Infrared Heating in Ireland & Northern Ireland: A Guide for Homes and Businesses

In short: Infrared heating warms people and objects directly with radiant heat rather than warming the air, so rooms feel comfortable faster and you only heat the spaces you use. It converts almost 100% of the electricity it draws into usable heat, runs silently with no pipes or maintenance, and works equally well in a single room at home or across a commercial building zone by zone. It suits well-insulated, all-electric, or hard-to-heat spaces best - especially when paired with smart controls or solar panels.

What is infrared heating and how does it work?

Infrared heating uses electromagnetic waves to transfer heat directly to solid objects - floors, walls, furniture and people - instead of heating the air around them. It is the same gentle warmth you feel from the sun on a cold but clear day.

Because the heat is absorbed by the room's surfaces, those surfaces then radiate warmth back, so the comfort lasts and is more even than the warm-at-the-top, cold-at-the-floor feeling of convection radiators. Infrared panels have no fans, no moving parts and no water, which means they are silent and effectively maintenance-free.

Gaia supplies several infrared formats, including aluminium panels, mirror heaters, glass heaters and towel rails, so a unit can blend into any room or commercial setting.

Is infrared heating efficient?

Yes - at the point of use, infrared is as efficient as electric heating gets. The panel converts close to 100% of the electricity it consumes into radiant heat, with virtually no waste. In practice, because infrared warms objects rather than constantly reheating moving air, it can use roughly 30-50% less energy than a standard electric convection heater for the same sense of comfort.

The important nuance: electricity costs more per unit than gas, so infrared delivers the best value when you heat room by room, in well-insulated spaces, or as part of an all-electric or solar-powered home rather than trying to heat a draughty whole building on full blast.

How much does infrared heating cost to run in Ireland?

Running cost is simple to estimate with one formula:

Panel size (kW) x hours used x electricity unit price = daily cost

With electricity at roughly €0.35 per kWh in the Republic of Ireland in 2026 (and broadly comparable rates in Northern Ireland under the shared Single Electricity Market), a typical 600W panel used for 5 hours a day costs about:

• 0.6 kW x 5 hours x €0.35 = ~ €1.05 per day, or roughly €31 per month while in use.

Because each panel is controlled independently, you are never paying to heat rooms nobody is in - which is where the real savings come from compared with firing a central system for the whole property.

Infrared heating for homes

For Irish and Northern Irish homes, infrared works particularly well for:

• Extensions, garden rooms and conservatories that are expensive to plumb into central heating.
• Bathrooms, using mirror and towel-rail panels that heat and double as fixtures.
• Older or hard-to-heat rooms prone to cold spots, damp and mould - radiant heat warms surfaces and helps keep them dry.
• All-electric and well-insulated new builds, especially alongside solar PV.

Each room can run on its own schedule, so a home office is warm by 9am and a bedroom only heats in the evening.

Infrared heating for commercial properties

Infrared is increasingly specified across Irish and NI commercial settings because it is zoned, silent and low-maintenance:

• Offices and studios - comfortable, draught-free warmth without noisy blowers.
• Hospitality, hotels and B&Bs - discreet panels and mirrors that heat individual rooms only when occupied.
• Care homes - gentle, consistent radiant warmth with no hot surfaces of a traditional radiator and no system noise.
• Retail, salons and clinics - fast, targeted heat for customer-facing areas.

Paired with smart controls, a facilities manager can schedule and monitor heating zone by zone across a whole building.

Are there grants for infrared heating?

Be aware that infrared panels themselves are not covered by the main home-energy grants. In the Republic, SEAI grants are aimed at measures such as heat pumps, insulation and heating controls (there is a €700 Heating Controls Upgrade Grant for qualifying homes). In Northern Ireland, support runs through separate schemes such as NISEP and Affordable Warmth. Always check current eligibility before you buy - but choose infrared for its comfort, zoning and low running profile rather than for grant funding.

Key takeaways

• Infrared warms objects and people directly, giving fast, even, comfortable heat.
• Nearly 100% efficient at point of use; can use 30-50% less energy than convection electric heaters.
• Cheapest to run when zoned room by room and used in insulated spaces or with solar.
• Works for homes (extensions, bathrooms, cold rooms) and commercial sites (offices, hotels, care homes).
• Silent, no maintenance, no pipes - and even better with smart controls.

Find the right infrared heater

Gaia Smart Energy supplies infrared panels, mirror heaters, glass heaters and towel rails for homes and businesses across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Explore our infrared heating range or get in touch for advice on sizing the right solution for your space.

Frequently asked questions

Is infrared heating any good for Irish homes?

Yes. Infrared suits the Irish and NI climate well for room-by-room heating, especially in extensions, bathrooms and older rooms that suffer from cold spots and damp. It gives fast, comfortable radiant warmth and works best in well-insulated or all-electric homes.

Is infrared heating cheaper than gas?

Per unit, electricity costs more than gas, so infrared is not automatically cheaper for heating a whole house. However, because it is nearly 100% efficient and heats only the rooms you use, it can be more economical for zoned, supplementary or all-electric heating - and it avoids gas standing charges and boiler maintenance.

How much does infrared heating cost to run?

Multiply the panel size in kilowatts by hours used by your electricity unit price. At about €0.35/kWh, a 600W panel running 5 hours a day costs roughly €1.05 per day.

Does infrared heating help with damp and mould?

Yes. By warming walls and surfaces directly rather than just the air, infrared helps keep surfaces above the dew point, reducing condensation and the damp conditions mould needs.

Is infrared heating safe and low maintenance?

Infrared panels have no moving parts, fans or water, so they are silent and effectively maintenance-free. Surface temperatures are designed to be safe for everyday environments, including care settings.

Can infrared heating be used in commercial buildings?

Absolutely. It is widely used in offices, hotels, B&Bs, care homes, salons and retail because it can be zoned per room and managed centrally with smart controls.

Do you get a grant for infrared heating in Ireland?

Infrared panels are not covered by the main SEAI grants, which focus on heat pumps, insulation and heating controls. Smart heating controls may qualify for the €700 SEAI Heating Controls Upgrade Grant in the Republic; NI has separate schemes.