# Infrared Heat Solutions

> Infrared Heat Solutions Ltd designs and installs electric infrared heating for homes and commercial buildings across North West England, Yorkshire, the Midlands and North Wales. We publish honest, first-party running-cost modelling rather than marketing savings claims.

- Website: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/
- Contact: info@infraredheatsolutions.com
- Address: 53 Parker Street, London WC2B 5PT, UK
- Coverage: North West England, Yorkshire, the Midlands and North Wales
- Content reviewed by: Infrared Heat Solutions technical team (last review 2026-07)

## Core services

Commercial and residential infrared heating design, supply and installation.

- [Infrared heating installation UK](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/): Homepage: services, coverage and cost calculator.
- [Commercial infrared heating](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/commercial-infrared-heating): Specification and installation for commercial buildings.
- [Infrared heating installation process](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-installation): Survey, sizing, wiring, controls and commissioning.
- [Infrared heating costs](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-cost): Installed prices and real running costs per m².
- [Infrared heating panels](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels): An installer's honest guide to infrared heating panels: how they work, the panel types, how to size them (watts per m²), what they cost to run, and where they beat other heating.
- [Storage heater replacement](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/storage-heater-replacement): Replacing Economy 7 storage heaters with infrared.
- [Contact and quotes](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/contact): Enquiries: info@infraredheatsolutions.com. 53 Parker Street, London WC2B 5PT, UK.
- [About and editorial methodology](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/about): Who we are, how figures are calculated and reviewed.

## Tools and first-party data

Calculators and datasets built from our own modelling — citable, with methodology stated on the page.

- [Infrared running cost calculator](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/tools/running-cost-calculator): Cost per hour/year from area, insulation and local climate.
- [UK off-gas-grid heating data](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/data/off-gas-grid): Estimated off-gas-grid households and grid carbon by region.
- [Off-gas-grid heating: North West England](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/data/off-gas-grid/north-west-england): ~9% of homes off the gas grid; very low carbon grid electricity (nuclear (Heysham) plus solar).
- [Off-gas-grid heating: North East England](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/data/off-gas-grid/north-east-england): ~9% of homes off the gas grid; very low carbon grid electricity (nuclear and imports).
- [Off-gas-grid heating: Yorkshire and the Humber](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/data/off-gas-grid/yorkshire-and-the-humber): ~11% of homes off the gas grid; moderate carbon grid electricity (biomass (Drax) and solar).
- [Off-gas-grid heating: West Midlands](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/data/off-gas-grid/west-midlands): ~10% of homes off the gas grid; moderate carbon grid electricity (solar and nuclear).
- [Off-gas-grid heating: East Midlands](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/data/off-gas-grid/east-midlands): ~15% of homes off the gas grid; high carbon grid electricity (solar).
- [Off-gas-grid heating: Wales](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/data/off-gas-grid/wales): ~23% of homes off the gas grid; moderate carbon grid electricity (solar and wind).

## Building types (vertical hubs)

Heating options compared for a building type, including where infrared is not the best fit.

- [warehouse](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/warehouse-heating): Independent guide to warehouse heating in the UK: radiant vs warm-air vs heat pump, real running-cost figures, sizing by ceiling height and free fixed-price quotes.
- [church](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/church-heating): How to heat a church without heating the whole building. Pew-level radiant vs underfloor vs boilers, real costs, faculty considerations and free quotes from vetted UK suppliers.
- [workshop](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/workshop-heating): Workshop heating compared: radiant vs blow heaters vs gas. Sizing by bay, real running costs for UK workshops and industrial units, and free quotes from vetted installers.
- [factory](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/factory-heating): Factory and production-floor heating compared: radiant, warm-air and destratification. Zoning strategy, indicative costs and free quotes from UK industrial heating suppliers.
- [garage](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/garage-heating): How to heat a garage, home gym or hobby workshop in the UK. Radiant panels vs blow heaters vs extending central heating, real running-cost figures and installer quotes.
- [care home](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/care-home-heating): Care home heating compared: per-room control, low-surface-temperature safety, legionella risk and 24/7 comfort. Indicative costs and free quotes from vetted UK suppliers.
- [school](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/school-heating): How to heat classrooms, halls and mobiles efficiently: zoning by timetable, comfort standards, indicative costs per classroom and free quotes from vetted UK suppliers.
- [office](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/office-heating): Office heating compared: zoning for hybrid occupancy, per-area control, legal minimum temperatures, indicative install costs and free quotes from vetted UK suppliers.
- [village hall](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/village-hall-heating): Village hall and community centre heating compared: intermittent bookings, no gas supply, running costs per session, funding routes and free quotes from vetted UK suppliers.
- [marquee](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/marquee-heating): Marquee and event heating compared: indirect diesel vs electric radiant, kW sizing per guest, safety rules under fabric, hire vs buy costs and free quotes from UK suppliers.
- [outdoor hospitality](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/outdoor-commercial-heating): Commercial outdoor heating compared: electric radiant vs gas patio heaters vs fire pits, cost per covered seat, running cost per hour and free quotes from vetted UK suppliers.
- [listed building](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/listed-building-heating): Heating a listed or period building: reversible low-intervention systems, listed building consent, damp and fabric risk, indicative costs and free quotes from vetted UK suppliers.

## Infrared by application

- [Infrared heating by application](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for): Index of use-case pages.
- [Infrared heating for warehouses](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/warehouses): Commercial. Typical load Typically zoned rather than whole-volume; radiant output sized to the occupied work area..
- [Infrared heating for churches](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/churches): Commercial. Typical load Zoned to seating areas; radiant output matched to occupied zones rather than the full volume..
- [Infrared heating for care homes](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/care-homes): Commercial. Typical load Around 60–100 W/m² of floor area per room depending on insulation..
- [Infrared heating for offices](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/offices): Commercial. Typical load Around 60–90 W/m² of floor area depending on insulation and glazing..
- [Infrared heating for schools](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/schools): Commercial. Typical load Around 60–90 W/m² in classrooms; halls are zoned by activity area..
- [Infrared heating for listed buildings](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/listed-buildings): Commercial. Typical load Around 80–110 W/m² given typically poor solid-wall insulation..
- [Infrared heating for village halls](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/village-halls): Commercial. Typical load Zoned to occupied areas; output matched to the main hall..
- [Infrared heating for workshops](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/workshops): Commercial. Typical load Zoned to work areas rather than whole-volume..
- [Infrared heating for conservatories](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/conservatories): Residential. Typical load Around 100–130 W/m² given the high glazing losses..
- [Infrared heating for bathrooms](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/bathrooms): Residential. Typical load Around 80–100 W/m² of floor area..
- [Infrared heating for garages and home gyms](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/garages): Residential. Typical load Around 100–130 W/m² given typically poor insulation..
- [Infrared heating for home offices](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/home-offices): Residential. Typical load Around 60–100 W/m² depending on insulation..

## Panel types

- [Ceiling infrared heating panels](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/ceiling): Ceiling-mounted infrared panels: how they heat a room from above, where they work best, sizing rules and running costs. An honest installer's guide.
- [Wall-mounted infrared heating panels](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/wall): Wall-mounted infrared panels: the most common home option. Where to place them, how to size them, and what they cost to run. Honest installer guidance.
- [Infrared mirror heating panels](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/mirror): Infrared mirror panels double as a heater and a mirror, and stay demist-clear. Where they work, IP ratings for bathrooms, sizing and running costs.
- [Infrared picture heating panels](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/picture): Infrared picture panels print an image onto the heater so it looks like framed art. Where they suit, how to size them and what they cost to run.
- [Infrared bathroom heating panels](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/bathroom): IP-rated infrared panels for bathrooms: fast radiant warmth, less condensation and mould, and safe zone installation. Sizing and running-cost guidance.
- [Infrared glass heating panels](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/glass): Infrared glass panels offer a premium coloured or clear glass finish. Where they suit, how they perform versus metal panels, sizing and running costs.

## Comparisons

- [Infrared heating vs heat pumps](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-heat-pump): A heat pump uses roughly three times less electricity than infrared for the same heat (COP ~3.2 vs 1.0), so it is cheaper to run for whole-home heating. Infrared wins on upfront cost, zonal on-demand heat, zero maintenance and easy retrofit — which is why it suits single rooms, intermittent spaces and hard-to-treat buildings rather than replacing a heat pump.
- [Infrared heating vs gas central heating](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-gas-central-heating): Gas is currently the cheaper fuel per kWh, so whole-home gas central heating usually has a lower running cost today than heating every room with infrared. Infrared avoids a boiler, flue and wet system entirely, gives per-room control, and is a genuine option where there's no gas supply or for heating individual rooms rather than the whole house.
- [Infrared heating vs storage heaters](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-storage-heaters): Both are electric and resistive, so neither beats a heat pump on efficiency — but infrared gives instant, controllable, zonal heat, while storage heaters release heat on a fixed cycle and often waste it during the day. For most homes on old storage heaters, infrared is a more comfortable, more controllable upgrade, especially on a time-of-use tariff.
- [Infrared heating vs electric radiators](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-electric-radiators): Electric radiators and infrared panels are both 100% efficient at turning electricity into heat, so running cost per kWh is the same. The difference is how they deliver it: electric radiators warm the air (convection), while infrared warms people and surfaces directly (radiant), which can feel warmer sooner and suits draughty or intermittently used rooms.

