Infrared heating explained

Infrared heating is a type of direct electric heating commonly used in commercial settings like factories and shops, and in some homes too. In homes they’re usually available as:

• heating panels that can be fixed to a wall or ceiling
• free standing and usually wired into the electricity supply by an electrician
• ‘electric wallpaper’ – thin sheets containing an electric heating element that emits infrared heat.

Portable panels are also available that can be plugged into the mains. 

You can use infrared heating to heat a whole house, or just one or more panels to top up your heating. For example, in your living room, bathroom or office. 

Panels for use in homes are different from electric patio heaters that you might see heating outside spaces at venues. These produce a more intensive heat from a heating element that glows. The panels for homes don’t glow and they produce a less intense heat called ‘far infrared’ heating. 

Infrared heaters work by producing heat via radiation, where heat radiates outwards to warm any surfaces it comes into contact with. 

This is different to other home heating systems like radiators, which produce most of their heat via convection. This is where the air around the radiator is heated, which then circulates around the rooms.

You feel similar infrared warmth when you’re out in the sunshine. You’ll feel the heat from the sun on your skin, even on a cold day. In the shade you don’t get direct infrared radiation and so feel much cooler.

Electric wallpaper contains a heating element that’s usually made from carbon, copper or graphene. A qualified electrician will need to connect it to your home’s electricity supply.

The wallpaper emits infrared heat, similar to infrared heating panels.

It can heat a room, but it won’t produce hot water. If you’re replacing an existing system, you’ll need a way of producing and storing hot water, such immersion heaters in a hot water cylinder.

Infrared heating runs on electricity, which costs about four times as much as gas for the same amount of energy. So, if you have gas central heating already we wouldn’t advise you to replace it with infraread heating throughout your house. 

Heat pumps also run on electricity. But they use less electricity than infrared heating to produce the same amount of heat – typically two to four times less. So, if you’re thinking of switching from gas heating, a heat pump is far more likely to save you money than an infrared system. 

Infrared heating systems provide more of their heat via radiation rather than convection. So, you may feel warm enough if you’re in direct view of the panels, while having a lower air temperature elsewhere.

Because of this, a well-controlled infrared system will probably cost less to run than standard electric panel heaters, if that’s what you currently have. It might also be cheaper to run than storage heaters or electric underfloor heating, depending on how they’re controlled. However, there’s little research available to confirm this. 

You could save money by using a portable infrared heater to keep yourself warm if the rest of thse house is empty for a while. This means can then turn your main heating system off or down. 

Similar to other types of infrared heating, electric wallpaper runs on electricity. However, our experts have looked into the rough costs of how much electric wallpaper might cost to run. To do this:

• We looked at how much heat a typical three-bed semi-detached house needs over a year.
• We didn’t model electric wallpaper directly, but we used standard direct electric heating as the closest comparison.

Using 25.9p/kWh electricity and 6.3p/kWh gas, this gave us approximate annual running costs of:

• Direct electric heating (as a stand-in for electric wallpaper): £2,700
• Gas boiler heating: £680

Important caveats

• This is a simplified illustration, not a detailed model of electric wallpaper.
• Hot water is not included. These figures are for space heating only.
• These results aren’t directly comparable with other numbers on our website, because the methodology is different.
• Actual costs will vary depending on your home’s insulation, temperature settings, energy prices and how the system is used.

Infrared heating panels may be similar in cost to other electric heaters. If you’re installing a whole house heating system, infrared heating could be less expensive to install than a boiler or heat pump and radiators. But it will cost more than just replacing an existing boiler.

Infrared heaters don’t need much maintenance and could last a long time.

The cost of installing electric wallpaper depends on how big a surface area you want to cover and how complex the room layout is. For example, a small square room would be cheaper than a large room with lots of corners, alcoves or built‑in furniture.

You also need to factor in:

• any electrical work
• the cost of removing your existing system
• how you will heat your hot water
• any redecoration costs

We don’t currently have enough information to provide a reliable expected install cost.

Surface temperatures of many infrared heaters are usually lower than other types of secondary heaters in homes, so there’s less of a risk of burns.

But its surface temperature could be hotter than your standard radiator, though usually less than 100°C. We suggest you check with a retailer or your installer to make sure infrared heaters are suitable and safe for your home.

It’s similar for electric wallpaper. When the system is switched on, low voltage electricity warms the element to around 40 to 45°C. This is a safe surface temperature, which should feel warm to touch but not scalding.

Unlike wood burners or open fires, infrared heaters don’t produce harmful emissions in your home such as:

• carbon monoxide
• nitrogen dioxide
• particulate matter

And because they heat with electricity rather than gas or oil, they’re also a lower carbon form of heating.

You may be able to save energy with infrared heating if you feel warm enough while having a lower air temperature elsewhere. However, lower air temperature on surfaces, along with less warm air circulating, could lead to: 

• condensation risks
• dampness 
• mould 

Cold spots in your home that are away from the direct infrared heat are a particular risk. Whatever heating system you have, we suggest you check regularly for damp and mould and ensure you have good ventilation to reduce risks. 

Portable panels, just like any portable heater, can be dangerous and could cause burns or a fire. So they should always be switched off when you’re not in the room. You should also switch them off and unplug them at night or if you go out. 

Infrared heating uses similar amounts of electricity as other types of panel heaters. Wall panels designed for homes typically range from 350 to 900 Watts. Some rooms will need more than one panel if they’re the main heat source in the room. 

You should always switch portable heaters off when you’re not in the room. You should also unplug them at night or if you go out. 

If your infrared system is installed professionally with panels fixed to walls or ceilings then it may be designed for safe use during the night. But check with your installer first. Panels should be at a safe height, out of reach of young children or pets.

It’s important not to cover a heating panel, or let it tip over as this could lead to a fire. Some models will have automatic shut off in case of overheating or tipping, which could help reduce the risk of fire. 

You should first get advice from an independent heating engineer or assessor to determine if infrared heating is appropriate for your home. This is particularly important if you’re considering infrared as your main heating system, as there may be much cheaper options available. 

If you decide infrared heating is right for you, speak to a specialist installation company. It can advise you about what type of heating control is most suitable for your home.

You could have straightforward controls directly on the heater or have smart controls from a phone app. Controls could be more important if you’re having panels installed in multiple rooms, particularly if you want to get the best energy saving results. 

You may need more than one panel in a room to ensure there’s an even coverage of heat.

You can also buy heaters directly from retailers. Some retailers will provide installations of wall- or ceiling-mounted panels, or you can contact an electrician. We always recommend getting quotes from at least three different installers. You can use a service like TrustMark to look for local, certified installers. 

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