Infrared heating
The future of energy efficient electric heating.
Infrared heating: The future of energy efficient electric heating.
Commercial and domestic properties are increasingly switching from older fossil fuel-dependent heating systems, to infrared heating. If you have convection, storage, or underfloor heating, or even patio heaters, then infrared heating could help you reduce your heating bills.
Infrared heating is the future of energy efficient electric heating. It is a sustainable, fully controllable and stylish way to heat your home or business.
Infrared heating is swiftly growing in popularity for many reason, learn more below.
- Infrared heating is Energy efficient, low carbon, cost effective, easy installed, space-saving with a wide variety of aesthetic designs and can offer health benefits!
Jigsaw’s infrared heaters are more energy-efficient, greener and smarter than traditional heaters. They require no water, no gas and no maintenance.
Infrared heating is NOT an all-or-nothing system. You can choose to install a single panel OR replace your entire heating system.
What is infrared heating?
Infrared heaters work by converting electricity into radiant heat.
The heater panels transfer heat directly from the heater to the object without heating the air in between. Heat passes by radiant heat waves until an object (like you) absorbs that heat.
The way infrared heating works is essentially the same as the natural heating effects of the sun. When the infrared energy of the sun shines on a surface such as sand on the beach, or a stone wall, that surface absorbs the infrared energy and heats up. It then radiates that heat back, effectively functioning as a warmed thermal mass which has the effect of a large radiator.
As it does not heat the surrounding air, infrared heating allows a quicker, more comfortable and more cost-effective method of heating, compared to more traditional methods.
The feeling of heat from an infrared heater is similar to the feeling of stepping into sunshine.
What is an infrared heater? How does the heater work?
An infrared heater is a simple unit that is placed on the wall or ceiling. The heater comes in various forms: a slim white panel; a mirror; coloured glass (in a choice of 10 vibrant colours); customisable picture prints, and high quality aluminium.
- The heater has no moving parts or fans, and makes no noise.
- Radiant heat waves travel directly from the heater to the objects and people in the room, and are absorbed by those objects.
- The room instantly feels comfortable and cosy, because the heat is radiated everywhere. The heat does not rise to the ceiling (where we don’t need it) as it would with traditional convection heating.
How does infrared heating differ from other forms of heating?
What is meant by 'traditional convection heating'?
- The term “convection heating” refers to a type of heater that uses convection currents to heat and circulate air within a room.
- Several types of radiators and heaters fall under the heading of “traditional convection heating”: standard ‘wet’ radiators (heated by oil or gas), electric storage heaters, electric fan heaters, oil-filled electric heaters, etc.
- The primary difference between convection and infrared heaters is the way in which they transfer heat.
Traditional convection heater
Infrared heater
Warms the surrounding air, rather than objects and people in the room.
The spread of heat is uneven and slow. Heat rises to the ceiling where it is not needed, and easily escapes through draughts. The air can feel stuffy.
Less energy efficient, because a convection heater needs to heat large volumes of air.
Less environmentally friendly.
More expensive. At least a third more energy is required to heat a room using convection heating.
Can cause, prolong and aggravate various health issues (allergies, respiratory issues, circulation). These problems arise because convection heaters heat the air rather than the objects. This circulates dust particles around a room, and creates condensation and mould when warm air is moved towards cold surfaces such as windows.
Warms the objects and people in the room directly, rather than the surrounding air.
The spread of heat is even and almost instant. The radiant heat waves transfer directly to objects and people in the room and are instantly absorbed by them. The feeling is similar to stepping into sunshine.
More energy efficient, because it converts all of the electricity it uses into heat.
Better for the environment– carbon neutral; almost zero energy wastage. A great partner for additional green measures such as solar panels. [For further information, see the section on ‘Low Carbon Heating’.]
More cost effective. As infrared heaters can heat the objects rather than the air, they do not waste energy in the way that convection heaters do.
Has multiple health benefits and can tackle the many health issues impacted by convection heating. This is because infrared heaters heat the objects in a room rather than the surrounding air. [For further information, see the section on health benefits.]
The many benefits of infrared heating
Warms the surrounding air, rather than objects and people in the room.
The spread of heat is uneven and slow. Heat rises to the ceiling where it is not needed, and easily escapes through draughts. The air can feel stuffy.
Less energy efficient, because a convection heater needs to heat large volumes of air.