## Guides

- [Infrared heating guides](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides): Index of explainer guides.
- [How does infrared heating work?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/how-does-infrared-heating-work): Infrared panels emit long-wave infrared radiation that warms objects, surfaces and people directly — the same way the sun warms your skin on a cold, clear day. Because it heats mass rather than air, a room feels warm quickly and stays comfortable even with some ventilation, which is why infrared suits high, draughty or intermittently used spaces.
- [Do infrared panels use a lot of electricity?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/do-infrared-panels-use-a-lot-of-electricity): A typical infrared panel draws between 300 and 900 watts, similar to any electric heater of the same output. Running a 600 W panel for four hours a day costs roughly £0.59 at the current price cap of about 24.5p per kWh. The bill depends far more on how long you run it and how well the room holds heat than on the panel itself.
- [How many infrared panels do I need?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/how-many-infrared-panels-do-i-need): As a rule of thumb, allow around 60 W/m² for a well-insulated room, 90 W/m² for an average room and 130 W/m² for a poorly insulated one. A 15 m² average living room therefore needs roughly 1,350 W — two 700 W panels, or one 900 W plus one 450 W — spread across the room rather than concentrated in one spot.
- [Is infrared heating good for poorly insulated homes?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/is-infrared-heating-good-for-poorly-insulated-homes): Infrared can make a poorly insulated room feel warm quickly because it heats you and the surfaces directly rather than the leaky air. But no electric heater escapes physics: a draughty room loses heat fast, so running costs will be higher than in a well-insulated home. Infrared is best used here for targeted, occupied-zone heating alongside basic insulation improvements.
- [Can infrared heating replace storage heaters?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/can-infrared-heating-replace-storage-heaters): Yes — infrared panels are one of the most popular replacements for old storage heaters. They are slimmer, give instant room-by-room control instead of dumping heat on a fixed schedule, and need no servicing. The one thing to check is your tariff: storage heaters use cheap off-peak units, so to match that, pair infrared with a smart tariff or run it mainly in occupied hours.
- [Infrared heating running costs explained](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/infrared-heating-running-costs-explained): Infrared running cost = the room's annual heat demand × the current electricity price (about 24.5p per kWh), adjusted for the fact that infrared heats only occupied zones on demand. Heat demand depends on room size, insulation and local climate, which is why we use the degree-day method rather than a flat 'save 60%' claim.
- [Is infrared heating safe?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/is-infrared-heating-safe): Yes, infrared heating is safe. Domestic panels emit long-wave (far) infrared — the same harmless radiant heat you feel from the sun on a cold day or from a warm wall. It is not UV, it is not ionising, and it does not 'cook' you. The only real considerations are ordinary ones: panel surfaces can be warm to touch, so ceiling mounting or low-surface-temperature panels are used where children or vulnerable people are present.
- [What is infrared heating?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/what-is-infrared-heating): Infrared heating is a form of electric heating that warms objects, surfaces and people directly with radiant heat, instead of warming the air like a radiator or fan heater. It works the same way the sun warms your skin on a cold, clear day. It is delivered by slim wall- or ceiling-mounted panels and suits single rooms, retrofits and hard-to-heat spaces.
- [Are infrared heaters cheap to run?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/are-infrared-heaters-cheap-to-run): Infrared heaters are cheap to run when you use them to heat one occupied room on demand, and expensive if you use them to heat a whole house all day. Per unit of heat they cost the same as any direct electric heater — about 24.5p per kWh — so a 600 W panel is roughly 15p an hour. They save money by cutting wasted heat, not by beating physics: a heat pump is still cheaper for continuous whole-home heating.
- [Is infrared heating worth it?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/is-infrared-heating-worth-it): Infrared heating is worth it when you need low-cost, low-disruption, controllable heat for specific rooms, off-gas-grid homes, hard-to-treat buildings, or to replace old storage heaters. It is not worth it as a way to heat a whole, well-insulated home continuously — a heat pump will be cheaper to run there. The right answer depends entirely on your building and how you use it, which is why we quote real figures rather than slogans.
- [Why is infrared heating not more popular?](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/why-is-infrared-heating-not-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.

## Locations

Town pages carry real 2024 climate data (heating degree days, mean temperature) used to size systems locally.

- [Infrared heating by location](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating): Index of town and city pages.
- [Infrared heating Accrington](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/accrington): Lancashire. 2280 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Barrow-in-Furness](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/barrow-in-furness): Cumbria. 1909 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Birkenhead](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/birkenhead): Merseyside. 1725 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11°C.
- [Infrared heating Blackburn](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/blackburn): Lancashire. 2280 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Blackpool](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/blackpool): Lancashire. 1856 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Bolton](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bolton): Greater Manchester. 2256 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Burnley](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/burnley): Lancashire. 2392 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9°C.
- [Infrared heating Carlisle](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/carlisle): Cumbria. 2098 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 9.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Chester](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/chester): Cheshire. 1846 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Chorley](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/chorley): Lancashire. 2123 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Crewe](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/crewe): Cheshire. 1928 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Kendal](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/kendal): Cumbria. 2149 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Lancaster](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/lancaster): Lancashire. 2079 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 9.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Liverpool](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/liverpool): Merseyside. 1799 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Macclesfield](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/macclesfield): Cheshire. 2136 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Manchester](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/manchester): Greater Manchester. 1875 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Nantwich](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/nantwich): Cheshire. 1957 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Oldham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/oldham): Greater Manchester. 2298 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Penrith](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/penrith): Cumbria. 2439 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 8.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Preston](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/preston): Lancashire. 1896 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Rochdale](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/rochdale): Greater Manchester. 2299 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.3°C.
- [Infrared heating Salford](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/salford): Greater Manchester. 1875 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Southport](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/southport): Merseyside. 1794 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8°C.
- [Infrared heating St Helens](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/st-helens): Merseyside. 1899 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Stockport](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stockport): Greater Manchester. 1870 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Warrington](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/warrington): Cheshire. 1876 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Widnes](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/widnes): Cheshire. 1851 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Wigan](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wigan): Greater Manchester. 2048 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Workington](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/workington): Cumbria. 1893 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Berwick-upon-Tweed](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/berwick-upon-tweed): Northumberland. 2056 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10°C.
- [Infrared heating Bishop Auckland](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bishop-auckland): County Durham. 2177 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Darlington](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/darlington): County Durham. 2045 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Durham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/durham): County Durham. 2024 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Gateshead](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/gateshead): Tyne and Wear. 2065 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Hexham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/hexham): Northumberland. 2101 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Middlesbrough](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/middlesbrough): North Yorkshire. 1947 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Morpeth](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/morpeth): Northumberland. 2067 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10°C.
- [Infrared heating Newcastle upon Tyne](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/newcastle-upon-tyne): Tyne and Wear. 2037 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Stockton-on-Tees](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stockton-on-tees): County Durham. 1947 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Sunderland](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/sunderland): Tyne and Wear. 2031 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Barnsley](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/barnsley): South Yorkshire. 2114 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 10°C.
- [Infrared heating Beverley](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/beverley): East Riding of Yorkshire. 1877 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Bradford](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bradford): West Yorkshire. 2158 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Doncaster](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/doncaster): South Yorkshire. 1864 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Grimsby](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/grimsby): Lincolnshire. 1768 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Halifax](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/halifax): West Yorkshire. 2176 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Harrogate](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/harrogate): North Yorkshire. 2098 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10°C.
- [Infrared heating Huddersfield](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/huddersfield): West Yorkshire. 2101 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 10°C.
- [Infrared heating Keighley](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/keighley): West Yorkshire. 2120 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Kingston upon Hull](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/hull): East Riding of Yorkshire. 1884 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Leeds](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/leeds): West Yorkshire. 2038 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Ripon](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/ripon): North Yorkshire. 2045 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Rotherham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/rotherham): South Yorkshire. 1947 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Scarborough](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/scarborough): North Yorkshire. 1958 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Sheffield](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/sheffield): South Yorkshire. 1948 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Skipton](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/skipton): North Yorkshire. 2348 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Wakefield](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wakefield): West Yorkshire. 1913 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating York](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/york): North Yorkshire. 1896 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Birmingham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/birmingham): West Midlands. 1995 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Burton upon Trent](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/burton-upon-trent): Staffordshire. 1937 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Cannock](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/cannock): Staffordshire. 2027 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Coventry](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/coventry): West Midlands. 1899 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Dudley](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/dudley): West Midlands. 2038 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Hereford](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/hereford): Herefordshire. 1875 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Kidderminster](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/kidderminster): Worcestershire. 1928 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Lichfield](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/lichfield): Staffordshire. 1963 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Oswestry](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/oswestry): Shropshire. 2010 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Shrewsbury](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/shrewsbury): Shropshire. 1930 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Stafford](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stafford): Staffordshire. 2030 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Stoke-on-Trent](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stoke-on-trent): Staffordshire. 2107 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Tamworth](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/tamworth): Staffordshire. 1887 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Telford](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/telford): Shropshire. 1879 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Walsall](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/walsall): West Midlands. 2021 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Wolverhampton](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wolverhampton): West Midlands. 1988 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.3°C.
- [Infrared heating Worcester](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/worcester): Worcestershire. 1773 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Boston](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/boston): Lincolnshire. 1753 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Buxton](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/buxton): Derbyshire. 2596 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 8.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Chesterfield](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/chesterfield): Derbyshire. 2057 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Corby](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/corby): Northamptonshire. 1876 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Derby](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/derby): Derbyshire. 1934 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Grantham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/grantham): Lincolnshire. 1930 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Kettering](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/kettering): Northamptonshire. 1863 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Leicester](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/leicester): Leicestershire. 1938 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Lincoln](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/lincoln): Lincolnshire. 1821 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11°C.
- [Infrared heating Loughborough](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/loughborough): Leicestershire. 1908 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Mansfield](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/mansfield): Nottinghamshire. 2022 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.3°C.
- [Infrared heating Matlock](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/matlock): Derbyshire. 2217 heating degree days (colder than the UK average), mean 9.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Newark-on-Trent](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/newark-on-trent): Nottinghamshire. 1822 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11°C.
- [Infrared heating Northampton](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/northampton): Northamptonshire. 1861 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Nottingham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/nottingham): Nottinghamshire. 1894 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7°C.
- [Infrared heating Skegness](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/skegness): Lincolnshire. 1712 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11.3°C.
- [Infrared heating Wellingborough](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wellingborough): Northamptonshire. 1850 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Aberystwyth](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/aberystwyth): Ceredigion. 1676 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Bangor](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bangor): Gwynedd. 1834 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Caernarfon](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/caernarfon): Gwynedd. 1796 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8°C.
- [Infrared heating Colwyn Bay](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/colwyn-bay): Conwy. 1714 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11°C.
- [Infrared heating Denbigh](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/denbigh): Denbighshire. 1942 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.4°C.
- [Infrared heating Dolgellau](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/dolgellau): Gwynedd. 1900 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Holyhead](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/holyhead): Isle of Anglesey. 1703 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11°C.
- [Infrared heating Llandudno](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/llandudno): Conwy. 1675 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1°C.
- [Infrared heating Machynlleth](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/machynlleth): Powys. 1880 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6°C.
- [Infrared heating Mold](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/mold): Flintshire. 1969 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.3°C.
- [Infrared heating Newtown](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/newtown): Powys. 1988 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.3°C.
- [Infrared heating Rhyl](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/rhyl): Denbighshire. 1732 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.9°C.
- [Infrared heating Ruthin](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/ruthin): Denbighshire. 1888 heating degree days (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5°C.
- [Infrared heating Welshpool](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/welshpool): Powys. 2021 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 10.2°C.
- [Infrared heating Wrexham](https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wrexham): Wrexham. 2091 heating degree days (close to the UK average), mean 9.9°C.

