Electric infrared heater technical information.

Infrared heaters can be used in a variety of different situations, in fact almost any place where people need to feel warm, however infrared heating differs from convection heating, and with a better understanding of how infrared works you should then be able to get  better efficiency from your heater.

Infrared heating panels can have  either a carbon fibre surface or glass.  Carbon fibre is strong and lightweight and the matt white surface blends well on ceilings, our glass panels are attractive without any frame and can be used to decorative effect in the home or office on the wall or ceiling, glass allows infrared energy to pass through it. The surface does get hot similar to a radiator but the heating panel should be fitted high on the wall and away from touch. On the reverse side is an aluminium backing and fixing framework. Sandwiched between is a  nano silver technology layer that creates the infrared energy wavelengths, this is a type of invisible light, which is why we suggest you position the panel high up, just like a light bulb or the sun!

Infrared heating is not new, it has been available for many years in Europe and has only become popular in the UK in the past five years. Panel efficiency and choice of design has been improving as manufacturers expand. Near or medium wave infrared heaters are costly to use as they consume more electricity and create infrared which is intense and not comfortable for indoor applications however far infrared heating panels can now generate infrared energy at the wavelength which is almost perfect for the human body to  absorb and feel comfortable with.

Our bodies naturally absorb and emit infrared energy. We absorb infrared warmth from the sun, when the sun goes behind a cloud the air temperature does not suddenly drop it is just that we can no longer feel the infrared rays from the sun. The air temperature gradually rises as people and objects warm up and give off warmth to warm the air. Our bodies use this infrared energy to increase blood flow around the body, taking with it warmth, oxygen and aiding bodily processes. Along with transferring warmth throughout the whole body this can also help the healing process of tissues. Healing hands, infrared heat lamps and saunas have been used for many years to alleviate soreness and muscle damage and recently developed thermal imaging cameras can digitally pin point where damage has occurred and show the extent of infrared heat build up to assist medical practitioners in their diagnosis and treatment. Infrared warmth is a natural part of our lives and bodily process and therefore when infrared energy is provided to us in the optimum wavelength our bodies can feel comfortable. People emit infrared energy too, from a warming hug to hot sweaty bodies in the gym, we give of infrared warmth naturally. Rescue services use thermal imaging cameras to find people by picking up the infrared energy they  are giving off.

Domestic infrared heating panels provide very gentle warmth and we do not claim to any health benefits other than the fact that direct warmth feels nice and is far more comfortable than some hot air heating which can dry and scorch the air causing drowsiness and aggravating bronchial conditions.

Direct warmth from an infrared heating panel will cause atoms within an object to vibrate, this vibration causes heat. The rise in temperature is only small but significant enough to raise the air temperature. For example: if you were to put a number of hot items into the fridge it would raise the air temperature in the fridge, and if you put a number of frozen items into the fridge it would lower the air temperature.

Infrared heating panels can be left on for long periods of time to maintain warmth in a room, especially old or damp buildings, and as the energy consumption is very low the costs are minimal.  Where condensation on the walls is a problem  from the cold stonework meeting warm air infrared heaters can really help to warm the walls helping to prevent the problem. In modern well built and insulated homes the heating might only need to be on when the room is use with very little warm up time. New internal wall insulation prevents warm air or infrared energy passing through to be chilled by the outside wall so larger savings on fuel costs can be made here. This type of home improvement is not hugely expensive and can be done whilst redecorating and when used with infrared heating can make significant savings.

We do suggest you experiment with your new heating panels and the programming to find out how quickly the room heats up and how quickly it cools down once the heating is turned off, this will give you a better idea for programming more efficiently and effectively, remember infrared is different to hot air heating and will need programming accordingly. You may find the thermostat can be turned down by one or two degrees because infrared warmth can be felt on the skin.