Do Infrared Heaters Need a Thermostat? A Complete Control Guide
Choosing the right infrared heaters is only one part of designing an effective heating system. You also need a way to control when the heaters operate and the temperature each room should maintain.
For normal room heating, appropriate thermostatic control should form part of the infrared heating system.
Does an Infrared Heater Need a Thermostat?
An infrared heater can produce heat whenever electrical power is supplied, but for normal space-heating applications you need an appropriate control system to regulate room temperature and operating times.
Depending on the heater, that control may be provided by a built-in thermostat or by a suitable external thermostat.
The important point is that the thermostat is not what determines how much heating capacity the room requires.
First size the heating correctly. Then use thermostatic control to manage that heating output.
Why Use a Thermostat with Infrared Heating?
The thermostat provides temperature control for the room or heating zone.
Rather than simply leaving the heater energised regardless of room conditions, the control system can call for heating when required and stop calling for heat once the control conditions are satisfied.
Depending on the particular thermostat or heater, additional functions may include:
- Target temperature control
- Heating schedules
- Different temperatures at different times
- Manual adjustments
- Remote or smart control where supported
The exact functions depend on the specific control product, so don't assume every thermostat or infrared heater has Wi-Fi, app control or the same programming features.
A Thermostat Does Not Fix an Undersized Heating System
The thermostat controls the heating capacity you have installed.
It cannot create additional heat output.
If a room requires more heating capacity than the installed heaters can provide, changing the thermostat setting does not solve the underlying sizing problem.
The correct order is:
- Calculate the room's heating requirement
- Select sufficient heater output
- Plan heater quantity and positioning
- Choose the appropriate control arrangement
Start with What Size Infrared Heater Do I Need? if you haven't established the required wattage yet.
Built-In Thermostat vs External Thermostat
Infrared heaters can be controlled in different ways depending on the particular product.
Two common approaches are a heater with its own built-in temperature control or a standard heater controlled through an appropriate external thermostat.
| Control Type | Built-In Thermostat | External Thermostat |
|---|---|---|
| Where control sits | Integrated with the heater | Separate from the heater |
| Individual heater control | Can suit heaters intended to operate independently | Can control appropriately wired heater(s) within the designed heating zone |
| Centralised control | Each heater has its own integrated control arrangement | Can provide a separate control point for an appropriately designed zone |
| Installation | Depends on the specific heater and electrical requirements | Requires an appropriate electrical/control arrangement |
| Smart functions | Only where the particular heater supports them | Only where the selected thermostat supports them |
We cover this choice in greater depth in our Built-In Thermostat vs Non-Thermostat Infrared Heaters guide.
When Can a Built-In Thermostat Make Sense?
A heater with built-in temperature control can be useful where you want that particular heater to have its own control arrangement.
This can suit applications where heaters are intended to operate independently rather than as one centrally controlled group.
For example, different rooms in a property may have completely different schedules.
A bedroom may need heat at different times from a home office, while a spare room may only be used occasionally.
Individual control can allow those spaces to be treated separately.
Built-in thermostat does not automatically mean Wi-Fi. Only describe a heater as having Wi-Fi or app control when that specific model includes those functions.
When Can an External Thermostat Make Sense?
An external thermostat can be useful where standard infrared heaters are being incorporated into a separate room or zone control arrangement.
This can provide a dedicated control point away from the heater itself.
For larger installations, this can also make it easier to design the heating around defined rooms or zones rather than treating every heater as an unrelated appliance.
IHS supplies the Netmostat and infrared heating controls for suitable infrared heating installations.
The electrical arrangement needs to be suitable for the heaters and thermostat being used.
Don't Assume One Thermostat Can Independently Control the Whole House
This is particularly important when planning whole-house infrared heating.
A thermostat controls the heating connected to its control arrangement as a zone.
If several separate rooms need different temperatures or schedules, they need appropriate independent control arrangements.
For example, you may want:
- Living room — one temperature and schedule
- Kitchen — a different schedule
- Main bedroom — independent control
- Home office — working-hours schedule
- Spare room — occasional heating
One thermostat should not be treated as though it can provide independent temperature control to all of those separate rooms.
Why Room-by-Room Control Matters
Different rooms are rarely occupied in exactly the same way.
This makes zoning particularly useful for an electric heating system.
Evening Heating
The main living space may need most of its heating during the afternoon and evening.
Daytime Heating
A home office may be occupied throughout working hours while the rest of the property follows a different schedule.
Separate Schedule
Bedrooms often need a different heating pattern from daytime living spaces.
Occasional Use
A room used infrequently does not necessarily need to follow the same heating schedule as regularly occupied areas.
A suitable control design lets the heating strategy reflect those differences.
Can Infrared Heating Be Controlled by Wi-Fi?
Yes, where the heater or external thermostat being used includes compatible Wi-Fi or smart-control functionality.
Depending on the specific product, smart control may allow functions such as remote adjustments and heating schedules.
However, Wi-Fi is a control feature. It does not change the fundamental heating requirement of the room.