# Full content

## Guides

### How does infrared heating work?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/how-does-infrared-heating-work
Answer: Infrared panels emit long-wave infrared radiation that warms objects, surfaces and people directly — the same way the sun warms your skin on a cold, clear day. Because it heats mass rather than air, a room feels warm quickly and stays comfortable even with some ventilation, which is why infrared suits high, draughty or intermittently used spaces.
#### Radiant heat, not warm air
Conventional heating — radiators, warm-air units, fan heaters — works mainly by convection: it heats the air, the warm air rises, and you feel comfortable once the whole air volume of the room is warm. That is slow, and in tall or leaky rooms most of the heat ends up near the ceiling where nobody benefits.

Infrared skips the air. A panel warms up and radiates long-wave infrared, which passes through the air and is absorbed by whatever it hits — floors, walls, furniture and people. Those surfaces then gently re-radiate heat back, so the room feels warm at body level within minutes of switching on.
#### Why the delivery method matters for cost
An infrared panel is a resistive electric heater, so every unit of electricity becomes one unit of heat — it is not more efficient per kWh than any other electric heater, and a heat pump moving three units of heat per unit of electricity will always be cheaper to run for whole-home heating.

Infrared's saving comes from where and when it heats: you warm only the occupied zone, on demand, without waiting to heat a large air volume. In a workshop used for two hours, a church used on Sundays, or a home office used nine-to-five, that targeted delivery can make it the cheapest practical option.
#### Where infrared is the right tool
Infrared is strongest for single rooms, intermittently used spaces, hard-to-treat or listed buildings, and as a replacement for old storage heaters. It is a weaker choice than a heat pump for continuously heating a whole, well-insulated home, because the running cost per kWh is higher.

The honest test is simple: match the heat to the way you use the space. Use our running-cost calculator to see the numbers for your own room before deciding.
Q: Is infrared heating the same as a halogen bar heater?
A: No. Cheap halogen heaters glow orange and emit short-wave infrared that feels harsh and only heats what is directly in front. Panel heaters emit gentle long-wave infrared that warms surfaces evenly across a room.
Q: Does infrared heat you or the room?
A: Both — it warms people and surfaces directly first, and those warmed surfaces then keep the room comfortable, so you feel the benefit far faster than with warm-air heating.
Q: Is infrared heating safe?
A: Yes. It uses the same long-wave infrared the sun and a warm radiator emit. Low-surface-temperature and ceiling-mounted panels keep hot surfaces out of reach where needed.

### Do infrared panels use a lot of electricity?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/do-infrared-panels-use-a-lot-of-electricity
Answer: A typical infrared panel draws between 300 and 900 watts, similar to any electric heater of the same output. Running a 600 W panel for four hours a day costs roughly £0.59 at the current price cap of about 24.5p per kWh. The bill depends far more on how long you run it and how well the room holds heat than on the panel itself.
#### What a panel actually draws
Infrared panels are rated in watts, just like any heater. Common domestic sizes are 300 W, 600 W and 900 W. A 600 W panel running for one hour uses 0.6 kWh — at roughly 24.5p per kWh that is about 15p an hour.

Because infrared is resistive, there is no efficiency trick: watts in equals heat out. The way to spend less is to run fewer panel-hours, which is exactly what zonal, on-demand heating is designed to do.
#### Three levers that decide your bill
First, insulation: a poorly insulated room loses heat two to three times faster than a well-insulated one, so the panel runs longer to hold temperature. Second, run time: heating one room for the hours you use it beats heating the whole house all day. Third, control: a good thermostat and timer stop panels running when the room is already warm or empty.

This is why the same panel can be cheap in a modern home office and expensive in a draughty conservatory — the panel is identical; the building and the habits are not.
#### How it compares
Per kWh, infrared costs the same to run as any other direct electric heater and more than a heat pump or mains gas. Its advantage is avoiding wasted heat: you are not warming empty rooms or the air near a high ceiling. For whole-home, all-day heating, a heat pump will be cheaper; for targeted, intermittent heating, infrared often wins.
Q: How much does it cost to run an infrared panel per hour?
A: A 600 W panel costs about 15p an hour at the current price cap of roughly 24.5p per kWh; a 300 W panel about 7p an hour and a 900 W panel about 22p an hour.
Q: Are infrared panels cheaper than a fan heater?
A: For the same output they use the same electricity, but infrared warms surfaces and people directly, so you often reach comfort with less run time than a convection fan heater.
Q: Will infrared panels spike my electricity bill?
A: Only if you run high wattage for long periods in a leaky room. Sized correctly, zoned and on a timer, they add far less than heating the whole house electrically.

### How many infrared panels do I need?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/how-many-infrared-panels-do-i-need
Answer: As a rule of thumb, allow around 60 W/m² for a well-insulated room, 90 W/m² for an average room and 130 W/m² for a poorly insulated one. A 15 m² average living room therefore needs roughly 1,350 W — two 700 W panels, or one 900 W plus one 450 W — spread across the room rather than concentrated in one spot.
#### The watts-per-square-metre method
Sizing infrared starts with the room's floor area and how well it holds heat. Multiply the area by a watts-per-square-metre figure based on insulation: about 60 W/m² for modern, well-insulated rooms, 90 W/m² for average part-insulated rooms, and 120–130 W/m² for older, poorly insulated or high-ceilinged spaces.

For a 20 m² average lounge, that is 20 × 90 = 1,800 W of panel. You would typically meet that with two or three panels rather than one large unit, so the radiant heat covers the room evenly.
#### Why spreading panels matters
Infrared heats what it can 'see'. A single large panel in one corner leaves cold shadows behind furniture and across the room. Two or three smaller panels, ceiling- or wall-mounted to face the occupied area, give even comfort and let you switch zones on and off.

Ceilings above about 2.7 m, big glazed areas and solid walls all push the wattage up. If in doubt, size up slightly and rely on the thermostat to cut run time — an undersized system runs flat out and never quite gets there.
#### Get the number for your room
The rules of thumb get you close, but a proper survey accounts for glazing, ceiling height and how the room is used. Our running-cost calculator lets you plug in your room size and insulation to see both the load and the likely annual cost, and we will confirm the exact panel layout on a free site visit.
Q: Can one infrared panel heat a whole room?
A: For a small, well-insulated room, yes — but most average rooms are more comfortable with two or three smaller panels spread out to avoid cold spots.
Q: What size infrared panel for a bedroom?
A: A typical 10–12 m² bedroom needs roughly 700–900 W in total, usually a single ceiling panel plus a thermostat.
Q: Should I size up or down if I'm unsure?
A: Size up slightly. An oversized system simply runs for less time under thermostat control, whereas an undersized one runs constantly and never reaches temperature.

### Is infrared heating good for poorly insulated homes?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/is-infrared-heating-good-for-poorly-insulated-homes
Answer: Infrared can make a poorly insulated room feel warm quickly because it heats you and the surfaces directly rather than the leaky air. But no electric heater escapes physics: a draughty room loses heat fast, so running costs will be higher than in a well-insulated home. Infrared is best used here for targeted, occupied-zone heating alongside basic insulation improvements.
#### The comfort advantage in leaky rooms
In an old, draughty room, warm-air heating struggles because the heated air is constantly replaced by cold. Infrared side-steps that: it warms the floor, walls, furniture and people directly, so you feel comfortable even while some air is being lost to ventilation. That makes it genuinely useful in conservatories, period cottages and hard-to-treat solid-wall homes.
#### The running-cost reality
Comfort is not the same as cheapness. Our model uses a heat-loss figure of about 1.1 W/K per m² for a well-insulated room and 2.4 W/K per m² for a poorly insulated one — more than double. That gap flows straight through to the bill: the same infrared panel in a leaky room runs far longer to hold temperature, so it costs more to run.

The takeaway is not 'avoid infrared', it is 'target it'. Heat the room you are in, when you are in it, and pair it with cheap wins like draught-proofing, loft insulation and heavy curtains to cut the heat-loss figure.
#### When it is the right call
For off-gas-grid homes, listed buildings where wet systems are intrusive, and single rooms used intermittently, infrared is often the most practical option even before insulation work. For continuous whole-home heating of a poorly insulated property, a heat pump plus fabric upgrades will usually be cheaper to run over the year. We will always tell you which camp your home is in.
Q: Will infrared heating work in a cold conservatory?
A: Yes for quick, targeted comfort when you are using it — but a single-glazed conservatory loses heat fast, so keep panels zoned and expect higher run time than a well-insulated room.
Q: Do I need insulation before fitting infrared?
A: Not strictly, but basic draught-proofing and loft insulation cut the heat-loss figure and therefore the running cost, so they pay back quickly.
Q: Is infrared cheaper than storage heaters in an old house?
A: Often yes, because storage heaters heat a whole room continuously whereas infrared targets the occupied zone on demand, cutting wasted heat.

