What You Need to Know about Infrared Heating Panels?

The home heating system is something we take for granted these days. Usually powered by gas or electricity, we set it to turn on and off at certain times and temperatures to suit our needs, and simply expect it to work. However, there are some times – especially when it’s particularly cold – when extra heating is required, and this can mean using expensive additional heaters in certain rooms.

There are many suggestions as to the cheapest ways to heat, for example, an office or a bedroom, and here we are talking about one of the more impressive. Infrared heating panels use a different type of heat to that we usually put in place, so let’s talk about why these devices are proving popular, and how you can save money by using them. We’ll begin with a simple explanation of what infrared is.

What is Infrared Heating? 

Before we start to explain things there is a great review of infrared heating panels that we suggest you read as it gives you examples that you can buy right now. So, what is infrared heating? 

First, it’s a type of heating that is very direct. If you want a heater to warm your legs under the desk this is it! The reason infrared heating is direct is due to the fact it is not a convection heating system. Your usual fan heater or radiation sends heat out into the space around it. Infrared heat is about heat transfer. Infrared heat is found naturally – the sun, for example, is an infrared heat source.

In other words, we absorb infrared heat that is given out by the panels to warm ourselves up. It’s highly efficient as very little energy is lost in heat transfer compared to the common convection method. So what we have is a highly efficient and direct source of heat. Let’s talk about the different types of panels and where you might use them.

About Infrared Heating Panels 

One of the major advantages of infrared heating panels is that they can be made in a wide variety of different designs, some of them hugely innovative. Because there is no need for bulky plumbing, you’ll find some the designs are clever indeed. For example, in the review we mentioned there is one mode – made by Hudson Reed – that takes the form of a simple sheet of glass. It’s just 3cm think and can be hung on a wall as a sort of minimalist art installation that also acts as a heater!

Another model is also a mirror, while there are some that are curved, another that is designed as a ceiling tile, and even models that can be rolled up when not in use. The simplest of all are flat panels – available in a choice of colours – that are to be wall-mounted and take up a surprisingly small amount of space while being rather attractive at the same time.

The infrared heating panel has given interior design a boost in terms of moving away from the standard radiator fitments, and as some of those in the review are suitable for heating a medium-sized room you can consider them as part of your home heating system. We recommend you check the review carefully and ask your local supplier about these very clever and rather stylish heating panels as they could be the answer if you are giving your home a refresh or renovation and want heating that will blend in with the surroundings. Let’s have a look at how to choose the right infrared heating panel.

Choosing the Right Infrared Heating Panel

Choosing the right infrared heating panel should be done carefully and with full thought to where you are intending to use it. There are a number of factors you should consider, the following among them:

• The size of the panel should fit within your available space as there are many different sizes to choose from
• You need to consider whether to buy a permanently fitted or free-standing heating panel, which will depend upon the intended usage
• The power of the panel varies too; for the record, a 500W panel will heat a room of 12m squared sufficiently and some are far more powerful
• The design and overall energy efficient credentials will also play a part in the decision
• The price, which of course will be determined by your budget, and price varies greatly across the models in that review.

You have a great resource that we’ve given you and there is plenty more information to read through about infrared panel heaters, so we recommend you take in all the information you can before making you choice. An infrared panel heater may be the answer you are looking for to those unusually cold rooms warm.