Less environmentally friendly.
More expensive. At least a third more energy is required to heat a room using convection heating.
Can cause, prolong and aggravate various health issues (allergies, respiratory issues, circulation). These problems arise because convection heaters heat the air rather than the objects. This circulates dust particles around a room, and creates condensation and mould when warm air is moved towards cold surfaces such as windows.
Infrared heater
Warms the objects and people in the room directly, rather than the surrounding air.
The spread of heat is even and almost instant. The radiant heat waves transfer directly to objects and people in the room and are instantly absorbed by them. The feeling is similar to stepping into sunshine.
More energy efficient, because it converts all of the electricity it uses into heat.
Better for the environment– carbon neutral; almost zero energy wastage. A great partner for additional green measures such as solar panels. [For further information, see the section on ‘Low Carbon Heating’.]
More cost effective. As infrared heaters can heat the objects rather than the air, they do not waste energy in the way that convection heaters do.
Has multiple health benefits and can tackle the many health issues impacted by convection heating. This is because infrared heaters heat the objects in a room rather than the surrounding air. [For further information, see the section on health benefits.]
More benefits of infrared heating
Design
Freedom to simply install one panel, or an entire system? Choice of materials, sizes and aesthetic designs. Ease of installation. Space-saving.
LOW CARBON, SUSTAINABLE HEATING
The decarbonisation of heating is an essential step in the response to climate change. If we are to meet our carbon reduction targets, the way we live must change. A crucial step in this change is the phasing out of gas and oil boilers in our homes and businesses, in favour of low carbon heating solutions.
- Fossil fuels (gas and oil) are not long term options, and so we must make a permanent change towards sustainable heating options.
- Simply put, the more steps you take to limit heat loss in your home or business, the less energy you will use to heat it.
Incorporating infrared with green energy production
- Electric heating is carbon neutral when powered by renewable electricity.
- Although it is not a renewable energy in itself, infrared heating can be incorporated with green energy production such as that from solar panels, to produce an even more carbon efficient approach to heating a particular space.
Combining infrared heaters with solar PV battery storage
- Battery storage is a rapidly evolving technology, and is typically used alongside solar photovoltaic panels (PV). Surplus electricity generated by your solar panels can be stored for later use (e.g. at night and when it is raining), rather than being exported to the National Grid. This means that your infrared heaters can be entirely heated by your solar-generated electricity, reducing both your running costs and the environmental impact. You can be entirely independent from the grid.
- By charging your batteries during off peak times (typically 12am to 7am) you can avail of cheaper electricity, and then use the stored energy to heat your house and power your appliances.
What makes infrared a more sustainable option than some other heating systems?
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- Air or Ground Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs and GSHPs) are an impractical option for many people for a number of reasons, including the high cost of install, ongoing maintenance, and the noise and space requirements. ASHPs may also struggle to provide sufficient heat on particularly cold days in winter. And because ASHPs are central units, they suffer similar drawbacks to boiler-based central heating, as they do not allow for effective zoned heating.
- Traditional convection heaters must heat the air in a room, while infrared heaters heat the objects and people in the room directly. This important difference results in a significant contrast in the amount of energy used by the two heating systems. For instance, air– which convection heating relies on– is not a good insulator. A lot of energy is therefore needed by convection heaters to constantly reheat the air in the room, because once the room becomes cold, our bodies will lose heat also. This is why convection heating results in energy wastage, compared to infrared heating.
- With traditional heaters, 30-35% of the heat is lost through the roof, and 18-25% through the wall. By contrast, infrared heating will not pass through building material because the infrared wavelengths are too opaque.
- Infrared panels are electric, and convert all the electricity they use into heat, leading to low energy usage. This means they are more energy efficient, and create a smaller carbon footprint, than traditional convection heating.
- Another reason infrared heaters are energy efficient is that very little energy is required to heat the surface of a panel. Once the room is warm, the infrared heater only needs to maintain the surface temperature, rather than having to heat all of the air in the room as a traditional heater must do.
- Infrared heaters do not emit any harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide into a room. Essentially, they do not add anything to the environment, and don’t take anything from it either.
COST EFFECTIVE
- Jigsaw’s energy-efficient infrared heaters are proven to be at least 30% more efficient than convection heating. This means that you can enjoy a consistent, comfortable warmth throughout your home or business in a more cost-effective way.
