Is Infrared Heating Worth It? An Honest UK Guide
Infrared heating can be an excellent fit for some homes and buildings, but whether it is worth it for you depends on far more than the price of an infrared panel.
The building's heat requirement, electricity tariff, heater positioning, controls, installation and how individual rooms are actually used all affect the answer.
So, Is Infrared Heating Actually Worth It?
Infrared heating can be worth considering when you want an all-electric system, effective room-by-room control, radiant heat and a heating system that does not require a central boiler and water-filled radiator network.
It can be particularly relevant to properties without gas, renovations where installing new wet heating would be disruptive, intermittently occupied buildings and projects where individual heating zones are important.
However, infrared is direct electric heating. Electricity costs, correct sizing and appropriate positioning therefore matter, and it should not be assumed to be the lowest-running-cost solution for every property.
What Does “Worth It” Actually Mean?
Two homeowners can ask whether infrared heating is worth it and actually be asking completely different questions.
One may be asking:
“Will it reduce my heating bill?”
Another may mean:
“Can I heat my home without installing a boiler and radiators?”
Another might simply want independent heating in a garden room, extension, home office or property without gas.
So the sensible way to judge infrared heating is across several factors rather than looking for one universal yes-or-no answer.
| Question | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Purchase | Cost of the heaters, controls and required accessories |
| Installation | Mounting, electrical requirements and complexity of the project |
| Running cost | Installed wattage, operating hours, tariff, heat loss and controls |
| Comfort | Correct output, radiant coverage and heater positioning |
| Control | How individual rooms or heating zones will be managed |
| Property fit | Whether infrared suits the building and how it is occupied |
When Infrared Heating Can Be Worth It
You Don't Have Gas
If a property does not have a gas connection, the choice is already between different forms of electric or other non-gas heating.
Infrared can provide an all-electric space-heating option without requiring a central water-filled heating network.
You Want Independent Room Control
Different rooms are rarely occupied identically.
Bedrooms, home offices, guest rooms and living areas can have very different schedules.
With an appropriately designed control arrangement, infrared heating can be divided into separate rooms or heating zones rather than requiring the entire property to follow one heating schedule.
You Want to Avoid Installing a Wet Heating System
A conventional central heating system can require a boiler or other heat source, pipework and emitters throughout the property.
Infrared space heating uses electricity at the heater, which can make it relevant where installing a new water-filled heating network would be undesirable.
Electrical requirements still need to be assessed properly, particularly for larger installations.
You Have Intermittently Used Rooms
Some spaces are occupied for only part of the day or week.
Home offices, meeting rooms, halls, churches, workshops and guest rooms are obvious examples.
Independent heating control can be useful where there is little reason for every part of the building to follow the same schedule.
You Value Flexible Heater Placement
Depending on the specific product, infrared heating can be incorporated through wall panels, suitable ceiling panels, mirror heaters, glass panels, bar heaters and portable options.
That can provide useful design flexibility when planning heating around furniture and available room surfaces.
Is Infrared Heating Worth It for Lower Bills?
This needs a more careful answer than simply saying infrared heating is “cheap to run”.
Infrared is direct electric heating. A 1kW infrared heater drawing full power for one hour consumes 1kWh of electricity.
Where a properly designed infrared system can potentially change overall consumption is through heater sizing, room-by-room control, heating schedules and how much of the building actually needs heating at a particular time.
But that does not mean infrared automatically costs less to run than gas heating or a correctly designed heat pump.
See our complete infrared heating running-cost guide for a more detailed explanation.
Infrared Heating vs Other Heating Systems
Whether infrared is worth choosing depends partly on what you are replacing or comparing it with.
Infrared vs Gas Central Heating
Gas and electricity have different unit costs, so infrared should not automatically be assumed to be cheaper simply because it heats differently.
Infrared does, however, avoid the need for a gas-fired space-heating boiler and water-filled radiator distribution system.
Read our infrared heating vs gas heating cost comparison.
Infrared vs Heat Pumps
Heat pumps operate differently from direct electric heaters and can deliver more useful heat than the electrical energy they consume under suitable conditions.
Infrared's potential advantages lie elsewhere, including radiant heat delivery, zoning and a comparatively straightforward electric space-heating arrangement.
See our infrared vs air source heat pump guide or our heat pump running-cost comparison.
Infrared vs Traditional Heating
Comparing only the price of a heater can be misleading. Installation, distribution, controls, servicing requirements and the way the building is used can all affect the overall decision.
Our infrared vs traditional heating guide looks at the wider differences.
Your Property Can Matter More Than the Heater
A heating system has to replace the heat a building loses.
That means factors such as the following can substantially affect the required heater output:
- Room dimensions
- Ceiling height
- Insulation
- Glazing
- External walls
- Building age and construction
- How the room is used
This is why we do not recommend selecting an infrared heater using one universal “watts per square metre” figure.