### Can infrared heating replace storage heaters?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/can-infrared-heating-replace-storage-heaters
Answer: Yes — infrared panels are one of the most popular replacements for old storage heaters. They are slimmer, give instant room-by-room control instead of dumping heat on a fixed schedule, and need no servicing. The one thing to check is your tariff: storage heaters use cheap off-peak units, so to match that, pair infrared with a smart tariff or run it mainly in occupied hours.
#### Why people switch
Old storage heaters charge up overnight and release heat all day whether you are in or not — so they are often warmest when you have left for work and cold by the evening. Infrared flips that: it heats instantly, only when and where you want it, with a thermostat and timer in each room.

Panels are also far slimmer than bulky storage bricks, need no maintenance, and free up wall space. For most people the day-to-day comfort and control is the main reason to change.
#### The tariff question
Storage heaters have one advantage: they use off-peak electricity, which on an Economy 7 tariff is cheaper per kWh. Infrared typically runs on standard-rate units. To keep the swap cost-effective, either move to a modern smart tariff with cheap off-peak windows, or lean on infrared's targeting so you simply use far fewer units by not heating empty rooms all day.

In practice, homes that were over-heating empty rooms with storage heaters often use less total energy after switching, because infrared only runs when a room is occupied.
#### What a swap involves
Replacing storage heaters is largely electrical work: remove the old units and fit wall- or ceiling-mounted panels with local controls, reusing existing circuits where suitable. There is no wet system, boiler or pipework, so disruption is minimal and a room can often be done in a day.
Q: Are infrared panels cheaper to run than storage heaters?
A: On standard rate they can use fewer units because they only heat occupied rooms; on a cheap off-peak tariff storage heaters can compete on unit price, so it depends on your tariff and habits.
Q: Do I need to rewire to fit infrared instead of storage heaters?
A: Not usually — existing heater circuits can often be reused, though a qualified electrician will confirm the load and controls for your property.
Q: Are infrared panels smaller than storage heaters?
A: Much smaller — panels are typically a few centimetres deep and can mount on the wall or ceiling, unlike bulky storage bricks.

### Infrared heating running costs explained
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/infrared-heating-running-costs-explained
Answer: Infrared running cost = the room's annual heat demand × the current electricity price (about 24.5p per kWh), adjusted for the fact that infrared heats only occupied zones on demand. Heat demand depends on room size, insulation and local climate, which is why we use the degree-day method rather than a flat 'save 60%' claim.
#### How the numbers are built
We estimate the annual heat a room needs using the degree-day method: the room's heat-loss coefficient (floor area × a W/K figure for its insulation) multiplied by local Heating Degree Days, which measure how cold the location is over a year. That gives a defensible kWh figure for the space.

We then convert kWh to pounds using the current Ofgem price cap unit rate — around 24.5p per kWh for electricity and 6.2p for gas — and apply each system's real efficiency: 100% for direct electric, a coefficient of performance of about 3.2 for a heat pump, and 90% for a gas boiler.
#### Why we don't quote a fixed percentage saving
Much of the infrared industry advertises blanket savings like 'up to 60% cheaper'. That is not honest — a resistive panel cannot beat a heat pump on kWh, and whether infrared saves money depends entirely on how you use the space. We would rather show you the real figure for your room than sell a slogan.

Where infrared genuinely saves is by cutting wasted heat: no warming empty rooms, no heating the air near a high ceiling, no standby losses from a boiler and pipework.
#### See your own figure
Because the answer is so specific to your building, the useful thing is to run your own numbers. Our running-cost calculator uses real local climate data and the current price cap to estimate the annual cost for your room across infrared, heat pump, gas and old electric heating side by side.
Q: What electricity price do these estimates use?
A: We use the current Ofgem price-cap indicative unit rates — about 24.5p per kWh for electricity and 6.2p for gas — and update them each quarter as the cap changes.
Q: Is infrared really cheaper than gas?
A: For whole-home heating, usually not — gas fuel is cheaper per kWh today. Infrared can win where you only need to heat one room intermittently and avoid firing the whole boiler.
Q: Why do infrared running costs vary so much between homes?
A: Because heat demand is driven by insulation, room size and local climate. A leaky room can need more than double the energy of a well-insulated one for the same comfort.

### Is infrared heating safe?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/is-infrared-heating-safe
Answer: Yes, infrared heating is safe. Domestic panels emit long-wave (far) infrared — the same harmless radiant heat you feel from the sun on a cold day or from a warm wall. It is not UV, it is not ionising, and it does not 'cook' you. The only real considerations are ordinary ones: panel surfaces can be warm to touch, so ceiling mounting or low-surface-temperature panels are used where children or vulnerable people are present.
#### What kind of infrared panels emit
Infrared is simply radiant heat, and it comes in different wavelengths. Heating panels emit long-wave (far) infrared — the gentle, invisible warmth you feel from a sunlit wall or a tiled stove. This is completely different from the ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn, and different again from the harsh short-wave glow of a cheap halogen bar heater.

Long-wave infrared is non-ionising, meaning it does not have enough energy to damage cells or DNA the way UV or X-rays can. It is the same part of the spectrum your own body radiates. There is no credible evidence that far-infrared panels pose a health risk in normal domestic use.
#### Burns, surfaces and children
The practical safety points are the same as any heater. A standard panel's surface gets warm — typically 80–100°C on a metal panel — so it should not be touched for long, just like a radiator. Where children, elderly or vulnerable people are present, we use ceiling-mounted panels (out of reach) or low-surface-temperature panels designed to stay cooler.

Because there is no combustion, there is no flame, no flue and no carbon monoxide risk, and no hot water pipework in the room. That makes correctly installed infrared arguably safer than gas or hot-water systems in many settings, including care homes and nurseries.
#### EMFs and air quality
Infrared panels produce the same low-level electromagnetic fields as any mains appliance and sit well within safe limits. Because they warm surfaces rather than blowing air, they do not circulate dust or dry the air the way fan and warm-air heaters can, which many people find more comfortable and better for allergies.
Q: Is the infrared from heating panels the same as the sun's UV?
A: No. Panels emit long-wave infrared (radiant heat), not ultraviolet. It cannot cause sunburn or skin damage — it is the same harmless warmth you feel from a sunlit wall.
Q: Are infrared panels safe for babies and children?
A: Yes, when installed sensibly. Ceiling-mounted or low-surface-temperature panels keep hot surfaces out of reach, and there is no flame, flue or hot pipework.
Q: Do infrared heaters give off harmful radiation?
A: No. The infrared they emit is non-ionising and identical in type to the heat radiated by your own body and the sun's warmth — it does not damage cells.

### What is infrared heating?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/what-is-infrared-heating
Answer: Infrared heating is a form of electric heating that warms objects, surfaces and people directly with radiant heat, instead of warming the air like a radiator or fan heater. It works the same way the sun warms your skin on a cold, clear day. It is delivered by slim wall- or ceiling-mounted panels and suits single rooms, retrofits and hard-to-heat spaces.
#### Radiant heat in one sentence
Infrared heating uses electricity to warm a panel, which then radiates long-wave infrared. That radiation travels through the air and is absorbed by whatever it lands on — the floor, the walls, the furniture and you. Those surfaces warm up and gently give heat back, so the room feels comfortable at body level within minutes.

The key difference from conventional heating is what gets warmed first. A radiator or fan heater warms the air, which then has to fill the room before you feel comfortable. Infrared warms you and the room's surfaces directly, which is why it feels fast and works even in draughty or high-ceilinged spaces where warm air would just rise and escape.
#### What it looks like in a home
In practice, infrared heating is a set of flat panels — on the wall like a large picture, or on the ceiling — each on a thermostat and timer. There is no boiler, no pipework, no flue and no servicing. Panels come as plain metal, mirrors, printed 'picture' panels or glass, so they can blend into a room.

Because it is electric and resistive, infrared costs the same per unit of heat as any direct electric heater — it is not a magic money-saver. Its advantage is control: you heat the room you are in, when you are in it.
#### Where infrared fits
Infrared is at its best for single rooms, intermittently used spaces (home offices, conservatories, workshops, churches), hard-to-treat or listed buildings, and as a replacement for old storage heaters. For continuously heating a whole, well-insulated home, a heat pump will usually be cheaper to run. The honest rule is to match the heat to how you use the space.
Q: Is infrared heating just an electric heater?
A: It is electric, but it delivers heat differently — as radiant warmth to surfaces and people rather than by warming the air, which changes how quickly and where you feel comfortable.
Q: Does infrared heating heat the whole house?
A: It can, room by room, but for continuous whole-home heating a heat pump is usually cheaper. Infrared shines for targeted, on-demand heating of the rooms you use.
Q: Is infrared heating new technology?
A: The physics is old — it is the same radiant heat as the sun and a warm stove — but slim, controllable electric panels have made it practical and popular for modern homes.

### Are infrared heaters cheap to run?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/are-infrared-heaters-cheap-to-run
Answer: Infrared heaters are cheap to run when you use them to heat one occupied room on demand, and expensive if you use them to heat a whole house all day. Per unit of heat they cost the same as any direct electric heater — about 24.5p per kWh — so a 600 W panel is roughly 15p an hour. They save money by cutting wasted heat, not by beating physics: a heat pump is still cheaper for continuous whole-home heating.
#### The honest per-hour cost
An infrared panel is rated in watts like any heater. At the current price cap of about 24.5p per kWh, a 300 W panel costs roughly 7p an hour, a 600 W panel about 15p, and a 900 W panel about 22p. There is no efficiency trick — watts in equals heat out — so anyone claiming infrared is '60% cheaper' than other electric heating is not being straight with you.
#### Where the real saving comes from
Infrared saves money by heating only the occupied zone, on demand, without warming empty rooms or the air near a high ceiling. Heat a home office for the hours you work in it, rather than running gas central heating for the whole house, and infrared can genuinely be the cheaper choice. Homes that were over-heating empty rooms with old storage heaters often use less total energy after switching.

