Innovative Heating

Radiant infrared panel heaters for home and commercial use

FIRST Heating panels represent a true revolution in home heating technology. Advantages of the equipment include easy portability, simple installation and modern design in a system that provides consumers low home heating costs and a competitive choice over fuel-burning systems.

The heating panels efficiently convert electrical energy into radiant, far-infrared heat. These wavelengths transfer directly to objects, functioning under the same principles as the heating effect of sunlight.

What is infrared heating - How does it work and is it possible to save money in operating costs?

We feel infrared rays as heat. Infrared radiation is completely safe (in fact it’s perfect for us) and is simply electromagnetic radiation with a lower frequency than visible light. Infrared waves only produce heat when they touch a surface such as a wall, an object or us... when the waves touch such a surface, the warmth is either absorbed (and then gently released by that object) or reflected to another object where it can be absorbed.

Advantages with infrared heating panels

What is the main advantage of infrared heating? Essentially it is to do with the way that infrared heats and the fact that infrared heaters are more efficient radiators of heat than traditional methods of heating such as radiators or electrical heaters (fan or storage heaters).

Infrared heating works not by heating the air as traditional heating sources do, but rather by heating the object itself which will then gently radiate heat back out. Infrared heating works in the same way that the sun does.... in fact the sun is a massive infrared heater. We feel the heat as it reaches us from the heater directly (like we do with the sun) and also when the heat is reflected by the items around us.

Because infrared heating is not absorbed by the air, this has a number of advantages:
When air is warmed as with traditional heating methods, the air circulates and rises rapidly to the top of the space. This means that it can take time for the whole space to heat adequately, it is also highly inefficient. Convected circulating warm air stirs up dust particles which can be a problem for allergy sufferers. Warm air on cold walls and surfaces causes condensation, this leads to (particularly in countries such as Portugal) mould and damp. Infrared heating heats the object the infrared rays reach directly, therefore condensation is not a big issue. Infrared heat is almost instant, since it is not reliant on heating the air first and therefore there is no need to wait for heat build up.

Efficiencies and Savings with Infrared Heating Panels

When considering efficiency of infrared heating we can also take into account the fact that infrared heaters are not separated from the heat source in the same way that radiators or underfloor heating systems are. Additionally it is notable that the efficiency of infrared heaters does not deteriorate over time in the same way that traditional heating equipment does.

Further operating efficiencies are achieved because it is possible to zone smaller areas for heating much more flexibly with infrared heating. Each zone can then have different temperature levels set according to the usage of the area. It is possible to make these areas much smaller than we’re able to do with traditional heating which heats the whole volume of air in a space. Additionally these infrared heating systems are flexible and whereas most systems are either ON or OFF, it is possible to utilise only a proportion of the total capacity of each unit.

All of these advantages assist in lowering operating costs and saving money. Below we provide an example illustration to help you calculate potential savings. Of course actual savings will vary depending upon the unique composition of your location and building.

Little maintenance is required, there are no moving parts, no motors, no air filters, fuel filters etc. There are no combustion by products, no chimneys required. No open flames, no fuel lines, no toxic by products.