How Does Infrared Heating Work?

Imagine the warmth of a sunny day; you step outside on a chilly afternoon and feel the sun’s rays on your face.

You feel warmer in an instant.

Not because the air temperature changed, but because the sun’s invisible infrared heat is warming you directly. If a cloud passes overhead and blocks the sun, you feel cooler again, even though the air is still the same temperature.

This everyday experience is a perfect example of how infrared heating works. It’s like bringing a little bit of sunshine indoors to keep you cosy.

What is Infrared Heating?

Infrared heat is a form of radiant energy, meaning it travels in waves, just like light.

In fact, infrared is a type of light. It’s part of the electromagnetic spectrum, just beyond the red end of visible light.

We humans can’t see infrared light with our eyes, but we can feel it as warmth. The sun and a campfire are natural sources of infrared: when you feel the sun on your skin or sit near a fire, it’s infrared radiation making you warm.

Unlike ultraviolet (UV) rays (the other kind of light from the sun that can cause sunburn), infrared rays are completely safe and natural. Every object, including our own bodies, gives off some infrared heat, it’s the most basic form of heat we know. Even on a cold day, infrared is what makes sunlight feel warm.

Radiant Heat vs. Convection Heat

When we talk about how heaters work, there are two main ways to transfer heat:

Radiant heating, and
Convection heating.

Infrared heaters use radiant heat, whereas most traditional heaters use convection.

Radiant Heat (Infrared)

Radiant heat warms objects and surfaces directly. It doesn’t need to heat the air in-between.

Think of it like the sun warming your face, the heat travels straight to you. The objects and people in the room absorb the infrared energy and warm up. Those warmed surfaces (walls, furniture, and yes, your body) then re-release heat slowly. This helps keep the space comfortable and warm around you.

Radiant heat is a single-step process. The heat source sends out infrared waves that immediately warm whatever they hit.

Convection Heat (Traditional Heating Systems)

Convection heat like that from central heating, fan heaters, storage heaters, etc warms the air first.

For example;

A radiator heats up the air surrounding it
That warm air rises and circulates around the room.

You only feel warm once enough air has been heated.

This is an indirect, less efficient process. The air has to heat up, drift around, and then transfer its heat to you. Along the way, hot air can escape or collect near the ceiling, and drafts can carry the warmth away.

In other words, convection is a bit of a roundabout way to get warm. Heating air that rises to the ceiling and gets lost through draughts can waste a lot of energy.

Why Does This Difference Matter?

With infrared radiant heating, you don’t have to wait for the whole room’s air to warm up. The warmth is fast and direct. As soon as you’re in the path of the infrared heater, you feel its gentle heat, just like stepping into sunshine.

It also means less heat loss: you’re not sending hot air up to hover by the ceiling or seep out under doors. In fact, radiant heat can keep the temperature near the floor almost the same as at head height (no more freezing toes while your head is warm).

How Do Infrared Heaters Work?

Infrared heaters convert energy (usually electricity) into this radiant heat.

In an infrared heater, an element gets hot and emits infrared waves (often without any visible glow in the case of far-infrared panels).

These infrared waves spread out into the room but don’t heat the air they pass through. Instead, the waves travel until they hit a solid object, like your skin, sofa, the walls or floor.

When an object absorbs infrared energy, it causes the molecules in the object to vibrate. This produces heat and the object warms up. That’s why you feel toasty when an infrared heater is directed at you: it’s warming you, not the empty air around you.

Once objects and people in the room absorb the infrared and warm up, they then re-radiate some of that heat back into the space.

The result is a cosy environment with a stable temperature. Many people describe the feeling of infrared heating as pleasant and natural, like the warmth of sunlight, as opposed to the stuffy or dry feeling you can get with forced hot air from a radiator.

Benefits of Infrared Heating

Infrared heating isn’t just another way to warm a room. It offers some clear advantages and comforts that homeowners appreciate:

Immediate, Cosy Warmth: You feel infrared heat almost instantly. The moment you switch an infrared heater on and stand in its range, you’ll feel the gentle heat, much like stepping into sunshine on a cool day. There’s no long wait for the whole air volume to heat up. This direct warmth also feels more evenly distributed with fewer cold spots.
Energy Efficiency: Because infrared heaters warm you and objects directly, they’re more efficient. You don’t waste energy on heating air that immediately drifts to the ceiling or escapes under a door. In fact, many people find they can be comfortable with the thermostat set a bit lower when using infrared. The radiant warmth often makes you feel warm at lower air temperatures.

