WHAT ARE INFRARED HEATERS?

Infrared heaters are heaters which use electromagnetic radiation of infrared rays to heat up solid objects and surfaces in its vicinity. They emit infrared rays which range from 700 nm to 1 mm in wavelength. These rays mimic the sun rays in all ways, just that they don’t have the harmful UV radiation in them. These heaters are available as portable heaters which can be just plugged and run anywhere and also as infrared heating panels and heaters which have to be mounted in the rooms.

Infrared heaters are considered as very energy efficient as they consume very less electricity compared to other types of heaters. Their energy conversion rate is also very high as they convert almost all the electricity into radiation.

Infrared heaters are of different types based on the wavelength of the rays they produce. They are classified as near-infrared, short wavelength infrared, medium wavelength infrared, long wavelength infrared and far-infrared. They glow with an orange glow which varies in intensity depending on its wavelength.

They use a wide range of elements to produce the infrared rays and its desired heating. Some use metal coils and filaments, quartz, tungsten, nichrome, etc. The whole heater might get heated up along with these.

HOW DO INFRARED HEATERS WORK?

Infrared heaters work in the principle of electromagnetic radiation. They are also called radiant heaters because of this characteristic. They use a variety of elements from metal to quartz tubes to emit infrared rays. The radiation and the wavelength of the rays produced depend on the material used to produce them and also determine the effectiveness of the heaters. They come in both portable models and mounting types.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A SPACE HEATER?

There are a lot of things that you must know before buying an infrared heater for your house. First, the space that you wish to heat must be measured to decide which model will suit your need best. Infrared heaters are best for smaller rooms of a standard shape. You will need multiple heaters in the same room if the size is big. The insulation arrangements of the room does not matter much here as only solid objects and surfaces are going to be heated through them. So you can save costs that you spend in insulation.

Apart from the size of the space, your budget and the usage of the room also have to be considered before buying an infrared heater. Most of the models come with the basic features and safety procedures. The advanced models will have more options for you to choose on the features you wish to have.

ARE INFRARED HEATERS ENERGY EFFICIENT?

Infrared heaters are definitely energy efficient that it’s other counterparts. The basic principle it employs itself makes it simple and effective to use and understand. These heaters do not waste energy in heating the air in the room in which they are fixed, nor have they any need to circulate the heated air through fans. They just convert most of the electricity used into electromagnetic radiation and radiate them towards the space around. When these rays hit solid objects and solid surfaces, they get heated up. Thus, you will feel warm under an infrared heater even though the air around you is still very cold.

HOW TO GET THE OPTIMUM OUTPUT TO CONSERVE ENERGY?

If you spend most of the time in the same room, you can get an infrared heater fixed to the wall. If you spend equal amount of time in all the rooms, portable infrared heaters will help you set in for a very low cost. They are very easy to move and carry and can just be set in any place, without having to check the insulation settings each room has.

Another best buy feature in the infrared heaters is that they have additional radiators and reflectors which help secondary radiation helping you get more heat out of the same heater setting.

ARE INFRARED HEATERS WORTHY ENOUGH FOR THE MONEY IT COSTS?

Users of infrared heaters have felt a drop in their electricity by $0.40 per day on an average. This adds up to a big amount in the monthly and then the yearly calculations. They have a long life compared to the other heaters, which is an added advantage. Since these models do not have many moving parts, they require very less or no maintenance for years together. The additional features in these heaters like air purifier and humidifier just save you the amount that you spend on these solutions separately.

ARE INFRARED HEATERS SAFE?

Infrared heaters are safer than any other heater models. In the space heaters, the heating up of air and pumping of hot air into the space makes the air loose its humidity and moisture. This causes health issues with most people. Infrared heaters do not heat up the air or pump in hot air into the space. Hence they do not alter the moisture content or the humidity in the living space. They absolutely mimic the sun rays minus the harmful UV radiation.

Another point to consider is that they do not use any combustion to achieve heating. Hence, there is no residue left or unwanted harmful emissions caused due to this type of heaters. Overall, the infrared heaters are safer than the other types of heaters.