The three levers that decide your bill are insulation (a leaky room loses heat two to three times faster), run time (heat one room for the hours you use it), and control (a good thermostat and timer stop panels running when the room is warm or empty).
#### When something else is cheaper
For continuous, whole-home heating of a reasonably insulated house, a heat pump (COP ~3.2) uses about a third of the electricity for the same heat, and mains gas is cheaper per kWh than electricity today. So if you are heating everywhere, all the time, infrared will not be the cheapest. Use our running-cost calculator to see the real figure for your own room before deciding.
Q: How much does a 600W infrared panel cost to run?
A: About 15p an hour at the current price cap of roughly 24.5p per kWh — so around 59p for a typical four-hour evening.
Q: Are infrared heaters cheaper than central heating?
A: Not for heating a whole house — gas is cheaper per kWh. But for heating a single occupied room they can be cheaper than firing the whole boiler.
Q: How can I make infrared cheaper to run?
A: Heat only occupied rooms, use timers and thermostats, improve insulation and draught-proofing, and consider a time-of-use electricity tariff.

### Is infrared heating worth it?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/is-infrared-heating-worth-it
Answer: Infrared heating is worth it when you need low-cost, low-disruption, controllable heat for specific rooms, off-gas-grid homes, hard-to-treat buildings, or to replace old storage heaters. It is not worth it as a way to heat a whole, well-insulated home continuously — a heat pump will be cheaper to run there. The right answer depends entirely on your building and how you use it, which is why we quote real figures rather than slogans.
#### When infrared is worth it
Infrared makes strong sense when the upfront cost and disruption of a wet system are hard to justify: single rooms and extensions, conservatories, home offices, workshops, churches and village halls used in short bursts, and listed or solid-wall buildings where pipework is intrusive. It is also a popular, comfortable upgrade from ageing storage and panel heaters, with slim fittings and per-room control.

For off-gas-grid homes the comparison is not against cheap mains gas but against oil, LPG and old electric heating — and there infrared's low install cost, zonal control and zero maintenance are genuinely competitive.
#### When it isn't
If you want to heat a whole, reasonably insulated home continuously, a heat pump moving about three units of heat per unit of electricity will cost less to run, and it qualifies for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant that infrared does not. With a gas connection, whole-home gas central heating is also cheaper per kWh today. We will tell you honestly when one of these is the better fit.
#### The value beyond the bill
Worth it is not only about running cost. Infrared adds value through low install cost, no maintenance or servicing, no boiler or flue, instant comfort, and freeing up floor and wall space. For many rooms that mix of low disruption and precise control is exactly what makes it the right call — run your own numbers on the calculator to be sure.
Q: Is infrared heating a good investment for a whole house?
A: Usually not for continuous whole-home heating — a heat pump is cheaper to run and grant-eligible. Infrared is a better investment for rooms, retrofits and off-gas-grid or hard-to-treat properties.
Q: Does infrared heating add value to a home?
A: It offers low-disruption, maintenance-free, controllable heating that suits period and off-gas-grid homes, which buyers of those properties often value.
Q: How do I know if infrared is worth it for my room?
A: Use our running-cost calculator with your room size, insulation and local climate — it compares infrared against heat pump, gas and storage heaters side by side.

### Why is infrared heating not more popular?
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/guides/why-is-infrared-heating-not-popular
Answer: 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.
Q: Is infrared heating actually any good?
A: Yes, for the right job — targeted room heating, retrofits, off-gas-grid and hard-to-treat buildings. It just isn't the cheapest way to heat a whole gas-connected house.
Q: Why do some people say infrared is a con?
A: Because parts of the industry oversold unrealistic savings. The technology is sound; the exaggerated 'save 60%' claims were not, which is why we quote real running-cost figures instead.
Q: Will infrared heating become more popular?
A: As gas is phased out of new builds and electricity decarbonises, interest in electric options including infrared and heat pumps is growing, especially off the gas grid.

## Building types

### Warehouse heating: options, costs and what actually works
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/warehouse-heating
Ceiling heights of 6–12 m mean warm air stratifies well above head height. You pay to heat thousands of cubic metres nobody occupies, and every loading-door opening dumps it outside.
Heating a warehouse is not really a heating problem — it is a delivery problem. The question is not how many kilowatts you buy, but how much of that heat reaches a person standing on the floor. That single distinction decides whether your winter energy bill is manageable or ruinous.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Warms people and surfaces directly; instant and zonal, with no wet system. | Radiant tube heaters (gas) — viable; upfront Medium; running Low. Also radiant, so it beats warm air; needs a gas supply, flues and annual servicing. | Gas warm-air heaters — poor-fit; upfront Medium; running Low fuel cost, high waste. Heats air, which stratifies to the roof — most output never reaches floor level. | Destratification fans alone — poor-fit; upfront Low; running Low. Recovers stratified heat but cannot fix a system that heats the wrong place to begin with.
Indicative costs: Single zone (packing bench area) £1,200 – £3,500 (Two to six high-output radiant units on local control.) | Multi-zone unit (500–1,500 m²) £6,000 – £18,000 (Zoned radiant with occupancy and time control.) | Full distribution centre £20,000+ (Phased, zone-by-zone installation to avoid operational downtime.)

### Church heating: what works in a cold stone building
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/church-heating
Enormous air volume, solid stone with no insulation, and use concentrated into a few hours a week. Any system that tries to warm the air is fighting a battle it cannot win economically.
A church is the hardest building type in the UK to heat conventionally, and the most rewarding one to heat correctly. The winning strategy is always the same: stop trying to warm the building and start warming the congregation.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Pew-level or overhead radiant warms the congregation within minutes of switch-on — ideal for intermittent use. | Gas boiler and pipe coils — poor-fit; upfront High; running High for intermittent use. Hours of pre-heating for a one-hour service, and intrusive pipework in a protected interior. | Underfloor heating — poor-fit; upfront Very high; running Medium. Excellent comfort but requires excavation — rarely acceptable in a listed church. | Air-source heat pump — viable; upfront High; running Lowest. Cheapest per kWh delivered (COP ~3.2) but needs good insulation and capital budget.
Indicative costs: Pew-level radiant, small church £3,000 – £8,000 (Under-pew or bench-mounted heaters zoned to seating.) | Overhead radiant, medium church £8,000 – £20,000 (Zoned overhead panels with service-time timers.) | Large or listed church £20,000+ (Includes faculty documentation and sympathetic fixing design.)

### Workshop heating: warm at the bench, not in the roof
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/workshop-heating
Roller doors open all day, dust makes ducted air a liability, and the only place that needs to be warm is a two-metre radius around each bench.
Workshops punish any heating system that relies on trapping warm air. The practical answer is targeted radiant heat over the bays actually in use, switched on when someone is standing there and off when they are not.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Aimed at the bench: comfort in seconds, unaffected by open doors, no dust circulation. | Electric blow heaters — poor-fit; upfront Very low; running Very high. Cheap to buy and genuinely awful to run — heats air that leaves through the door. | Gas radiant tube — viable; upfront Medium; running Low. Good for larger units where a gas supply and flue route already exist. | Diesel or waste-oil space heater — poor-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Fumes, noise and ventilation requirements make it a poor fit for occupied workspaces.
Indicative costs: Single bench zone £400 – £1,200 (One to three wall or ceiling radiant heaters on local switching.) | Small unit (100–250 m²) £1,500 – £5,000 (Zoned radiant across working bays.) | Large industrial unit £6,000+ (Multi-zone radiant with time and occupancy control.)

### Factory heating: zoning a production floor economically
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/factory-heating
Process heat, high roofs and mixed occupancy across one floorplate. Some areas need comfort heating all shift, others none at all, and a single system for the whole building wastes most of what it produces.
On a production floor the economics turn on zoning. Heating the entire volume to comfort temperature is almost never justified — heating the line positions where people stand, at the hours they stand there, usually is.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Warms people and surfaces directly; instant and zonal, with no wet system. | Gas radiant tube — best-fit; upfront Medium; running Low. The workhorse of large UK factories where gas is already on site. | Gas warm-air heaters — poor-fit; upfront Medium; running Low fuel cost, high waste. Heats air, which stratifies to the roof — most output never reaches floor level. | Destratification plus existing system — viable; upfront Low; running Low. A cheap partial fix that recovers roof heat; often paired with radiant zoning.
Indicative costs: Single production cell £2,000 – £6,000 (Zoned radiant over the line positions.) | Mid-size factory floor £15,000 – £40,000 (Multi-zone radiant with BMS or time control.) | Large plant £40,000+ (Phased installation across shifts to avoid downtime.)

### Garage heating: heat for the hours you are actually in there
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/garage-heating
A garage is usually uninsulated, detached from the house heating and used for an hour at a time. Anything that needs to warm up slowly is the wrong answer.
Garages, home gyms and hobby workshops share one characteristic: intermittent use. That makes instant, targeted heat far more economical than any system designed to hold a whole space at temperature.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Instant warmth on the spot you occupy, with nothing wasted on the rest of the garage. | Electric fan heater — poor-fit; upfront Very low; running Very high. Warms air that leaks straight out of an uninsulated shell. | Extending house central heating — poor-fit; upfront High; running Medium. Pipework, building-regs implications and a slow warm-up for occasional use. | Insulate first, then heat — best-fit; upfront Medium; running Cuts everything else. Insulating the door and roof will cut running costs of any system by a third or more.
Indicative costs: Single panel or radiant heater £150 – £400 (Plus electrician time if hard-wired.) | Double garage, zoned £500 – £1,200 (Two to three panels on a timer or thermostat.) | Insulated home gym conversion £1,500+ (Insulation plus panels and controls.)

### Care home heating: comfort, safety and per-room control
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/care-home-heating
Residents feel the cold differently, rooms are occupied around the clock, and hot surfaces and wet systems both bring regulatory risk.
In a care home, heating is a duty-of-care question before it is an energy question. The system needs individual room control, surfaces that cannot burn, and no stagnant hot water sitting in low-use circuits.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Low-surface-temperature or ceiling panels give per-room control with no hot pipework in reach. | Gas central heating — viable; upfront Medium; running Low fuel cost. Familiar and cheap to run, but shared circuits limit per-room control and carry legionella management duties. | Air-source heat pump — viable; upfront High; running Lowest. Cheapest per kWh delivered (COP ~3.2) but needs good insulation and capital budget. | Old electric storage heaters — poor-fit; upfront Low; running High. No responsive control — warm at breakfast, cold by evening, which is the wrong way round for residents.
Indicative costs: Per resident room £350 – £900 (Panel plus thermostat and installation.) | Communal lounge or dining room £1,200 – £4,000 (Zoned panels with central time control.) | Whole-home retrofit (30 rooms) £15,000 – £35,000 (Phased room by room with no residents displaced.)

