There are 3 types of heat transfer: Conduction, Convection and Radiant Heating.  Infrared heating is radiant heating and it differs from conduction and convection because it transfers heat to objects and people directly, without heating something else in between (air, water, metal etc.). Convection heaters heat air, which rises to the ceiling where the heat is not required and can quickly disappear on draughts. Infrared heating directly heats the walls, floor and ceiling of a building to build up thermal mass which will then start radiating back into the room. Radiant heat transfer is a very efficient form of electric heating.

Infrared heaters offer a vast number of benefits in terms of efficiency, comfort and practicality. Infrared heating is a low energy, efficient electric heating solution that can be combined with renewables to give you a sustainable heating solution. It is simple to install and is maintenance free, minimising the disruption caused by underfloor heating and avoiding the annual maintenance costs required by heat pumps. Available in a number of stylish finishes, infrared heaters provide a modern and space-saving option whatever the environment and free up valuable floor space. Infrared heating is also widely recognised for delivering improved comfort levels, with a natural and fresh feeling of heat rather than the stuffy heat that alternative heating solutions can often create. Infrared heating is also great for buildings as it maintains a higher temperature in the material of the building, reducing the causes of moisture and minimises condensation, damp and mould.

Unlike convection heating, infrared heating does not waste energy heating the air. By warming the fabric of the building, infrared heaters are efficiently using the heat generated by turning the room into a 360 degree radiator. The thermal mass (walls, floor and ceiling) radiates warmth back into the room, and the thermostats ensure the infrared heaters only come on when required to top up, delivering an efficient and incredibly comfortable feeling of heat. Infrared heaters are also highly controllable allowing the flexibility to only heat the rooms you need heated, when you need them heated. This saves energy by ensuring no energy is wasted by heating rooms that are unoccupied.

Is Infrared harmful at all?

Are Infrared Panels Safe to touch?

There is a risk of injury from touching any form of heater and Herschel infrared panels are no different. However, a key benefit of Herschel panels, unlike conventional heaters, is that they can be mounted higher up on walls or ceilings – reducing the likelihood of accidentally touching them or falling against them. We always advise this, especially in areas where young children or the elderly are present.

Our Herschel Inspire panel heaters (excluding our Herschel IR space heating range; Advantage IRP4, Aspect XL etc) have surface temperatures of 185 – 203 degrees Fahrenheit. If you do touch one of these panels you will perceive this as hot on initial contact but, provided you do not continue to touch the panel, are unlikely to scald or burn.

The reason that you can touch Herschel panels without immediately injuring yourself is because a Herschel infrared panel typically has a heat energy or “watt density” of 0.58 watts per inch² – an energy level that the skin can absorb and conduct away from the area of contact.

It is not the temperature that does the damage but the heat energy in the object.

A kettle, for example, typically has a watt density of between 95 – 195 watts per inch². The skin cannot absorb and conduct away this level of energy and consequently scalds on the area of contact. Yet, both the Herschel IR panel and the kettle are close to 210°F.

Warning: Please note that prolonged contact with any heater, Herschel included, will result in injury. Please also note that the Herschel IR space heating range (Advantage IRP4, Aspect XL etc) all utilise elements which run at far higher temperatures and would cause immediate injury if touched. These heaters must always be mounted in accordance with our instructions & never be touched when switched on or for 30 minutes after use.

There are no maintenance and servicing costs related with Infrared heating panels.

There are no moving parts or liquids or gases that require any form of annual maintenance contract. The other major benefit of Infrared panels is that in the rare case one should go wrong, you only need replace the one that has gone wrong and don’t lose heat from the entire system (unlike central heating boilers, heat pumps, biomass).

Typical annual maintenance contracts of other heating solutions are*:

• Gas Boiler – $150 p/a
• Reversible Air conditioning – $180 p/a
• Air-water heat pump with zone controls – $290 p/a
• Biomass boiler $540 p/a

(*Average data from manufacturer and installer websites).

Infrared heating needs to be specified correctly to ensure the benefits of infrared are optimised. For homes, we have a handy online calculator which allows you to enter the details of your property and dimensions of the rooms you require heating in. This will then provide you with a recommendation of the Herschel infrared heaters that will match your requirements.

For commercial buildings or outdoor areas, indicative guides are available on our website to show the size of infrared heaters required. We also offer a free, no obligation specification service from our team of infrared heating specialists who will tailor a recommendation just for you. Our team can be contacted through our Contact Us page or by using our online chat facility.