Electric Heating and Hot Water Systems: Infrared Heating with Sunamp Thermino
Space heating and hot water without a gas boiler
Moving to an all-electric property means solving two separate requirements: how the building will be heated and how domestic hot water will be provided.
Infrared heating can provide the space-heating side of the system, with independent temperature control across different rooms and zones. A Sunamp Thermino heat battery can provide stored thermal energy for domestic hot water.
Together, they provide an alternative way to design an electric heating and hot-water system without a conventional gas boiler and wet central-heating circuit.
How does infrared heating with Thermino work?
Space heating and domestic hot water remain separate functions, but both form part of an electrically powered building.
Electricity enters the property
Electricity may come from the grid, on-site solar generation or a combination of available sources.
Infrared heats the rooms
Electric infrared heaters provide radiant space heating across individually controlled rooms and zones.
Thermino stores heat
The heat battery stores thermal energy using phase change material for subsequent domestic hot-water demand.
Controls manage demand
Heating schedules, thermostats and suitable energy controls can help coordinate when electricity is consumed.
Infrared heats the building. Thermino provides the hot water.
Understanding the role of each technology makes the system much easier to design.
Infrared Heating
Infrared heaters use electricity to deliver radiant energy to people and solid surfaces rather than relying primarily on heating and circulating room air.
- Independent room and zone control
- Wall and ceiling mounting options
- No water-filled radiators or heating pipework
- Suitable for whole-building or selected-zone heating
- Compatible with thermostatic and smart control options
Sunamp Thermino
Thermino stores thermal energy in phase change material rather than maintaining a conventional large cylinder of stored hot water.
- Compact thermal energy storage
- Designed for domestic hot-water applications
- Alternative to a conventional hot-water cylinder
- Can form part of an all-electric property
- Available in different capacities for different demands
What about solar PV and off-peak electricity?
An all-electric heating and hot-water system can be considered alongside solar PV, electricity tariffs and energy storage.
Solar-generated electricity can contribute towards electrical loads when generation is available. Time-of-use tariffs may also provide lower-priced electricity during specified periods, depending on the tariff.
The amount of solar electricity available and the most appropriate charging strategy depend on the property, season, energy demand, system configuration and controls.
Explore infrared heating with solar PV →Where could this type of system be considered?
The suitability of an infrared and Thermino system depends on the building's heating requirement, hot-water demand, electrical supply and intended use.
An option for properties where an all-electric system is required.
Space heating and hot water can be considered together during the electrical design.
Compact equipment can be useful where plant and storage space is limited.
Can be considered where removal or replacement of an existing heating system is planned.
Project-specific heating and hot-water demand should be assessed before specification.
Correct sizing matters on both sides of the system
The infrared heating system and Thermino should not be sized using the same calculation.
Space-heating requirements depend on the building and its heat loss. Hot-water storage requirements depend on expected domestic hot-water demand.
For larger properties or more complex installations, both should be considered as part of the overall electrical and energy design.
A different approach to an all-electric property
Rather than reproducing a conventional boiler-and-cylinder system with electric alternatives, infrared and thermal storage allow space heating and hot water to be designed as separate electrical functions.
The system does not require a gas boiler or combustion-based space-heating appliance.
Infrared room heating does not require water-filled radiators and heating pipework throughout the property.
Thermino uses phase change thermal storage rather than a conventional large stored-water cylinder.
Infrared heaters can be divided into separate zones with individual temperature control.
Solar PV, suitable tariffs and energy storage can be considered alongside the heating and hot-water system.
Space heating and hot-water capacity can be specified according to their own requirements.
Explore the technologies in more detail
Planning an all-electric heating and hot-water system?
Start by calculating the heating requirement for your rooms and explore our Sunamp Thermino range. For larger projects, our team can help with infrared heater selection, positioning and system requirements.
