Infrared heating is a relatively new concept among the home heating options, as it has become more popular only in the last fifteen years, especially in some European countries like Germany, France, and the UK. However, in the last couple of years it has spread globally, even in the less developed countries.
Although it has experienced the above-mentioned boom recently, this type of heating existed… well, since the creation of the world. Surprised? You shouldn’t be, as its biggest source is the Sun itself. Have you ever felt warm even on a freezy day in the middle of winter when you go out? Common sense would tell us that if the outside temperature is low, we should also feel cold. Yet, we aren’t – and the main reason for this is infrared rays. They travel unimpeded and warm up every single object they hit, including our bodies.
To put it simply, infrared is a form of energy emission with electromagnetic radiation as its key process. The same principle applies to this type of warming at homes, but before we see what its benefits are, let’s see the difference between this and the conventional one.
Conventional heating works by warming up the air around us. At first, the warm air rises up and, with time, as it starts to cool down, it drops down back to the ground level. This process keeps repeating again and again. On the other hand, infrared is emitted from the heater and then travels undisturbed through the air until it hits an object, which then absorbs the radiation, producing warmth eventually. If the waves come in contact with a human body, they’ll touch us only a little bit, but enough to provide a feeling of pleasure. They will radiate it onto all objects in pretty much the same way the sun would.
Now that we explained how it works, in the further text, we give you seven reasons why you should consider using infrared panels for heating purposes.
1. Quick warming
We already explained the process of traditional and IR systems, and said that the infrared ones provide even spread of warmth.
While radiators, for example, take time to warm up a room, infrared gives almost an immediate effect so you don’t need to wait for it to reach a comfortable temperature. This happens precisely because of IR panels that have almost instant effect.
However, another side to that benefit says that, when the panels are turned off, the hotness subsides more quickly as well, unlike conventional radiators for instance.
2. Lower costs
The costs of running an IR panel are substantially less than the conventional system. It’s evidenced that an average IR panel produces the same level of warmth as a three times ‘stronger’ conventional one. This means that you can significantly lower your costs, which will affect positively on your home budget.
It’s also good to know that there’s a smaller cost difference between an IR system and a gas-powered system, mainly because of the lower gas price.
3. Infrared panels reduce mold
We already explained the concept of the panels and mentioned that objects in the room are heated in addition to the air around them. Because of this, they can be directed towards damp walls and help by drying them out – and this would reduce the formation of mold.
Again, they have the same effect as the sun, so using such units feels like taking advantage of the effective power of the sun in your own home. It’s also important to mention that the cause of the mold issue should be solved first before using the units to reduce damp.
4. Ease of installation
IR boards simply run on electricity so there’s no need for additional and complex systems of pipes or boilers. They take less time to install than the conventional ones, and just because they are so convenient and easy to install and run, you can choose to place them across the entire house or only a separate room. – it’s all up to you. Some companies like futofolia.hu even produce aesthetically designed boards so they fit into furniture, or even hang from a wall like mirrors!
5. IR boards are healthier
Since IR waves don’t rely on air as on a transmission medium, like the conventional systems do, there’s less circulation in the air which means that allergens and dust don’t circulate around. People with breathing issues or respiratory diseases would certainly benefit from this. There are also confirmations that, since the IR heat is absorbed by the body directly, it also improves blood circulation.
6. Maximizing living space and great flexibility
IR boards can help you maximize living space and also improve heating depending on where they are placed.
Unlike radiators that need to be installed on the floor, which can take a lot of precious space, the IR ones can hang from the ceiling so you don’t lose any floor area. Placed like this, they also provide much more coverage than the ones fixed on a wall, for example. Yet, they are very thin – so even if they’re placed on a wall they won’t take too much space.
7. High quality and low maintenance
If you decide to keep going with the IR heating panels, you can rest assured that they’ll likely last for a long time. Also, if you purchase a high-quality board, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll need any maintenance in the warranty period. And even if so, they are very easy to maintain and only need to be replaced every five to ten years. That’s the reason why most companies that sell these will provide a warranty period from 5 years (for the common ones) to 10 years (for more quality ones).
From everything that has been said so far, it’s evident that infrared heating panels are the most energy-efficient warming solution for households. If you opt for this method, you should, however, ensure that you purchase a right-sized panel, in order to make your house area more cosy and not to waste any energy. We hope our list of perks has at least made you wish to try these and that you’ll remember all these benefits while building your home!
