There’s nothing like a cold, bright, clear crisp winters day with the bright sunshine warming your bones. Odd thing is, when you think about it, it seems strange that with all that bright, crisp, cold air that you feel any warmth at all from the sun. We feel the sun, even on those freezing days, thanks to the way in which the rays from our closest star reach us. Heat and light travel through space in infra-red rays and heat up any object they meet. In this case that includes the planet, buildings and us. The process of electromagnetic radiation sounds scary enough until you realise we’ve been using the great nuclear reactor in the sky since before we were fully human. In recent years, in the increasingly desperate search for efficient and effective ways to heat our homes, the ideas of using electromagnetic radiation to achieve this end has become increasingly popular and in a whole new generation of electric heating systems have been developed.
Curtain Up on Far Infra-red Heating
Suggesting that you pop an electromagnetic radiation source on your wall may sound slightly worrying, but the technology behind ‘far infra-red' heating is very similar to that traditional room/planet heater better known as the sun. This new generation of electrical heating systems work on a completely different basis to older electrical heating systems and offer significant benefits. Like the sun the far infrared heater generates infra-red waves on a lower wavelength than light. Heat is not generated in the air itself, but in the objects that the infra-red rays encounter. In the context of commercial and domestic heating these objects include the structure of a building and/or people. It’s a highly effective and fast form of heating and also has the advantage that the heated walls of a building then proceed to gently radiate the heat back into the room. If you’ve ever stood by a brick wall in the evening after sunset and felt the heat ‘radiating’ off the wall you’ll get the picture.
Low Energy Heating
This process means that heat is transferred directly to the building (and/or you) and that heat then ‘bleeds’ back into the room. Heating the structure directly eliminates both damp and mould which can make it a more effective and healthier way in which to heat a space. Traditional heaters (of every kind) heat the air first and gradually, if left on long enough, the fabric of the building as well. However, with far infra-red technology this process is reversed, requiring far less energy to heat the structure and keep the air temperature at an ambient temperature.
Is it Safe?
Well, given that we’ve been using infra-red technology for millennia and have survived as a species it’s fairly well road tested. Infra-red waves are a form of radiation but a naturally occurring one which the sun generates and far infra-red technology uses the same principles. We even emit infra-red rays ourselves (search and rescue services use this fact to locate people with a heat seeking device) so it’s safe to say we’re used to them! Radiation is a much-maligned word (with some fairly good reasons) but it’s actually a natural process which simply describes the way in which energy is emitted. In the case of far infra-red technology it’s a perfectly safe way to heat your home.
Cost Efficient Solutions
Compared to conventional electrical heating systems infra-red heating is far cheaper to run. While electrical heating systems are not considered the cheapest to run (or the most green technology) going, far infra-red has been accepted for inclusion in the ‘Green Deal’ government scheme in recognition of the fact that it offers an energy efficient heating solution. In fact, the technology offers up to sixty per cent savings in terms of traditional electrical heating systems. Thanks to the way in which they work a far infra-red heater requires a lower rating to provide the same level of heat as a traditional system. As an example a unit rated at 600 watts can provide the same level of heat as a 1500 watt rated traditional convection heater. For each hour that the respective systems are run the far infra-red heater will use only 0.6 units of electricity compared to 1.5 units in a traditional system.
Healthy Heating and Happy Homes
As mentioned above, unlike traditional heaters this type of system does not make use of convection to heat an area. This process where the heat source warms the air means that air circulates constantly, stirring up microscopic dust particles as it does so. Infra-red systems don’t create this convection effect and are recommended for their positive health benefits for those suffering from asthma and other similar conditions. By heating the walls and structure of the building the walls themselves also benefit – remaining dry, eliminating condensation and moulds which, again, can have significant health benefits.
Aesthetically Pleasing
Most heating systems leave something to be desired when it comes to good-looks. Although radiators can be hidden away behind intricate fretwork they’re often sat there looking distinctly functional in our otherwise beautifully designed homes. Far infra-red heating consists of panels that are discreet and even better, they can be disguised. Many companies produce panels that appear to be a painting and you can even buy ‘mirror’ panels. These, as the name implies, act as mirrors but are in fact heating panels. The latter are particularly good ways to combine an efficient heater into any room, with minimal visual effect.
Rocket Science?
Installation is easy - at least it is if you know how to plug electrical equipment in. This is one of the beauties of the system and makes it suitable for a range of solutions. Either as a single heat source in a room that’s ‘off-grid’ as far as the rest of your heating system goes, or as a solution for a whole property far infra-red heaters need no experience to fit. Without the need to install completely new wiring or pipes and plumbing they’re really a plug-and-go-solution like traditional electrical convection heaters, but without the hassle.
Like so many great technological innovations, far infra-red heating panels are a simple, elegant and straightforward solution, combining technology and science to create solutions to age old problems. For many properties, or rooms, where other heating is not an option, far infra-red panels can offer the perfect, discreet and highly efficient solution.
About the author:
Jason Hind is a self-build and DIY enthusiast; here he looks at a surprising new use for radiation (of the safe kind) in heating technologies.
