Author Archives: Heather

Central heating or room by room? Energy efficient heating.

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Central heating or room by room? Energy efficient heating.

Whether your home is a one bedroom flat or a large country house we can heat it with infrared heating panels. The principles are the same, we need to know the measurements of each room and the natural warmth of the home and some ideas of how you use your home, whether you are at home all day or out at work, that helps us advise you on the controlling of the heating and the best ways to zone areas for programming. Traditional central heating programmers have just one setting for the whole house but with infrared you can be far more flexible and energy efficient.

This week we have spoken to two customers with lovely well insulated and modern flats looking for an energy efficient heating system, for the first customer two large panels will be sufficient, one in the open plan kitchen/ living area and one in the bedroom simply run from timer switches on the plug sockets. Simple room by room heating.

But for the second customer, with a busy lifestyle and a flat with small corridors and a separate kitchen we suggested having smaller panels in each small room as this will ensure all round warmth. Dividing the flat into heating zones is far more energy efficient, for example, the bathroom and living room should be fitted to one programmer in a zone that needs to be kept warm for more hours of the day than say the bedrooms which can be fitted to a separate programmer, by fully utilising the thermostatic programmer we can provide gentle background warmth to one area without wasting energy on other areas that are not in use.

Our panels only use 350 watts, which is a very low amount of energy but more than sufficient to gently warm the small rooms of this flat and will provide comfortable warm much faster than by only having heating on in the living room and bedroom.

The running cost to heat the whole flat with infrared heating will be low as the total amount of electrical wattage used is low, and by using thermostatic programmers the energy savings will be even greater. Plus, there will be no cold draughts from unheated rooms!

So, central heating done room by room, the energy efficient way!

How do I work out my room area?

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How do I work out my room area?

We calculate that most rooms have a ceiling height of about 2.5 metres, so, as long as your ceiling is of fairly average height that’s fine, don’t worry about measuring it!

We just need to know the length and width of the room in metres, then multiply these together to get your area.

Some heating solutions ask for your area in cubic metres, that is the length times width times the ceiling height. This just makes life more complicated, we hope you would tell us if your ceiling is particularly high, so we can adjust the simple area calculation answer.

All homes are different; some are always cold whereas some modern homes are well insulated and hold their warmth very well, so please choose your panel accordingly.

If you choose a larger panel don’t worry that it will be using too much energy because you can use a room thermostat to control the room temperature and therefore the energy consumption.

If you have any concerns please call us, we have experience in heating all sorts of different buildings and situations!

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Efficient office heating fitted in the suspended ceiling

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Efficient office heating solution can be fitted in the suspended ceiling.

Multiheat is a specialist provider of infrared heating panels specifically designed to fit into the suspended ceiling framework.

When decommissioning or stripping out old or ineffective heating systems the office layout can be rearranged to make better and full use of the entire floor and wall space, something that has previously been dictated by the heaters.

Any business re-fit should evoke a feel for your individual company alongside a professional atmosphere not jeopardised by unsightly heating systems but, these days, will also be concerned with carbon reduction.

Multiheat supplies drop in heaters that fit perfectly into the framework of your suspended ceiling, cabling is all hidden above, along with lighting and any other cabling, your electrician can simply wire up the heaters to a central programmer for complete heating control. The background warmth generated by infrared energy is welcoming and creates pleasant working conditions along with importantly reducing your energy consumption. Infrared heating panels have low energy use and are energy efficient.

Talk to us about reducing your office heating bills with an efficient infrared office heating solution.

Is area size the same as room size? Calculating which panel to buy.

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Is area size the same as room size?

Are you trying to calculate which panel to buy?

On our website we give the approximate area size that each of our panels will heat, that doesn’t mean to say that the largest room size can only be 17 square metres, oh no, split the room into areas and then you just need one panel per area. Let me explain.

Our heating panels give off warmth that can be pleasantly felt on the skin. The warmth is given off from the front of the panel and radiates across the room, just like a light bulb shining, now depending on the power of the light bulb and the size of the room, there may be areas that are not particularly well lit and there may also be areas cast in shadow. So, if we want good all over light in a very large space, we need to distribute more light bulbs across the area.

In a room of 4 metres by 4 metres heated by an 850 watt panel fitted centrally on the ceiling, the warmth can easily be felt on the skin when sitting anywhere and the air will be warmed equally across the entire space.

