infrared radiant heating

[Christine Hough]

Just been talking with a builder about converting a room into a kitchen diner,and it will mean moving the radiator.

That itself is not a problem, but I am toying with installing a radiant heater instead. They claim to be cheaper, healthier and quick to warm a room up, and can be built into a mirror, picture, roof or wall panel.

BUT it seems like a fairly new technology and I wondered if anyone here has tried them?

 

[Excel Expert]

I would be interested in this as well - I have a room that is a nightmare to heat as it is above an open space (we all live on the side of hills in the valleys and split level houses like this are common)

 

[Christine Hough]

One of many suppliers
http://www.welltherm.co.uk/products?gclid=CO_wwZL66MACFSEcwwodSkYAJQ

 

[Excel Expert]

Thanks Christine - I will check them out

Never really considered that type of solution before. I was looking at some kind of underfloor heating in that room as that is where the cold is coming in from.

 

[MOIC]

This technology has been around for a few years and is also suitable for underfloor heating using ceramic beads.

It also has a low carbon footprint.

It's a case of moving with technology as well as finding solutions for problematic heating areas.

 

[Psl]

The new infra red radiant heating technology has certainly taken the renewables/energy efficiency sectors by storm. It's a great technology and extremely efficient.

There only a few manufacturers in the UK at present but I suspect there will be more.

I have looked at a number of the manufacturers and this is the company that I will be doing business with as their range is quite superior to any other that I have found and their pricing is right, as far as I am concerned.

http://www.herschel-infrared.com/

I will be offering their product range as a distributor because I do come across premises that do not have wet heating systems and therefore have no use for our product.

I would recommend having them fitted, especially in new builds, extensions and conservatories. I currently have a vector heater in my conservatory and I am waiting delivery of my new infrared radiant panel.

If you have solar PV fitted as well, then you can essentially produce free heat with the infrared radiant panels.

 

[Paul Brooke]

I had a meeting with Spencer yesterday (Sales manager at Herschel ) Great for commercial. The product does what it says on the tin. Just not impressed looks for domestic. Imagine a flat pvcu door panel in your room... not something I would want. yYes they can go on a ceiling and the mirrored version in the bathroom is certainly well worthy looking at... but how many people would want a square white panel on their wall? I wouldn't for sure. The technology and savings are great. I am sure they will get it right for domestic homes but at the moment they will admit their market is commercial and not reallyt domestic
Give it time

 

[Psl]

I had a meeting with Spencer yesterday (Sales manager at Herschel ) Great for commercial. The product does what it says on the tin. Just not impressed looks for domestic. Imagine a flat pvcu door panel in your room... not something I would want. yYes they can go on a ceiling and the mirrored version in the bathroom is certainly well worthy looking at... but how many people would want a square white panel on their wall? I wouldn't for sure. The technology and savings are great. I am sure they will get it right for domestic homes but at the moment they will admit their market is commercial and not reallyt domestic
Give it time

Paul, I agree with you and in time the aesthetics of the panels for the domestic market will come on leaps and bounds. But if you look at the domestic market now, in particular the electric convector heating units normally installed in conservatories, as mine is, then there is a market for a straight 'swap'. That is why I mentioned new builds, extensions and conservatories.

How many people would want a square panel on their wall? Well, it is the decision of saving money or aesthetics of the room.

I don't see people ripping out wet heating systems to install radiant panels, but I do see new properties having extensions built installing solar PV and radiant panels. and solar thermal installed. New builds will have solar PV, radiant panels and solar thermal as standard very soon as the house building sector has got the fabric and air tightness of properties nearly as good as a Passivhaus.
http://www.passivhaus.org.uk/standard.jsp?id=122

The cost per unit for a Passivhaus does need to drop though compared to traditional build costs.

 

[WillLoxley]

I had a meeting with Spencer yesterday (Sales manager at Herschel ) Great for commercial. The product does what it says on the tin. Just not impressed looks for domestic. Imagine a flat pvcu door panel in your room... not something I would want. yYes they can go on a ceiling and the mirrored version in the bathroom is certainly well worthy looking at... but how many people would want a square white panel on their wall? I wouldn't for sure. The technology and savings are great. I am sure they will get it right for domestic homes but at the moment they will admit their market is commercial and not reallyt domestic
Give it time

How large do they have to be compared to radiators?

 

[Paul Brooke]

Depends on the size of the room you are wishing to heat. They are comparable in size to radiators I would guess. I only saw one sample. I do like the mirror one for the bathroom though. No misting up, no mould growth. I am sure they will be the future due to the benefits they have... but I won't be having one in my front room quite yet.... but if you have an office, shop etc...then ideal

 

[WillLoxley]

Depends on the size of the room you are wishing to heat. They are comparable in size to radiators I would guess. I only saw one sample. I do like the mirror one for the bathroom though. No misting up, no mould growth. I am sure they will be the future due to the benefits they have... but I won't be having one in my front room quite yet.... but if you have an office, shop etc...then ideal

Well that's sort of the point I was getting at. If they're a similar size to radiators then what's the issue? I assume it's because they're located differently when mounted.
Also the mirror finish one mounted on the ceiling could work in bedrooms too : D

 

[Matt1959]

my experience of infra red heating is I HATE it. Maybe the technology has moved on since I had them in a work place years ago but they heat the body ie you, not the area so you get the sensation of being warm but actually the room is cold. Just foul for a domestic enviroment, absoloutely horrible form of heating unless as I said the technology has changed...

 

[MOIC]

my experience of infra red heating is I HATE it. Maybe the technology has moved on since I had them in a work place years ago but they heat the body ie you, not the area so you get the sensation of being warm but actually the room is cold. Just foul for a domestic enviroment, absoloutely horrible form of heating unless as I said the technology has changed...

Infrared heating is totally diferent from Infrared radiant heating.

2 different technologies.

I agree with your comments regarding Infrared heating, and this is only designed to give direct heat at a specific area where the heater is pointing and with only a specific distance.

They are also very very expensive to use from an electricicity cost point of view.

Infrared radiant heating is totally different

 

[Christine Hough]

For domestic use, Is there any reason why the technology could not be built into covings or skirtings?

The total area of covings in a room would be equivalent to a radiator area, if not larger.