Troubleshooting Infrared Problems
You may have read about how infrared heat can quickly heat a room using little electricity from the touch of a button on your smartphone. But not everyone has the same level of success when using this form of heating.
We have compiled the list below to showcase the key areas of infrared heating which need to be considered. This is worth a read no matter the size of system being considered.
I’ve fitted my panel, but I can’t feel the heat?
Is it taking too long to heat the room? Assuming the right sized panel has been recommended, the positioning may not be right.
It’s important to make sure the panel has clear line of sight to the room you’re trying to heat. We advise that it isn’t directly obstructed by any large furniture immediately in front of it.
Just like when the sun gets blocked by a cloud and you feel colder, if the infrared rays are blocked by putting it behind a sofa it will take longer to heat the room.
The next thing to consider is the room shape. Maybe the online calculator has suggested a recommendation of 900 Watts of far-infrared. But if the room is an ‘L’-Shape; then we would recommend splitting the wattage evenly between the two areas (for example 2 x 450 W panels.)
The heating has improved, but my electricity bill isn’t any lower?
The end of the month comes around, the new heating has been well received and you were expecting a lower electricity cost on your energy supplier’s quarterly bill. But it isn’t…
This can be the case for homes where:
- The home’s previous existing central heating system has been replaced and additional rooms such as the kitchen, conservatory and study have had new added heaters (which had no heating before.) The electricity is indeed cheaper because more areas of the house are being warmed for the same KW consumption.
- Or, infrared panels have been fitted to the house but are not LOT 20 complaint and there aren’t controller/s fitted to the panels. It’s tempting when using the infrared panels to indulge in a higher level of thermal comfort for more hours in the day, but without thermostatic control it will only work on and off manually.
It’s very important to have a degree of thermostatic control and time control in the home. Otherwise rooms may be reaching as high as 23, 24 , 25+ Degrees in the home (which is lovely!) but wouldn’t provide a fair comparison to the older system.
Striking a fair balance between zoning rooms individually, ensuring a good level of thermal comfort and reducing unnecessary use of the heaters is the end goal.
A controller is not always required. For example the lounge has a panel on portable feet to use as and when it’s chilly, but doesn’t justify turning on the central heating.
I have my new heater, but the room’s still chilly (or too hot!)
The way that infrared panels work is entirely different to ordinary convection based heaters.
The delivery of the heat is ‘radiant’ rather than ‘convection’. This means the panel warms the room directly rather than heating up the air trapped inside the room.
- If the panel recommended is too small, such as a 300 W panel in a bedroom which requires 700 W. It will still get warm but not within the time frame normally expected.
- Likewise if the heater is a 900 W panel in a room which requires 700 W, there’s extra cushioning! This means it’s even more necessary to have a level of thermostatic control fitted.
- Or, it may be that you have two rooms the same size, but one is a part orangery. The volume of glass would mean a higher wattage requirement is necessary.
By infrared heating all surfaces, the room will stay warmer for longer. Compared to convection, this is a different form of heating.
But for some customers, smaller panels work great as a supplementary source of heating to an existing system. A small or medium sized panel can remove the chill off the room quickly, but not making it too uncomfortable. Especially useful when working in a workshop or in a home gym.
Over the years we have consistently made sure our calculator produces the nearest accurate wattage requirements for a home. If you would like to know what wattage you would require, or if the home is not as straightforward as length x width x height, please feel free to get in touch for friendly advice.
They sound like a good idea, but is it too good to be true?
The idea of a flat panel at 2.2cm in thickness mounted on the wall may sound unusual. Or the fact that the panel isn’t bulky, heavy or has vents running along the top may make people question the amount of the heat it can give out.
We completely appreciate the scepticism which surrounds infrared heating. We understand that some customers are on the fence before purchasing – it can be daunting trying a new technology!
If you can spare a moment to read through our genuine, 3rd party reviews on Trustpilot which we have collected since starting, you can actually read real people’s journeys from discovering infrared to fitting the last panel.
We find great similarities between when LED lighting first came to the market, to where it is today. There was a product which was lower in wattage, slimmer and produced a higher lumen level. Yet the majority of homes still had ordinary lighting.
Infrared heating is the same. It requires less wattage to run, is slimmer and produces a better level of warmth.
If you want any advice about wattage requirements and want to know more about this form of heating, please have a look over our other news articles for some advice and get in touch with our expert staff who can help you.
Please call on 0300 303 9625 or email at office@warm4less.com
Alternatively, click the ‘speech bubble’ in the corner to use our online chat and speak to one of our advisors – (8:30AM-5:30PM Mon-Fri).
