?
When you consider that 100% of the power an infrared panel draws from the wall is converted to heat, infrared panels are inherently more energy-efficient than other heating systems. Central heating radiators, for example, lose energy on the journey from the water boiler, to the pipes, to the radiator itself and even then, heat can escape through open windows. Because infrared heat is contained by the objects in its path and isn’t lost to air currents, it is considered more energy-efficient.
Premier Inn wanted to test this premise and trialled some of Herschel’s infrared heating panels in one of their hotels. The hotel’s current convection heaters were uninstalled and replaced by Herschel Select XL Infrared Heating Panels. Each panel took 30-45 minutes to install and used the same temperature controller as the previous heaters. The previous convection heaters consumed 21.5% more energy than the Select XLs.
The infrared panels consumed an average of 0.8kw per room, per day, creating a saving of 190kWh per room, per year. This equates to a £26 per room saving across the year. If Premier Inn rolled out infrared panels across its 44,000 UK hotel rooms, they could, in theory, save a whopping £1.2 million pounds a year!
On top of the savings and huge reduction in energy, Select XL infrared panels attracted positive feedback from guests who loved the “noiseless,” “quick,” and “comfortable” heat. Just like the housing estate in Essex, Premier Inn loved the fact their new heating system freed up space in their rooms, creating a larger environment for their guests.
Both real-world case studies provide positive infrared heating panel reviews. Using infrared, the home in Essex saw significant savings on monthly energy bills. While the Premier Inn considerably reduced its energy consumption with the Herschel Select XLs. Infrared panels really are an energy-efficient way to heat your home and, with minimal fuss, you too could reap the rewards of switching to an infrared heating system. If you’d like to explore more infrared case studies, click here. To view our extensive range of infrared products, including the infrared heating panels featured in the blog, visit our website or call one of our sales team today.