No Air Currents or Dust Circulation: Traditional heaters that blow hot air around can also stir up dust, allergens, and dry out the room. Infrared heating doesn’t have fans and doesn’t rely on moving air. This greatly reduces the circulation of dust and pollen. The heat feels “fresher” and gentler on the respiratory system. This makes infrared panels a healthier choice for people with allergies or asthma. You get warmth without the sneezes. Plus, infrared heat doesn’t burn up oxygen or humidity in the room, so it won’t give you that dry, stuffy feeling that some convection heaters can.

Silent and Maintenance-Free: With no blowing fans or moving parts, infrared panels are silent. They also don’t need servicing or maintenance. There are no filters to change or motors that can break. As a result, they have a much longer lifespan than other forms of heating. It’s a simple, solid-state way of heating.

Comfortable and Natural Feeling: Many people say the comfort level with infrared is higher at lower air temperatures. Why? Because when your body is warmed directly, you feel warm even if the air is a bit cooler. Like how 18°C can feel pleasant outside in the sun, but chilly in the shade. Infrared heat doesn’t make the room feel stuffy; instead, it creates an atmosphere like a mild sunny day indoors. Also, by gently warming the walls and furniture, infrared can help keep away dampness and mould. This contributes to a healthier environment (warm, dry walls mean less condensation).

Eco-Friendly Heating: Infrared heaters are a greener choice. They can often heat a space using less energy than outdated electric radiators or central heating running full blast. If your electricity comes from renewable sources (like solar panels), your infrared heating can be 100% carbon-neutral in operation.

Common Uses of Infrared Heaters

Infrared heating technology is versatile and used in many places. Some you might not even realise:

Homes and Offices: You can mount infrared heaters on walls or ceilings to warm living rooms, bedrooms, and workspaces. They’re great for targeted heating. For example, keeping your home office cosy during the day without heating the entire house. Some panels even come as mirrors or artwork to blend into decor while they heat the room.

Bathrooms and Hard-to-Heat Spots: Infrared panels are popular in bathrooms often as heated mirrors that won’t fog up. They’re also used in conservatories, garden rooms, and garages where conventional heating might struggle. Since infrared doesn’t rely on air, it can make cold floors a thing of the past. It warms the floor surface and your feet without needing underfloor heating.

Outdoor and Patio Heating: You’ve probably stood under an outdoor patio heater at a restaurant or in a backyard on a cool evening. Those glowing heaters are usually infrared heaters. They’re effective outdoors because they warm people in the same way as the sun. As such you can enjoy outdoor spaces in cooler weather.

Warehouses and Workshops: High-ceilinged warehouses and workshops can be tough (and expensive) to heat traditionally. Infrared heaters are a smart solution here. You can mount them overhead and they radiate heat down to the people and objects below.

Health and Wellness: Infrared’s gentle heat is also used in wellness applications. Infrared saunas are a common example. Instead of heating the air to high temperatures like a traditional sauna, infrared saunas use radiant heat to warm your body directly, providing a deep sweat at lower air temperatures. People also use infrared heat lamps for muscle therapy or to soothe joint pain. The warmth can penetrate the skin and promotes circulation. It’s the same reason you might see infrared heaters in yoga studios or therapy rooms: the comfortable heat can help relax the body.

A Warm Conclusion

Infrared heating works by harnessing the same kind of warmth we enjoy from the sun. It warms you and the things around you directly, rather than heating the air. The result is a comfortable environment that’s efficient, healthy, and pleasant. No loud fans, no dusty air, just gentle warmth.

It’s an innovative yet simple heating solution that can make your living space feel like a sunny haven even on the dreariest winter day.

We hope this explanation has answered the question “how does infrared heating work?” in an easy-to-understand way.

If you’re curious to learn more or have any questions, we’re here to help with friendly advice and expert knowledge.