Now in a room of 3 metres by 7 metres with an office desk at either end we could say we now have two areas and a 600 watt panel above each workstation would provide plenty of direct warmth, or three small 350 watt panels distributed equally across the ceiling would provide even warmth. Our 850 watt panel would struggle to reach the farthest ends of this room.

Remember, infrared warmth can be felt on the skin and is very pleasant if you are sitting still, either when working or in leisure time. But the ultimate aim is to warm the room evenly and completely and therefore heating panels do need to be distributed equally over a larger space. Our small 350 watt panels fit into office suspended ceilings for creating all over warmth.

The Small Furry Hotel – is the most unusual place we have been asked to heat.

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The Small Furry Hotel – is the most unusual place we have been asked to heat.

At the Multiheat office we are quite used to dealing with questions about heating all sorts of different buildings and for very different requirements, from grand hotels or large offices to flats or garden rooms, but our latest project was quite a surprise!

We were asked if we could heat a hotel for animals, The Small Furry Hotel in Hampshire.  Madeleine Fear provides an excellent boarding facility for rabbits, guinea pigs and any other small animals whilst their owners are away on holiday. Some of these animals are usually be kept indoors at their own home so it was important for Madeleine to offer that same warm environment for the animals, so she asked us if our heaters would be right for the job.

Infrared heating panels are the ideal solution for heating a log cabin where the occupants need to feel gentle background warmth, the panel is fitted up on the ceiling with a switch so is out of the way from any hazards, especially where nibbling animals are concerned! The warmth shines down reaching all areas of the log cabin unlike hot blowing fans that create hot spots and draughts or bulky heaters which take up floor space. The panel will keep background warmth, it is on day and night to prevent the animals becoming too cold.

This infrared heating panel is only 350 watts, so will only be costing about 4 pence an hour to run, and, if on constantly for 24 hours a day that is less than £1 per day. When working in conjunction with a room thermostat, the panel will modulate and use far less power; we expect the costs on milder days to be just a few pence.

The Small Furry Hotel need never worry about their visitors feeling cold at night or that water may freeze when the outside temperature unexpectedly drops, and Madeleine herself will be comfortably warm whilst she is attending to her visitors.

Find out more about The Small Furry Hotel.

New efficient bathroom mirror heater

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New efficient bathroom mirror heater

Infrared heated mirror panels will soon be available from stock from Multiheat & Energy Systems Ltd. Electric mirror heating panels using infrared technology have a low energy consumption, costing just a few pence per hour to run. When left on for long periods infrared heating creates a warm welcoming environment, this method of home heating is very energy efficient and especially useful in the bathroom.

Attractive heated mirrors will not mist up plus they will warm the room. Infrared ray’s warm people and objects which in turn give off warmth to warm the air, in bathrooms this ensures the walls and floor are gently warmed too! Heating panels are IP 54 rated for safe use in bathrooms and wetrooms.  Made from glass with rounded edges and corners the mirror will sit in total just 2.5cm from the wall in a stylish frameless design which appears to be floating.

Mirror glass is made from ESG or German Einscheiben-Sicherheitsglass – one-pane safety glass. This kind of glass resists to impacts, extreme temperature changes and severe bending loads.  Your slim line mirror should be fitted high on the wall and cleverly hides the fact that it is the heater, avoiding the need for cumbersome fan or wall heaters and providing you with a large mist free and bright bathroom mirror.

Replacing storage heaters with new infrared heating panels.

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Replacing storage heaters with new infrared heating panels.

Storage heaters do become scratched and tired over time as they are positioned low on the wall and are often used for airing wet clothes or standing mugs on, thus bringing about wear and tear. New infrared heating panels fit high on the wall or on the ceiling and are very slim and discrete, these new panels are only 2.5cm deep from the wall.

Electric heaters using infrared technology provide gentle warmth to the whole room, warming people and objects which in turn give off warmth to heat the air; the warming infrared rays can be felt on the skin, just like sitting in the sun, plus there are no hot and cold spots or draughts as previously experienced with storage heaters. Air emerging from storage heaters could be very hot and stuffy, heaters blow out hot air which rises across the room and falls as cold air which is drawn across the floor towards the heater causing draughts, this movement of air also stirs dust and can contribute towards bronchial conditions.

