Why not just add a radiator?

Building rules often discourage extending central heating into a conservatory, and infrared avoids the pipework and the slow warm-up.

Will infrared panels take up space?

No — they mount on the ceiling or wall and are very slim, keeping the floor clear.

How many watts of infrared does a conservatory need?

Considerably more than an equivalent internal room. Sizing depends on the glazed area, roof type and how far the room is used in mid-winter, so it is calculated from the actual build rather than a fixed watts-per-square-metre figure.

Can infrared panels be fitted to a conservatory roof?

Panels are normally fixed to the ceiling frame or high on a wall rather than to glazing itself. Where the roof is glass throughout, wall-mounted panels aimed at the seating area are the practical answer.

Infrared heating for conservatories

Conservatories are notoriously hard to heat — lots of glass and little thermal mass. Infrared panels warm you and the surfaces directly, so the room feels comfortable quickly even on a cold day, without extending the wet central-heating system.

Quick answer

Is infrared heating good for conservatories?

It warms people and surfaces directly, so a conservatory feels usable quickly — though very poorly glazed rooms will still cost more to run.

Why infrared suits conservatories

Typical building: Large glazed area, rapid heat loss and no easy route for radiators or pipework.

Warms occupants and furniture directly, not just the fast-cooling air.
No need to extend the boiler circuit into a glazed room.
Slimline ceiling or wall panels that keep floor space clear.
Instant, controllable heat for occasional use.

Typical specification

Ceiling- or wall-mounted panels sized to the glazed area, on a local thermostat.

Sizing guide: Around 100–130 W/m² given the high glazing losses.

How we design the system

Conservatories are designed around glazing losses. Panels are usually ceiling or high-wall mounted so they radiate down onto the seating area, and output is specified well above a normal room of the same floor area to counter cold glass surfaces. Blinds, roof type and whether the glazing is polycarbonate or sealed units all change the figure, so sizing is done from the actual build rather than a rule of thumb. A dedicated thermostat and timer keep the room independent of the main house heating, which is what makes a conservatory usable in winter without pushing the whole property's costs up.

What it costs to run

A conservatory used for a few hours each evening is cheap to heat with a timer and expensive to heat continuously, because the heat leaves through the glass as fast as it arrives. The honest expectation is comfort on demand rather than a permanently warm room. Where glazing is single-skin or polycarbonate, upgrading the roof usually cuts running cost more than any change of heating system, and we say so rather than oversizing panels to compensate.