Why IR Heating is the Cost Efficient Solution to Your High Energy Bill

With energy prices soaring and the push for sustainable living growing, infrared heating has emerged as a game-changing solution for efficient home heating. Whether you’re a homeowner, landlord, or business owner, understanding the cost-efficiency of infrared heaters can help you significantly reduce your energy bills while enjoying a more comfortable living environment.

What is Infrared Heating?

Unlike traditional convection heaters that warm the air, infrared heaters emit radiant heat, directly warming objects, walls, and people. This process is not only faster but also far more energy-efficient, as there’s minimal heat loss, even in draughty spaces.

How Does Infrared Heating Save Me Money?

Infrared heaters offer significant savings on energy bills for several reasons:

• Lower Running Costs Compared to Traditional Heating: The running costs of infrared heating are considerably lower than gas, oil, or electric convection systems. With instant heat delivery and targeted warmth, you consume less energy overall. Infrared heaters often operate at 30-50% less energy consumption, meaning substantial long-term savings.
• Installation and Maintenance: Simple and Cost-Efficient: Infrared panels are easy to install, whether wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted. Unlike gas boilers, there’s no pipework, no servicing, and minimal maintenance. This reduces both upfront and ongoing costs.

• Energy Efficiency and Eco-Friendliness: Infrared heaters convert 100% of electricity into heat. When paired with solar PV systems, they can operate at zero emissions, making them an eco-friendly heating solution. Plus, by reducing dampness and mould, infrared heat contributes to a healthier indoor environment.

• Efficient Radiant Heat: Infrared heaters emit radiant heat that directly warms objects and people in a room, rather than heating the air. This results in minimal heat loss and due to their efficiency they use less wattage per heater compared to convection-based methods
• Long Lifespan and Low Maintenance: Infrared radiant panels have exceptionally long lifespans and require no maintenance, eliminating the need for regular servicing. Installation is quick and easy for a professional electrician which also reduces labour costs 
• Targeted Heating for Specific Spaces: In commercial settings such as garages, warehouses, and industrial units, infrared heating is highly cost-effective. Infrared heat allows heaters to be directed towards workspaces, delivering heat precisely where it's needed most. This targeted approach ensures efficient heating without wasting energy on unoccupied areas.
  
• Zoned Heating with Thermostats: Pairing infrared heaters with thermostats enables zoned heating, where different areas of the home can be heated independently based on occupancy and comfort requirements. This zoning capability allows homeowners to adjust temperatures and create heating schedules, optimising energy usage and further reducing costs.
  

Ideal for Residential and Commercial Use

From home heating in conservatories, living rooms, and bathrooms to commercial applications in offices, retail spaces, and warehouses, infrared heating panels are versatile and effective. Their sleek design also adds a modern touch to any interior.

Why Switch to Infrared Heating Now?

• Reduce energy bills
• Improve heating efficiency
• Enjoy maintenance-free heating
• Support sustainable living

Example Case Study: Cost Analysis for a 3-Bedroom Home

See the example case study for a larger than average 3 bedroom home in the UK - based on on decent insulation on a house built between 1930 and 1980 - with a size of approx 102m2

1. The usage of heating is based on government figures of average use per day and year of approx 5.6 months 
2. The calculation of electricity cost is based on UK average of 25p pkwh
3. To calculate the cost per year: Hours usage per day x Heating days per year x (wattage / 1000) x Price per KWh.

As shown above, it would cost approx £2130 to purchase Infrared heating across a full 3 bedroom house. The costs of running these heaters would be under £800 per year. These figures are based on a bigger than average sized 3 bedroom house

The cost of installation and additional thermostats is not included. Smart thermostats will save additional running costs as they would switch off when the required temperature is reached. We would recommend installing thermostats per room for additional savings, and only warming up rooms which are in use rather then the full home, would mean additional savings.

Homes with really good insulation would require less wattage panels and therefore would save even further

Comparing Infrared Heating to Other Methods

Compared to Air Source heat pumps which would cost around £10,000 to install, plus the additional costs of insulation to ensure the heat pump works properly, this would be a very expensive solution to your heating

On the other hand, traditional gas heating may be cheaper per kwh, however according to average figures it would cost around £1000 to run gas radiators per year. If you include the additional costs of maintenance of the boiler then these costs are higher

However, your gas-powered unit will be working to heat up the entire home—even rooms that aren’t in use. If your house is draughty, your unit is constantly kicking on, or you’re having to crank up the heat just to fully warm up the biggest rooms, the expenses can really add up. 

Potential Savings and Considerations

• Improving Insulation: Enhancing the insulation of the house can significantly reduce heating costs. Adding loft insulation, double glazing, and wall insulation are common measures.
• Off-Peak Electricity Rates: Some electricity providers offer cheaper rates during off-peak hours, which can be leveraged to reduce costs.
• Renewable Energy Sources: Installing solar panels can offset some of the electricity consumption, reducing overall costs.

Conclusion

Infrared heaters are fairly inexpensive compared to other forms of heating, and many homeowners can afford to install a few around the home. Choosing infrared heating for your home or commercial building might be the best decision you’ve ever made when it comes to taking control of your energy usage.

At Infrared Heating Supplies, we are not only the largest retailer of IR heating supplies, we believe we are a valuable online resource for our customers looking into infrared heating. We don’t simply want to sell you a heating system- we’d like to make sure it’s one that meets your needs and proves to be a cost-efficient solution for your home or business.

You can get a better idea of which of our products will best heat your spaces by using our Wattage Calculator. Just enter the dimensions of the room you plan to heat, select the property type, and use the total watts calculated to browse our inventory for the right size and style of panels.

In the event that you have unconventional heating needs, such as a warehouse, church, school, or other type of space where a traditional heater would be inefficient, give us a call or contact us and ask to speak with one of our infrared product advisors.