### School heating: timetabled zones and half-term savings
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/school-heating
A school is empty most of the hours it is heated. Boiler-led systems warm the whole site to suit one occupied hall, and mobile classrooms sit outside the wet circuit entirely.
School heating is a scheduling problem dressed up as a plant problem. Occupancy is known months in advance, so the money is made by heating only the rooms on the timetable — something a single wet circuit cannot do, and per-room electric radiant can.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Ceiling panels per classroom, out of reach of pupils, with timetable scheduling. | Gas boiler and radiators — viable; upfront High; running Low fuel cost. Cheap fuel, but whole-site zoning is coarse and ageing plant risks mid-term failure. | Air-source heat pump — viable; upfront High; running Lowest. Cheapest per kWh delivered (COP ~3.2) but needs good insulation and capital budget. | Portable fan heaters — poor-fit; upfront Low; running Very high. A trip hazard, noisy in a classroom and the most expensive heat per useful kWh.
Indicative costs: Single classroom £900 – £2,200 (Ceiling panels plus scheduled thermostat.) | Mobile / modular classroom £1,200 – £3,000 (Independent of the main plant, so no boiler works required.) | Hall or sports space £4,000 – £12,000 (High-output radiant on occupancy control.)

### Office heating: per-desk comfort without the thermostat war
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/office-heating
Hybrid working broke the old assumption of a full floor. You now heat a whole open-plan floorplate for a handful of people, and one central thermostat can never suit both the window desks and the core.
The office heating question changed in 2020 and most systems never caught up. When occupancy swings between 20% and 90% week to week, the winning system is the one you can turn down in halves — not the one with the best headline efficiency.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Ceiling or wall panels per zone, silent, with no maintenance contract or plant room. | Air conditioning in heat-pump mode — viable; upfront Medium; running Low. Efficient and gives cooling too, but noisier and needs annual F-gas servicing. | Gas central heating — viable; upfront High; running Low fuel cost. Fine for a full floor, poor at part-occupancy because zoning is coarse. | Portable electric heaters — poor-fit; upfront Low; running Very high. The default fix in cold offices and the most expensive heat available.
Indicative costs: Meeting room or small private office £450 – £1,200 (One or two panels on a local thermostat.) | Open-plan floor (100–200 m²) £3,500 – £9,000 (Zoned ceiling panels with scheduled and occupancy control.) | Multi-floor fit-out £15,000+ (Phased floor by floor around occupied working hours.)

### Village hall heating: heat for the hours you are actually booked
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/village-hall-heating
A hall is used for a few hours at a time, often three or four evenings a week, and frequently has no mains gas. A slow wet system either runs all day or never gets warm before the booking ends.
A village hall has the hardest heating profile there is: cold, high-volume, intermittently occupied and run on a volunteer budget. What matters is not annual efficiency but how fast the hall feels warm and what a single booking costs to heat.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Immediate warmth on a timer or booking system, with nothing running between bookings. | Oil or LPG boiler — poor-fit; upfront High; running High. Slow to warm a cold hall, needs tank storage and annual servicing on a volunteer committee. | Air-source heat pump — viable; upfront High; running Lowest. Cheapest per kWh delivered (COP ~3.2) but needs good insulation and capital budget. | Old electric storage heaters — poor-fit; upfront Low; running High. Charges overnight and is coldest by the evening, which is exactly when halls are booked.
Indicative costs: Committee or meeting room £500 – £1,400 (Panels on a local timer.) | Main hall (100–200 m²) £4,000 – £11,000 (High-output radiant on booking-linked control.) | Whole building including kitchen and toilets £8,000 – £20,000 (Zoned throughout with independent frost protection.)

### Marquee heating: warm guests in an uninsulated tent
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/marquee-heating
A marquee has effectively no insulation and enormous air leakage, so any system that heats air is fighting the weather. Fabric also rules out most high-temperature emitters on safety grounds.
Nobody in a marquee cares about the air temperature — they care whether they feel cold. That is why radiant heat wins under fabric: it warms guests directly instead of trying to hold a temperature in a tent the wind blows straight through.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Warms guests directly, silent, no fumes and safe at rated clearances from fabric. | Indirect diesel heaters — viable; upfront Hire; running High. Industry standard for large marquees; ducted outside so no fumes indoors, but noisy and fuel-hungry. | Direct-fired gas / patio heaters — poor-fit; upfront Low; running High. Combustion products and moisture released inside; most reputable marquee firms prohibit them under fabric. | Electric fan heaters — poor-fit; upfront Low; running Very high. Heated air leaves through the fabric faster than you can produce it.
Indicative costs: Small marquee hire heat (up to 60 guests) £150 – £400 per event (Two to four radiant units plus distribution.) | Large marquee (150–250 guests) £500 – £1,500 per event (Indirect or zoned radiant with generator allowance.) | Permanent structure / all-season pod £2,500 – £9,000 (Owned radiant install for year-round hospitality use.)

### Outdoor commercial heating: extend the trading season
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/outdoor-commercial-heating
Outdoors there is no envelope at all, so heating air is pointless. Gas patio heaters also carry cylinder handling, refill logistics and a poor carbon story that increasingly matters to venues.
Outdoor heat is a revenue decision, not a comfort one: every week you keep the terrace usable is trading income you would otherwise lose. The only physics that works outside is radiant — heat delivered straight to the guest before the wind can take it.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Short-wave or shortwave-plus radiant units aimed at seating; instant, silent, no cylinders. | Gas patio heaters — viable; upfront Low; running High. Familiar and portable, but cylinder swaps, storage rules and roughly double the CO2 per useful kWh. | Fire pits and chimineas — poor-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Atmospheric and popular, but uncontrolled output, smoke complaints and a staffing burden. | Outdoor fan heaters — poor-fit; upfront Low; running Very high. Heats air that the next gust removes entirely.
Indicative costs: Per table / two-seat bay £250 – £700 (One wall or post-mounted radiant unit.) | Covered terrace (30–60 covers) £3,000 – £9,000 (Zoned radiant with timers or push-button guest control.) | Full outdoor scheme with canopy power £12,000+ (Includes electrical distribution and controls for year-round trading.)

### Listed building heating: warmth without consent battles
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/listed-building-heating
Solid walls lose heat fast, but the fabric changes that would fix it are exactly what consent restricts. Pipework chases, lifted floors and external units all risk refusal or damage.
In a listed building the constraint is never the heat — it is the intervention. The systems that win are the ones you can install, and remove, without cutting into historic fabric, which is why reversibility matters more than headline efficiency here.
Heating options: Infrared / radiant panels — best-fit; upfront Low; running Medium. Surface-mounted, cable-fed and fully reversible — often the lowest-intervention option available. | Wet radiators (new circuit) — poor-fit; upfront High; running Low fuel cost. Requires pipe chases and lifted floors, the works most likely to attract consent conditions or refusal. | Air-source heat pump — viable; upfront High; running Lowest. Efficient, but the external unit and larger emitters both need consent and rarely suit solid-wall heat loss. | Open fires alone — poor-fit; upfront Low; running High. Charming and part of the building's character, but most of the heat leaves through the chimney.
Indicative costs: Single period room £450 – £1,200 (Surface-mounted panel with local thermostat and no fabric intervention.) | Whole cottage (4–6 rooms) £3,000 – £8,000 (Zoned panels room by room with reversible fixings.) | Large listed property or hall £10,000+ (Phased, conservation-sensitive scheme with documented fixings.)

## Comparisons

### Infrared heating vs heat pumps
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-heat-pump
A heat pump uses roughly three times less electricity than infrared for the same heat (COP ~3.2 vs 1.0), so it is cheaper to run for whole-home heating. Infrared wins on upfront cost, zonal on-demand heat, zero maintenance and easy retrofit — which is why it suits single rooms, intermittent spaces and hard-to-treat buildings rather than replacing a heat pump.
Upfront cost: infrared — Low — typically £7–10k for a house, less per room; Air-source heat pump — High — median ~£13k before the £7,500 grant
Government grant: infrared — None currently; Air-source heat pump — £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England & Wales)
Running cost (same heat): infrared — Higher — resistive, ~1 kWh in per 1 kWh out; Air-source heat pump — Lower — COP ~3.2, so ~1 kWh in per ~3 kWh out
Install disruption: infrared — Minimal — electrical only, no wet system; Air-source heat pump — Significant — outdoor unit, cylinder, pipework
Maintenance: infrared — Effectively none; Air-source heat pump — Annual service recommended
Best for: infrared — Rooms, intermittent spaces, retrofit, listed buildings; Air-source heat pump — Whole-home heating in reasonably insulated homes
Verdict: If you're heating a whole, reasonably insulated home and can access the grant, a heat pump usually wins on lifetime running cost. If you're heating specific rooms, an intermittently used space, or a building that's expensive or impossible to fit a wet system into, infrared's low upfront cost and zonal control make it the better fit.

### Infrared heating vs gas central heating
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-gas-central-heating
Gas is currently the cheaper fuel per kWh, so whole-home gas central heating usually has a lower running cost today than heating every room with infrared. Infrared avoids a boiler, flue and wet system entirely, gives per-room control, and is a genuine option where there's no gas supply or for heating individual rooms rather than the whole house.
Upfront cost: infrared — Low per room; no boiler or pipework; Gas central heating — Boiler + radiators + pipework install
Fuel cost per kWh: infrared — Electricity (~24.5p); Gas central heating — Gas (~6.2p) — cheaper today
Whole-home running cost: infrared — Higher if heating every room; Gas central heating — Lower at current gas prices
Per-room control: infrared — Excellent — heat one room only; Gas central heating — Limited — zoned circuits at best
Maintenance & safety: infrared — No boiler, flue or gas safety checks; Gas central heating — Annual boiler service, gas safety
Best for: infrared — Off-gas-grid, single rooms, extensions; Gas central heating — Whole-home heating with a gas supply
Verdict: With a gas connection and a whole house to heat, gas central heating is usually cheaper to run right now. Infrared makes most sense off the gas grid, for rooms and extensions, or where the disruption and cost of a wet system aren't justified.

