A look at the options with the experts from Herschel Infrared
Homeowners are increasingly aware of the need to consider the environment in their purchase and lifestyle decisions at home with a view to lowering their carbon footprint and helping to reduce global emissions.
In the UK, home heating constitutes almost a third of all UK carbon emissions. There is an urgent need to decarbonise away from fossil fuels and move to efficient electric heating solutions, powered by renewable sources, and consider alternative technologies to ensure the efficiency of homes is maximised.
The spotlight has increasingly been on ground- and air-source heat pumps as an efficient electric heating solution. There are pros and cons to heat pumps, as there are with all heating solutions, and it is frequently the case that not one solution fits all – different solutions will be more suited to different applications.
Heating technologies can also complement each other and often a combination of systems working together may turn out to be the most suitable and effective solution, depending on customer requirements.
As the heating sector prioritises the transition to efficient electric solutions the demand for infrared heating has also seen substantial growth given the huge benefits available from infrared technology in terms of lowering carbon emissions.
Infrared
Infrared heaters offer a low-cost solution that is easy and quick to install, using standard qualified electricians (as well as there being simple plug-and-play options). Heat pumps, however, require specialist installers and both the cost to purchase heat pumps and to install the unit (in addition to extensive work to install a new radiator system) is significantly higher than for infrared systems.
Infrared systems heat the fabric of a building, directly heating its thermal mass rather than the air, which acts like a giant storage heater. This efficient form of electric heating provides a low energy solution, easily powered by a renewable tariff or source, that has huge potential to lower energy consumption and in turn reduce carbon emissions for the environment.
In addition to its efficiency and low capital cost, the properties of radiant heat transfer make it an attractive offering in terms of creating healthier atmospheres for homeowners. Health and wellbeing are increasingly becoming a major priority for the population and heating can now play a significant role in improving the quality of indoor environments.
Comfort
The feeling of comfort from infrared heating is one of its most recognised benefits – it’s the same feeling of heat as winter sun and that emitted by fires, and exactly the same form of heat that is emitted and absorbed by humans. This natural form of heating, already adopted within the wellness sector (saunas and hot yoga studios, in particular) is believed by many to be a healthier form of heating for our bodies and our living environments.
As infrared heating is non-convective and does not create airflows within a space. This reduces the circulation of dust and allergens – improving the air quality and making for a much healthier indoor environment. In addition, as infrared warms walls and the fabric of a building it also offers the benefit of eliminating damp and condensation. These are common problems which can facilitate the growth of bacteria and associated ill health implications and so a heating solution whose properties work to prevent these offers huge benefits.
Advances
The heating sector has seen significant progress over recent decades as the market demands efficient, zero-carbon solutions. Advancements in technology have made this possible and the increasing availability of heating solutions for homeowners, as they switch away from fossil-fuel based systems, paves the way for a healthier environment globally as well as healthier homes.
Herschel Infrared is at the forefront of the UK’s electric heating market, having introduced infrared to the UK, and also operates across Europe, the Southern hemisphere as well as Mexico and North America. The Herschel team are passionate about infrared heating technology and the many benefits it offers and how it has a significant part to play in the transition to lowering carbon emissions and fighting climate change.
