Why is infrared heating not more popular?
Why is infrared heating not more popular?
Infrared heating is less popular mainly because electricity costs about four times more per unit than gas, so it can't compete with mains gas for whole-home heating, and because years of exaggerated 'save 60%' marketing damaged trust. It also gets no government grant (unlike heat pumps), and awareness is low. Where it genuinely fits — rooms, retrofits, off-gas-grid and hard-to-treat buildings — it is quietly very popular.
Gas is cheap and everywhere
The biggest reason is simple economics. About 85% of UK homes are on the mains gas grid, and gas costs roughly 6p per kWh against about 24.5p for electricity. For heating a whole house, no direct electric system — infrared included — can beat that on running cost. That single fact keeps infrared out of the mainstream whole-home market.
Hype damaged trust
Much of the infrared industry has advertised blanket savings like 'up to 60% cheaper', which is not true for a resistive electric heater. When buyers discovered the real bills, that overselling created scepticism that tars the whole category. Honest positioning — infrared as targeted, on-demand heat, not a whole-home money-saver — is still catching up.
There is also a lack of grants: the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme supports heat pumps but not infrared, which nudges whole-home buyers elsewhere and keeps installer awareness lower.
Where it actually is popular
Judged on the right jobs, infrared is far from unpopular. It is a common, well-liked solution for conservatories, home offices, bathrooms, churches, workshops, listed buildings and off-gas-grid homes, and as a comfortable upgrade from storage heaters. Its slow mainstream growth reflects gas economics and past marketing, not a problem with the technology itself.
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Reviewed by the Infrared Heat Solutions technical team · Last updated July 2026 · Data sources: Open-Meteo, Ofgem, Energy Saving Trust