### Infrared heating vs storage heaters
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-storage-heaters
Both are electric and resistive, so neither beats a heat pump on efficiency — but infrared gives instant, controllable, zonal heat, while storage heaters release heat on a fixed cycle and often waste it during the day. For most homes on old storage heaters, infrared is a more comfortable, more controllable upgrade, especially on a time-of-use tariff.
Control: infrared — Instant on/off, per-room thermostats; Storage heaters — Charges overnight, limited daytime control
Wasted heat: infrared — Only heat when you need it; Storage heaters — Can leak stored heat during the day when out
Warm-up: infrared — Immediate radiant warmth; Storage heaters — Depends on the overnight charge
Upfront cost: infrared — Comparable, slim wall panels; Storage heaters — Bulky units
Tariff: infrared — Works well with flexible/off-peak tariffs; Storage heaters — Designed around Economy 7
Best for: infrared — Upgrading old electric heating; Storage heaters — Homes committed to overnight-only charging
Verdict: If you're replacing old storage heaters, infrared almost always gives better comfort and control. The running cost depends on your tariff — pairing infrared with a smart time-of-use tariff is the way to keep electric-heating costs down.

### Infrared heating vs electric radiators
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/compare/infrared-vs-electric-radiators
Electric radiators and infrared panels are both 100% efficient at turning electricity into heat, so running cost per kWh is the same. The difference is how they deliver it: electric radiators warm the air (convection), while infrared warms people and surfaces directly (radiant), which can feel warmer sooner and suits draughty or intermittently used rooms.
How it heats: infrared — Radiant — warms people & surfaces; Electric radiators — Convection — warms the air
Efficiency: infrared — 100% (resistive); Electric radiators — 100% (resistive)
Perceived warmth: infrared — Feels warm quickly, even in draughts; Electric radiators — Depends on warming the whole air volume
Appearance: infrared — Slim panels, mirror/glass options; Electric radiators — Traditional radiator form
Best rooms: infrared — High-ceilinged, draughty or glazed rooms; Electric radiators — Well-sealed, standard rooms
Running cost: infrared — Same per kWh; can be lower with zoning; Electric radiators — Same per kWh
Verdict: Neither is 'more efficient' — they convert electricity to heat identically. Infrared's radiant delivery tends to feel more comfortable in rooms that are hard to heat by warming the air, while electric radiators are perfectly good in well-sealed standard rooms.

## Panel types

### Ceiling infrared heating panels
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/ceiling
Ceiling-mounted infrared panels radiate downward to warm the floor, furniture and people directly, freeing up all wall space. They suit rooms with limited walls, suspended ceilings and commercial spaces, and are usually mounted 2.4–3 m high. Above about 3.5 m the radiant intensity at floor level drops, so wall panels or higher-output units are better for tall rooms.
Best for: Rooms with little free wall space, open-plan areas, offices and suspended-ceiling spaces.. Mounting: Fixed flush to the ceiling or dropped into a suspended-ceiling grid, ideally 2.4–3 m above the floor.. Sizing: Around 60–100 W/m² of floor area; keep mounting height under ~3.5 m for effective floor-level warmth.
#### Why mount infrared on the ceiling
A ceiling panel faces straight down, so its radiant heat lands on the floor and everything in the room without being blocked by furniture along the walls. That makes it the natural choice where wall space is at a premium — small rooms, rooms with lots of glazing or joinery, and open-plan spaces where you want the heat spread evenly.

In commercial fit-outs, ceiling-tile panels drop straight into a standard suspended-ceiling grid, so they disappear into the room and can be zoned across the grid to heat only occupied areas.
#### Mounting height matters
Radiant intensity falls with distance, so mounting height is the key variable for ceiling panels. Between about 2.4 m and 3 m they work very well for standard rooms. Above roughly 3.5 m the warmth reaching people at floor level weakens, and you are better served by wall-mounted panels aimed across the occupied zone or by higher-output commercial radiant heaters.

### Wall-mounted infrared heating panels
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/wall
Wall-mounted infrared panels are the most common domestic option. Fitted about 1.5–1.8 m up the wall and angled across the room, they warm the opposite surfaces and the people in between. They are easy to retrofit onto existing circuits, work in almost any room, and suit tall spaces better than ceiling panels because you can aim the radiant heat where people are.
Best for: Most living rooms, bedrooms, home offices and tall rooms where you want to aim the heat across the space.. Mounting: Fixed to the wall roughly 1.5–1.8 m from the floor, facing the main occupied area; taller rooms can mount higher and angle down.. Sizing: Around 60–130 W/m² depending on insulation; place to face the seating or working zone, not a bare wall.
#### Placement is everything
Infrared heats what it can 'see', so a wall panel should face the part of the room you actually use — the sofa, the desk, the bed — not an empty corner. Mounting around 1.5–1.8 m up the wall puts the radiant field at body level for someone seated or standing nearby.

In rooms with high ceilings, wall panels have an edge over ceiling panels: you can mount them higher and angle them down to keep the warmth on people rather than losing it to the roof void.
#### Easy retrofit
Wall panels are the simplest infrared retrofit. They are slim, hang like a large picture frame, and can often reuse an existing heater circuit — a qualified electrician confirms the load and adds a thermostat. There is no wet system, no pipework and no boiler, so a room can usually be converted in a day.

### Infrared mirror heating panels
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/mirror
Infrared mirror panels are heating panels with a mirrored front, so they double as a full-length or vanity mirror while warming the room. Because the glass surface stays warm, the mirror resists misting up — which is why they are popular in bathrooms and bedrooms. In a bathroom they must be IP-rated and installed in the correct zone by a qualified electrician.
Best for: Bathrooms, en-suites, bedrooms and hallways where a mirror is wanted and wall space is limited.. Mounting: Wall-mounted at normal mirror height; in bathrooms sited to the correct IP zone.. Sizing: Around 80–100 W/m² of floor area; mirror models come in fewer sizes, so pair two for larger rooms.
#### A heater and a mirror in one
A mirror panel puts the heating element behind a mirrored glass front, so a single fitting does two jobs and takes no extra wall space. In compact bathrooms and en-suites — where there is rarely room for both a mirror and a heater — that dual function is the main appeal.

Because the glass is gently warmed whenever the panel runs, its surface stays above the dew point, so it resists the misting that plagues ordinary bathroom mirrors after a shower.
#### Safety and IP ratings
Bathrooms are split into electrical zones, and any heater must carry the right IP (ingress protection) rating for its zone and be installed by a qualified electrician. A mirror panel warming the room also helps lift surface temperatures above dew point, which reduces the condensation that feeds bathroom mould.

### Infrared picture heating panels
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/picture
Infrared picture panels have a printed image or artwork on the front, so the heater looks like a framed picture on the wall. They perform exactly like a standard wall panel — the print is purely cosmetic — and suit living rooms, hallways and offices where people want the heater to disappear into the décor rather than read as a heating appliance.
Best for: Living rooms, hallways, offices and any space where you want the heater to look like wall art.. Mounting: Wall-mounted like a framed picture, facing the occupied area at roughly 1.5–1.8 m.. Sizing: Around 60–130 W/m² depending on insulation — identical to a plain wall panel of the same wattage.
#### Heating disguised as art
A picture panel is a standard infrared wall panel with a custom or stock image printed on the front. Functionally it is identical to a plain panel of the same wattage — the print does not change the heat output — but visually it reads as framed artwork, which is why it is popular in rooms where people don't want a visible heater.

You can often supply your own image, so the panel becomes a genuine piece of décor while still delivering the same radiant warmth as any wall panel.
#### Same performance, same sizing
Because performance is unchanged, sizing follows the normal wall-panel rules: 60 W/m² for a well-insulated room up to about 130 W/m² for a poorly insulated one, mounted to face the area you use. The only practical difference from a plain panel is appearance and, sometimes, a small premium for the print.

### Infrared bathroom heating panels
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/bathroom
Infrared bathroom panels are IP-rated heaters that deliver fast radiant warmth for getting in and out of the shower, while warming wall and surface temperatures to cut condensation and mould. They must be installed in the correct bathroom zone by a qualified electrician, and are available as plain panels, mirror panels or towel-rail-style radiant heaters.
Best for: Bathrooms, en-suites, shower rooms and wet rooms needing quick, controllable warmth.. Mounting: Wall- or ceiling-mounted in the correct IP zone; ceiling panels keep hot surfaces out of reach.. Sizing: Around 80–100 W/m² of floor area; small rooms warm quickly, so a timer avoids overheating.
#### Fast warmth where you need it
Bathrooms are used in short bursts, which suits infrared perfectly: a panel gives radiant warmth within a minute or two of switching on, so you are not pre-heating the room for half an hour. On a timer linked to your morning routine, you only pay for the few minutes you actually need heat.
#### Condensation, mould and safety
By warming surfaces rather than just the air, infrared helps keep walls, tiles and mirrors above the dew point, which reduces the surface condensation that mould needs to grow. Safety is governed by bathroom electrical zones — the panel must carry the correct IP rating for its position, and ceiling-mounted or low-surface-temperature options keep hot surfaces out of reach.

For a typical family bathroom a single correctly sized panel on a timer is usually enough, and because there is no towel-rail plumbing, no flush of hot water and no flue, installation is straightforward electrical work that a qualified electrician can complete in a few hours with minimal disruption to the room.