- Further savings can be gained by adding smart heating controls, and/or by incorporating green energy production such as solar panels.
- Infrared heating also reduces heating costs considerably, because it creates the benefit of zoned heating which gives you control to only heat up the areas in your home or business that you wish to be heated. You will no longer need to preheat a room, because infrared heat works instantly.
- Unlike traditional convection heating which causes significant energy wastage and additional running costs, infrared converts all electricity into heat, resulting in a more cost effective system.
How is it installed?
- Infrared heaters are placed differently in a room than traditional heaters, because they transfer heat in a different way.
- Traditional heaters will heat the surrounding air, and are placed in the coldest part of the room because the heat rises. By contrast, infrared heaters will directly heat objects in a room rather than the surrounding air, and so they should be wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted.
- Infrared panels have a slimline structure which gives them the added benefit of being space-saving.
Where should your infrared heaters be placed?
How does the installation process work?
SIX SIMPLE STEPS
1. Contact us
2. Measure Up
(a) Take some measurements, or
(b) Send us your plans
Don’t worry, we’ll tell you exactly what we need.
3. Specification
Our engineers will calculate the panels needed for your project. We’ll present this to you in an easy-to-read way.
4. Your Choices
Now you know what’s needed, you can choose the heaters to match your style. There’s a wide range to choose from. This is the exciting part!
5. Installation
Two ways to install:
(a) Our team of professional Infrared Heating electricians.
(b) We can support your own electrician.
6. Your Feedback
Our job is only complete when you are 100% happy with our service and your new energy efficient home. We’re here to support you.
Adding Genius Hub smart controls to your Jigsaw infrared heaters
Adding Genius Hub’s smart heating controls to your infrared heater gives you even more control over your energy costs. Each heater is controlled individually with its own smart thermostat, allowing you full control over how you heat your individual rooms.
Download the app to your devices and control each room independently from anywhere in the world. Enjoy the many user-friendly, smart features of the latest energy-saving technology:
- Set rooms to different temperatures as required, at the touch of a button;
- Set a heating schedule;
- Use the Smart Occupancy Detection feature to set a room to heat when someone enters;
- Boost a room;
- Allow manual thermostat control.
Why choose infrared for your business?
More and more businesses and commercial properties are switching their old, fossil fuel-dependent heating systems for the cheaper and cleaner option of infrared heating. Several factors make it a viable alternative heating system for your business:
- Reduced maintenance costs.
- Reduced energy costs
- More efficient and carbon neutral.
- Ease of installation.
- Infrared panels can fit into a suspended ceiling grid, replacing an existing ceiling tile, making it unobtrusive and space-saving.
- Further control of costs is made possible with the addition of smart thermostats and smart heating controls.
- Can be incorporated with green energy production such as solar panels.
- Allows cost-reducing control of individual heating zones within a property, as needed.
Product Gallery
Infrared heater with customisable picture print.
360w round mirrored infrared heaters installed in bathroom by Gaia Smart Energy
800w mirrored infrared panel installed in bathroom installed by Gaia Smart Energy
Mirrored infrared panel installed in bathroom installed by Gaia Smart Energy
Mirrored infrared heater and plain white ceiling heater installed in bedroom installed by Gaia Smart Energy
1000w mirrored infrared heater installed in bathroom can be installed by Gaia Smart Energy
Mirrored infrared panel installed in a dental surgery installed by Gaia Smart Energy
Combination of plain white infrared panels, and a customisable picture print panel, installed on an office wall by Gaia Smart Energy
400w plain white infrared panel installed in an office.
Mirrored infrared panel installed in an office
400w white infrared heaters, installed in office ceiling tiles.
Infrared panels installed on kitchen ceiling.
Infrared heater with customisable picture print.
Infrared heater with customisable picture print.
2400w infrared power heater: Black horizontal heater installed on ceiling.
Infrared heater, with a customisable picture print, installed in a waiting room.
Infrared Power Heaters: Black horizontal 2400w heaters installed in a church.
1000w infrared white panel heater, installed on an office wall.
For any additional questions on a smart heating supply, installation, repair or support.
Call us today in Northern Ireland 02895921166 or Republic of Ireland 012647943. Gaia are an all Ireland specialist in infrared heating we will only be too happy to help with any questions or queries.