Is Infrared Heating a Good Option for Buildings Without Gas Supply?

How common are properties without mains gas?

Being off the gas grid is far from unusual, particularly in rural Britain.

Government figures indicate that many of these properties currently rely on alternatives including oil, LPG, solid fuel and electricity.

The challenge is therefore not simply finding a replacement for gas. It is deciding which heating technology best matches the building, its occupants and its pattern of use.

Why heating a building without gas can be challenging

Off-gas properties can range from modern flats to remote rural houses, churches, halls, workshops and large heritage buildings.

Each can present very different heating challenges.

• There may be no existing wet central-heating system
• Oil or LPG may require on-site fuel storage and deliveries
• Older buildings may be difficult to retrofit
• Some properties have high ceilings or large internal volumes
• Buildings may only be occupied at certain times
• Electrical capacity needs to be considered for electric heating
• Heat loss can be substantial in older or poorly insulated buildings

These factors make system design more important than simply choosing a fuel.

How does infrared heating work?

Infrared heating is a form of direct electric radiant heating.

Whereas many conventional radiators transfer much of their heat to surrounding air through convection, infrared heaters provide a greater proportion of their heat through radiation.

Radiant energy travels from the heater and is absorbed by people and surfaces within its field of radiation. Those surfaces warm and subsequently contribute heat to the room.

This difference can be particularly useful where targeted or zoned heating is required.

If you want a deeper explanation of the technology behind this process, see How Do Infrared Heaters Work?

Why infrared heating can suit buildings without gas

No boiler, flue or heating-fuel storage

One of the clearest differences between infrared and oil, LPG or gas central heating is the equipment required to generate and distribute the heat.

Electric infrared heaters do not require a combustion boiler, heating-oil tank, LPG tank or boiler flue.

They also do not require a hot-water radiator circuit solely to distribute room heating.

This can simplify installation considerably in the right property, although the electrical installation still needs to be properly assessed and suitable for the total connected heating load.

Infrared heating for retrofit and existing buildings

Retrofitting a complete wet heating system into an existing property can involve pipe routes, radiator locations and space for central plant.

Infrared heating provides another approach because the heaters can be installed at the point where heat is required.

Depending on the heater and building, this may involve wall-mounted panels, ceiling-mounted panels or higher-output bar heaters.

This can be useful in buildings where reducing physical intervention is important, including some older, heritage and community properties.

Practical examples can be seen on our Church Heating Solutions page.

Where can infrared heating make particular sense?

Zoning can be particularly useful in intermittently used buildings

Not every building needs every room heated to the same temperature at the same time.

A village hall may have different areas occupied throughout the week. A workshop may only require certain working zones to be heated. A home may have bedrooms, offices and living areas following different schedules.

Infrared heating can be divided into separate thermostatically controlled zones so that heating operation can follow how the building is actually being used.

Good controls matter here. Heating an unoccupied room unnecessarily still consumes energy regardless of which heating technology is installed.

Are infrared heating running costs more predictable than oil or LPG?

One practical advantage of electric heating is that electricity consumption can be calculated directly from the connected heater wattage and operating time.

For example, a 1kW heater operating continuously for one hour consumes 1kWh of electricity.

This makes it straightforward to calculate the heater's maximum active running cost from the electricity tariff.

Oil and LPG work differently because fuel is purchased and stored separately and prices can change between deliveries.

For a broader comparison, see Is Infrared Heating Cheaper Than Gas Heating in the UK?

Can infrared heating work with solar PV?

Yes. Because infrared heating uses electricity, electricity generated by a solar PV system can contribute towards the property's overall electrical demand while the panels are generating.

How much of the heating demand can actually be met by solar PV depends on factors including:

• Solar array size
• Time of year
• Weather and solar generation
• Heating demand
• When the heating is operating
• Whether battery storage is installed

Solar PV generation is typically much lower during the winter months when space-heating demand is highest, so it should not be assumed that solar panels alone will power an infrared heating system throughout winter.

You can learn more about this approach on Infrared Heating and Solar PV.

What about hot water in a gas-free building?

Space heating is only one part of moving away from gas. A property also needs a suitable way to provide domestic hot water.

Electric hot water cylinders are one option. Heat batteries such as Sunamp Thermino provide another approach, storing thermal energy for domestic hot water in a compact thermal store.

In buildings without mains gas, traditional hot water cylinders are not always the most efficient or practical option. Heat batteries such as Sunamp Thermino provide an alternative that aligns better with electric-only systems and renewable energy. If you are deciding between a heat battery and a cylinder, our article Why Choose a Sunamp Thermino Heat Battery Instead of a Hot Water Cylinder? explores the advantages and limitations of each approach.

In gas-free buildings, hot water provision is just as important as space heating. Many projects now combine infrared heating with heat batteries to create a fully electric solution. Our guide on Infrared Heating with Sunamp Thermino explains how these systems work together and when they are most effective.

How does infrared compare with other gas-free heating options?

There is no single heating technology that is automatically best for every off-grid property. Each option has different strengths.

Infrared heating vs oil heating

Oil remains common in rural areas without mains gas. It can provide whole-house central heating through a familiar boiler and radiator system.

However, it also requires fuel storage, deliveries, a combustion appliance and appropriate servicing.

Infrared removes those particular requirements and provides an all-electric alternative, but whether it costs less to operate will depend on electricity prices, oil prices, building heat demand and how each system is controlled.

Infrared heating vs LPG

LPG can provide a gas-style boiler system to properties without a mains gas connection.

As with oil, it requires a fuel supply and storage arrangement. Infrared heating instead uses the property's electricity supply and can remove the need for a central combustion boiler.

The decision therefore involves more than running cost alone. Installation complexity, fuel storage, maintenance, controls and the building's usage pattern should all be considered.

Infrared vs electric convection heaters

Both infrared heaters and conventional electric convection heaters are forms of direct electric heating.

The principal difference is how they transfer heat into the room. Convection heaters primarily warm surrounding air, while infrared heaters provide a greater proportion of heat through radiation to people and surfaces.

Since both use electrical resistance to generate heat, it would be misleading to claim that infrared automatically uses less electricity simply because it is infrared.

System sizing, zoning, controls and the comfort conditions being maintained determine actual consumption.

For a detailed comparison, see Infrared vs Convection Heaters.

Is infrared heating suitable for large or high-ceiling buildings without gas?

It can be particularly useful in some large or high-ceiling spaces because radiant heating does not depend solely on warming the complete volume of room air before occupants can feel warmth.

In buildings such as churches, halls and workshops, the ability to direct radiant heat towards occupied areas can be valuable.

However, large buildings need careful system design. Heater output, mounting height, radiant coverage, heat loss and occupancy patterns all affect performance.

You can explore this in more detail in Infrared Heating for High Ceilings.

What should you check before choosing infrared heating?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Infrared Heating a Good Option Without Gas? The Bottom Line

Infrared heating can be a strong option for a building without mains gas, particularly where simple electric heating, room-by-room zoning, radiant warmth or reduced dependence on central heating pipework and fuel storage are priorities.

It can be especially relevant to rural properties, retrofit projects, heritage buildings and intermittently occupied spaces.

But infrared should not automatically be described as the cheapest heating technology. Direct electric running costs, building heat loss, alternative technologies and electrical capacity all need to be considered.

The best starting point is to calculate the heating requirement of the building and then compare suitable systems on installation cost, running cost, control, maintenance and how well they suit the way the building is actually used.