A small but poorly insulated room can require a different heating approach from a similarly sized room in a well-insulated modern property.
Before judging the cost of infrared heating, calculate the heat requirement first. Otherwise you are comparing systems without knowing how much heating the property actually needs.
You can estimate the required output using the IHS Wattage Calculator.
Thermostats Can Make or Break the System
Heater output is only half of the equation.
The control system determines when heating operates and what temperature each controlled area is trying to maintain.
Depending on the product, an infrared system may use built-in thermostatic control or an appropriate external thermostat arrangement.
Importantly, independent rooms or zones require an appropriate independent control arrangement. One thermostat should not be assumed to provide independent temperature control across several separate rooms.
Our built-in thermostat vs non-thermostat infrared heater guide explains the options in more detail.
Is Infrared Heating Worth It for Easier Installation?
Infrared heating does not require a central space-heating boiler or water-filled radiator network.
That can simplify some projects, particularly when compared with installing an entirely new wet heating system.
But it should not be interpreted as meaning every infrared heater can simply be attached to a wall and plugged in.
Installation requirements vary between products. Some require professional electrical installation, particular mounting positions or specific control arrangements.
For the practical side, see our infrared heater installation guide.
Who Is Infrared Heating Most Likely to Suit?
Infrared Could Be a Good Fit If...
- You want an all-electric space-heating system
- Your property has no gas supply
- Room-by-room control is important
- You want to avoid new space-heating pipework
- Different rooms have different occupancy schedules
- You have suitable heater positions
- You need quiet fixed-panel heating
- You are heating an intermittently used space
Look Closely at Alternatives If...
- Your property has very high heat loss
- Your sole priority is minimum purchased electricity
- You are considering a suitable heat pump
- You have limited usable wall or ceiling positions
- Your electrical supply may constrain the required load
- You want one heater to cover multiple separated rooms
- You haven't yet calculated the property's heat requirement
Don't Buy the Panels First and Calculate Later
One of the biggest mistakes when considering infrared heating is starting with a heater and then trying to work out whether it is enough for the room.
The process should run in the opposite direction:
- Understand the room and building
- Estimate the required heating output
- Choose suitable heater positions
- Decide how the area will be controlled
- Then select the appropriate heater or combination of heaters
This matters particularly when infrared is being considered for several rooms or an entire property.
Fixed or Portable Infrared Heating?
Whether infrared is worth the investment also depends on what you need the heater to do.
A fixed wall-mounted panel can form part of a planned room-heating system, while portable infrared heating prioritises flexibility and the ability to move the heater between suitable locations.
Neither approach is automatically better.
Read our wall-mounted vs portable infrared heater comparison if you're deciding between the two.
6 Questions to Ask Before Buying Infrared Heating
How much heating output does the room actually need?
Calculate the requirement before selecting heater sizes.
Where can the heaters be positioned?
Think about room layout, furniture, available surfaces and the area requiring radiant coverage.
How often is each room actually occupied?
This helps determine whether independent schedules and zoning could be useful.
How will the heating be controlled?
Plan thermostats and zones alongside the heaters rather than afterwards.
What are you comparing infrared against?
Compare complete heating systems rather than comparing one infrared panel with one boiler, radiator or heat-pump component.
What will the complete system cost to operate?
Consider output, expected operating time, controls and electricity tariff rather than relying on a generic running-cost claim.
Is Infrared Heating Worth It? FAQs
Is infrared heating worth the money?
It can be when the characteristics of infrared heating suit the property and its usage. The decision should consider purchase cost, installation, required output, running costs, controls and what alternative system would otherwise be installed.
Is infrared heating expensive to run?
Infrared is direct electric heating, so running cost depends on the heater's electrical input, operating time and electricity tariff. Whole-system consumption is also affected by heat loss, thermostat settings, schedules and zoning.
Can infrared heating replace central heating?
Infrared can be designed as a multi-room space-heating system, but replacing an existing central heating system requires appropriate sizing, heater distribution, electrical planning and controls across the property.
Is infrared heating worth it in a well-insulated house?
Better insulation generally reduces the amount of heat a building needs to replace. The heating requirement should still be calculated for the individual property before selecting the system.
Is infrared heating worth it without gas?
Infrared can be particularly relevant when a property requires an all-electric space-heating solution, but it should still be compared with other appropriate electric heating options for the building.
What are the disadvantages of infrared heating?
Important considerations include electricity cost, correct heater sizing, positioning, electrical requirements and suitable thermostatic control. See our infrared heating pros and cons guide for the full comparison.
Find Out Whether Infrared Heating Works for Your Property
Don't start by choosing a panel. Start with the building.
Work out the heating requirement, decide where the heaters could be positioned and plan the controls before selecting the final products.
Read the Complete Infrared Heating Guide, review the pros and cons of infrared heating, calculate your requirements with our Wattage Calculator, browse our infrared heating collections or speak to the IHS team about your project →