A 700W heater does not become a more powerful heater because it has an app.
Smart control is about managing when the installed heating operates — not increasing its output.
Can a Thermostat Reduce Infrared Heating Energy Use?
A thermostat can help avoid unnecessary heater operation by controlling heating according to the room temperature and programmed schedule.
But it is important not to turn that into a fixed savings claim.
Actual energy use still depends on:
- Installed heater wattage
- Room heat loss
- Target temperature
- Heating schedule
- Occupancy
- Outdoor conditions
- Electricity tariff
The thermostat controls how long the heating operates, while the building determines how quickly heat is lost and therefore how often more heating is required.
For a fuller explanation, read our Infrared Heating Running Costs guide.
How Many Thermostats Do I Need for a Whole House?
There is no fixed number that applies to every property.
Instead, think about how many independently controlled rooms or heating zones you require.
A simple approach is:
List the Heated Rooms
Identify each room that will have infrared heating.
Identify Different Schedules
Decide which rooms need different temperatures or operating times.
Define the Heating Zones
Rooms requiring independent control should be designed with the appropriate independent control arrangement.
Select the Appropriate Controls
Decide whether built-in heater controls or suitable external thermostats better fit the project.
Plan the Electrical Installation
Make sure the proposed heaters, thermostats and electrical arrangement are designed appropriately for the installation.
If you're planning an entire property, also read Can Infrared Heating Heat a Whole House?.
Can One Thermostat Control Multiple Infrared Heaters?
Multiple heaters can potentially form part of the same appropriately designed heating zone.
However, whether a particular thermostat can control a particular group of heaters depends on the electrical load and the way the system is designed and wired.
You should therefore not simply connect additional heaters to a thermostat without checking the electrical requirements of the thermostat and installation.
Multiple heaters in one zone is not the same as independently controlling multiple rooms. Heaters grouped under the same control arrangement respond as that zone; separate room control requires an appropriately separated control design.
Choose Heater Quantity Before Finalising the Controls
Before deciding the thermostat arrangement, establish how much heating output each room requires and how that output will be distributed.
A room might use one heater or several heaters depending on its required output, layout and suitable mounting positions.
Read How Many Infrared Panels Do I Need? once you know the required wattage.
If you're still establishing that wattage, start with What Size Infrared Heater Do I Need?.
Wall or Ceiling Heating Still Needs Appropriate Control
Thermostatic control is relevant whether your infrared heaters are mounted on suitable walls or ceilings.
Mounting position and control perform different jobs:
- Heater position affects how the radiant output is directed into the space
- Thermostatic control manages when heating is required
Both should be considered during system design.
For heater positioning, read Ceiling vs Wall-Mounted Infrared Panels.
Follow the Decisions in the Right Order
If you're designing infrared heating from scratch, use this order:
1. Required wattage → 2. Heater quantity → 3. Heater position → 4. Thermostat/control → 5. Electrical installation.
That gives you a much more coherent system than choosing a thermostat first and then trying to build the heating around it.
The final part of this series is our How Much Does It Cost to Install Infrared Heating in a House? guide.
Infrared Heater Thermostat FAQs
Do infrared heaters need a thermostat?
For normal room heating, appropriate thermostatic control should form part of the system so room temperature and heater operation can be controlled. Depending on the heater, this may be built into the unit or provided by a suitable external thermostat.
Can infrared heaters have built-in thermostats?
Yes. Some infrared heaters include built-in temperature controls, while other models are designed to be used with a suitable external control arrangement.
Can I use a smart thermostat with infrared heating?
Infrared heating can use smart control where the selected heater or external thermostat provides compatible smart functionality and the electrical installation is suitable.
Can one thermostat control several infrared heaters?
Multiple heaters can potentially form part of one appropriately designed heating zone, but the thermostat, electrical load and wiring arrangement must be suitable for the installation.
Can one thermostat control several rooms?
Heaters can potentially be grouped into one heating zone, but that does not provide independent room temperatures. Separate rooms that require independent temperatures or schedules need an appropriately separated control arrangement.
Does a thermostat make an infrared heater more powerful?
No. A thermostat controls when the installed heating operates. It does not increase the heater's rated output or compensate for insufficient heating capacity.
Does Wi-Fi make infrared heating more efficient?
Wi-Fi itself does not change the heater's electrical conversion or rated output. Smart controls can help manage temperatures and schedules, but actual energy use depends on the building, settings, occupancy and heating demand.
Should I choose the thermostat before choosing the infrared heaters?
It is generally better to establish the room's heating requirement, heater output, quantity and intended zones first, then select an appropriate control arrangement for that system.
Planning Your Infrared Heating Controls?
Start with the heating requirement and room layout, then choose the control arrangement that fits how each space will actually be used.
Correct sizing, sensible zoning and appropriate thermostat control should work together as one heating system.
Read our Complete Infrared Heating Guide, explore our infrared heating ranges, or speak to the IHS team about your heating controls →