New infrared heating panels are energy efficient using very little electrical energy, a 600 watt heater can be sufficient to heat a small room of about 12 square metres, and it will modulate to only draw power to maintain temperature so could be using far less energy.

Your electrician can take out the old storage heater and fit the new infrared heating panel quite simply. The new heater will not only look smarter but save you money on your electricity bills too.

Heather

The design benefits of having infrared heating in your home.

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Infrared heating panels fitted to the wall or ceiling provide a stylish heating solution maintaining the clean lines and clarity of modern decor.

We would all agree that radiators, storage heaters, boilers and pipe work are unsightly and take up valuable space in our homes, and whilst under floor heating has become popular for those completely refurbishing or newly building a property it is simply not viable in many situations.

Glass heating panels can look stunningly attractive set high on the wall like a picture and as part of the interior decor design theme, the polished surface reflects movement and light from within the room and the gently rounded corners soften the rectangular shape. Panels should be hard wired to a programmer to hide any cabling.

Heating panels positioned high on the wall or ceiling are designed to direct warmth across the room, meaning the furniture can be positioned wherever you like rather than being determined by the radiator layout, old radiators often get hidden behind the sofa and therefore struggle to throw out any heat at all. , there are no hot spots to the room or cold corners, no draughts or air circulation, no fans to create dust or dryness, no lights or switches to get damaged, no coated metal surfaces to become scratched. In fact you will hardly notice the heater is there other than the welcoming warmth.

Heather

Mirror panel – press release

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Specialist supplier Multiheat & Energy Systems Ltd of North Devon are launching a new mirror finish infrared heating panel this Autumn.

The new mirror heater is a welcome addition to their range, providing an excellent solution when retro fitting heating to bathrooms, cloakrooms, hallways or home office where there is limited space.

The 60cm square mirror is beautifully finished with rounded edges and no lights or switches to spoil the elegant appearance, once fitted, a hidden framework holds the mirror about 2.5cm away from the wall giving a floating effect. The heater can be hard wired or simply fitted into a standard plug socket. The product should not be confused with a heated mirror which simply does not mist up, this product is a room heater and will warm a room of about 8 square metres. The infrared heater will warm people and objects that in turn will warm the air, creating a warm welcoming room that you will want to remain in, plus the infrared technology will assist in the prevention of condensation, damp and mildew caused by cold walls and hot moist air. This form of heating is very energy efficient and costs just a few pence to run, panels modulate to only draw power when needed and therefore it is affordable to leave on constantly if required.

Multiheat are launching the new mirror heating panel following the success of their affordable white carbon fibre heating panels introduced into the UK some four years ago, these are now used in homes, the workplace and specified for therapy and hot yoga studios.

Posted in Infrared Heating

National Happiness Survey – are you happy with life?

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I read with interest this week that the Governments National Well Being Survey suggests that farmers are some of the happiest workers in the country. I can see the draw of working outdoors in the beautiful scenery, living and breathing a job you have always wanted to do, learning and continuing on from previous generations. But the reality is very long hours, muck and dirt, the vagaries of the British weather, uncertainty of crop harvest, drop in milk prices and therefore annual income.

So why should our farmers be happy with their lot? I think it comes down to expectations and emotional wellbeing, a farmer has to face whatever problems are thrown at him and deal with it! After a very wet start to summer, this week in Devon the weather has been scorching hot and our farmers are out round the clock cutting grass to make haylege and hay to feed the animals this winter, there can be no moaning, because the job must be done before any rain falls, this week of sunshine can mean make or break for a farms livelihood next winter. And after all that hard work, what greater satisfaction than a neatly cut field and barn full of bales neatly stacked and stored.

Farmers do get a lot of job satisfaction, but that is because they are very proud of what they and their families have achieved, they can appreciate all the hours of hard work that go into producing a tasty piece of beef or the milk on the kitchen table and fine looking dairy herd in the meadow.

Happiness is gained from recognising all the wonderful things around us, no matter how small, that  come together to create the vibrant world we live in, yes there are always things that could be changed for the better but sometimes we just need to get on and appreciate what we have got. Have a look around you now and see what makes you happy!

Ministers hope the research will be used to help guide young people in their career choices.

Posted in General | Tagged Happiness, north devon