### Infrared glass heating panels
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-panels/glass
Infrared glass panels have a toughened glass front — clear, coloured or black — for a premium, minimalist look. They heat the same way as metal panels but the glass gives a higher-end finish that suits contemporary interiors and kitchens. Performance and sizing match equivalent-wattage panels; the difference is appearance and a modest price premium.
Best for: Contemporary living rooms, kitchens and offices where finish and looks are a priority.. Mounting: Wall-mounted like a standard panel, facing the occupied area; some models are frameless.. Sizing: Around 60–130 W/m² depending on insulation — the same as a metal panel of equal wattage.
#### A premium finish
Glass panels swap the painted metal front of a standard panel for toughened glass, available clear, coloured or in black. The result is a sleek, frameless-looking heater that reads as a design object rather than an appliance, which is why they are chosen for contemporary and minimalist interiors.
#### Same physics, different looks
A glass panel radiates infrared exactly like a metal panel of the same wattage, so sizing and running costs are identical — 60 W/m² for a well-insulated room up to about 130 W/m² for a poorly insulated one. You are paying for the finish, not for more heat, so choose glass for the look and size it on the same rules as any other panel.

One practical point: glass panels are a little heavier than metal equivalents, so fixings and wall type matter, and a qualified installer will confirm the wall can carry the weight. Otherwise they behave like any wall panel — mount them facing the area you use, add a thermostat and timer, and you get the same radiant warmth with a more design-led finish.

## Applications

### Infrared heating for warehouses
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/warehouses
Warehouses are the classic case for infrared. High ceilings make warm-air heating hugely wasteful — the heat rises and the floor stays cold. Infrared warms people, racking and the floor directly, so staff feel warm at ground level without heating thousands of cubic metres of air above them.
Building traits: Large volume, high roofs (6–12 m), frequently opened loading doors and often little insulation.
Why infrared: Heats surfaces and people at floor level, not the wasted air near the roof. Instant, zonal control — heat only the packing or picking areas that are occupied. No wet pipework, boilers or annual servicing across a large footprint. Recovers quickly after loading doors open, unlike warm-air systems.
Typical spec: High-output ceiling- or wall-mounted infrared panels or radiant tubes zoned by work area, controlled per zone with occupancy timers. (Typically zoned rather than whole-volume; radiant output sized to the occupied work area.)

### Infrared heating for churches
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/churches
Churches are almost impossible to heat with warm air — huge volumes, stone walls and intermittent use. Infrared warms the congregation and the pews directly, delivering comfort within minutes of switching on rather than trying to warm the whole building.
Building traits: Very high ceilings, solid stone/masonry, poor insulation and use concentrated into services and events.
Why infrared: Comfort where people actually sit — pews and aisles — not the roof void. Fast warm-up for occasional use; no need to pre-heat for hours. No boiler flue, wet system or pipework threading through a listed interior. Discreet panels or overhead radiant heaters that respect the building fabric.
Typical spec: Overhead or pew-level radiant panels zoned to the nave and regularly used areas, on simple timers or app control for service times. (Zoned to seating areas; radiant output matched to occupied zones rather than the full volume.)

### Infrared heating for care homes
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/care-homes
Care homes need consistent, room-by-room comfort with surfaces that never get dangerously hot, and no legionella-prone wet systems. Infrared gives individual room control and a gentle radiant warmth that suits residents who feel the cold.
Building traits: Many individual rooms with different comfort needs, 24/7 occupancy and strict safety requirements.
Why infrared: Independent per-room control so each resident sets their own comfort. Even, draught-free radiant warmth that reduces damp and cold spots. No wet system, reducing legionella risk and maintenance. Low-surface-temperature panel options for safety.
Typical spec: Wall- or ceiling-mounted panels in each room with individual thermostats, plus zoned control in communal areas. (Around 60–100 W/m² of floor area per room depending on insulation.)

### Infrared heating for offices
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/offices
Offices suit infrared because occupancy is predictable and zonal. You heat the desks that are in use during working hours and switch off overnight, with no boiler to service and slimline panels that disappear into the ceiling.
Building traits: Defined working hours, zoned floorplates and a mix of open-plan and cellular spaces.
Why infrared: Zone by floor or department and heat only occupied areas. Instant warmth at the start of the day — no slow boiler warm-up. Ceiling-integrated panels free up wall space and need no servicing. Simple timer and smart control tied to working hours.
Typical spec: Ceiling-tile or suspended infrared panels zoned per area, on time and occupancy control. (Around 60–90 W/m² of floor area depending on insulation and glazing.)

### Infrared heating for schools
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/schools
Classrooms, halls and sports buildings benefit from infrared's fast, zonal, low-maintenance heat. Rooms warm quickly for the school day and switch off during holidays, with no exposed hot pipework.
Building traits: Intermittent term-time use, large halls, and a duty of care around safety and air quality.
Why infrared: Rapid warm-up for the start of the school day. Zone classrooms and halls independently; switch off unused blocks. No boiler plant to service or wet pipework to freeze in holidays. Quiet, draught-free heat that does not disturb lessons.
Typical spec: Ceiling-mounted panels per classroom with local control, and high-output radiant heaters zoned in halls and gyms. (Around 60–90 W/m² in classrooms; halls are zoned by activity area.)

### Infrared heating for listed buildings
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/listed-buildings
Listed and period buildings are hard to retrofit with wet central heating without disturbing the fabric. Infrared needs only an electrical supply and discreet panels, making it one of the least intrusive ways to add modern heating.
Building traits: Solid walls, protected fabric, limited routes for pipework and strict consent requirements.
Why infrared: No pipework chased into historic walls or floors. Discreet, reversible installation that respects the fabric. Warms surfaces to help control damp in solid-wall interiors. Zonal control for buildings used intermittently.
Typical spec: Slimline or mirror/glass panels sited sympathetically, with reversible fixings and per-room control. (Around 80–110 W/m² given typically poor solid-wall insulation.)

### Infrared heating for village halls
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/village-halls
Village and community halls are used in short bursts and can't justify running a boiler all day. Infrared delivers instant warmth for a booking and switches straight off afterwards, keeping running costs tied to actual use.
Building traits: Intermittent bookings, one large space, tight budgets and often minimal insulation.
Why infrared: Instant heat for a two-hour booking — no pre-heating. Pay only for the hours the hall is actually used. No boiler servicing or frost-protection headaches. Simple timer or coin/booking-linked control.
Typical spec: Overhead radiant panels zoned to the main hall with a simple timer or booking-linked control. (Zoned to occupied areas; output matched to the main hall.)

### Infrared heating for workshops
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/workshops
Workshops and industrial units have high ceilings and doors that open constantly. Infrared warms the workbench and the person at it, so you get comfort where the work happens without heating the whole building.
Building traits: High roofs, frequent door openings, dusty environments and localised work areas.
Why infrared: Targeted radiant heat at workbenches and assembly areas. Fast recovery when roller doors open. No ductwork to collect dust or boiler to maintain. Zone by bay and heat only where people are working.
Typical spec: Wall- or ceiling-mounted radiant heaters aimed at work zones, on local switching or occupancy control. (Zoned to work areas rather than whole-volume.)

### Infrared heating for conservatories
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/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.
Building traits: Large glazed area, rapid heat loss and no easy route for radiators or pipework.
Why infrared: 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 spec: Ceiling- or wall-mounted panels sized to the glazed area, on a local thermostat. (Around 100–130 W/m² given the high glazing losses.)

### Infrared heating for bathrooms
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/bathrooms
Infrared mirror and panel heaters suit bathrooms — they warm the room and the surfaces quickly, help keep mirrors clear, and come in IP-rated options for safe use in wet zones.
Building traits: Small, humid rooms where condensation, mould and quick warm-up all matter.
Why infrared: Fast radiant warmth for getting in and out of the shower. Mirror panels double as a heater and stay demist-clear. Warmer surfaces reduce condensation and mould. IP-rated panels for safe installation in the correct zone.
Typical spec: IP-rated wall or mirror panels sized to the room, on a timer or thermostat. (Around 80–100 W/m² of floor area.)

### Infrared heating for garages and home gyms
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/garages
Garages, home gyms and workshops only need heat when you're using them. Infrared gives instant, targeted warmth without heating the whole space for hours or extending the house heating system.
Building traits: Uninsulated or lightly insulated, used intermittently and often detached from the main heating.
Why infrared: Instant warmth for a workout or a project — no warm-up wait. Targeted heat where you stand or work. No pipework or boiler extension needed. Simple plug-in or hard-wired panels with a timer.
Typical spec: Wall- or ceiling-mounted panels aimed at the work or exercise area, on a local timer. (Around 100–130 W/m² given typically poor insulation.)

### Infrared heating for home offices
URL: https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating-for/home-offices
Heating a single home-office room with the whole-house boiler is wasteful. An infrared panel warms just that room, instantly, during working hours — often the cheapest way to stay comfortable while working from home.
Building traits: A single room used during the day while the rest of the house is unheated.
Why infrared: Heat one room without firing the whole central-heating system. Instant warmth at the start of the working day. Slimline panel that mounts on the wall or ceiling. Simple thermostat or smart-plug control.
Typical spec: A single wall- or ceiling-mounted panel sized to the room, on a thermostat or smart control. (Around 60–100 W/m² depending on insulation.)

## Regional off-gas-grid data (estimates)

North West England: ~9% of households off the mains gas grid (~290,000 homes). Cumbria, rural Lancashire and the Cheshire countryside push the North West's off-gas-grid count high despite dense urban gas coverage in Manchester and Liverpool. Grid electricity carbon: very low — North West grid electricity is often among the cleanest in Britain thanks to nearby nuclear output, which strengthens the case for electric infrared here.
North East England: ~9% of households off the mains gas grid (~110,000 homes). Rural Northumberland and County Durham villages sit well beyond the mains gas network, relying on oil, LPG and electric heating. Grid electricity carbon: very low — The North East frequently runs on very low-carbon electricity, so electric heating here carries a smaller carbon footprint than the GB average.
Yorkshire and the Humber: ~11% of households off the mains gas grid (~260,000 homes). The Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and rural East Riding contain large numbers of homes with no mains gas connection. Grid electricity carbon: moderate — Yorkshire's grid mix leans on biomass and gas, so the timing of electric heating matters more here for keeping carbon down.
West Midlands: ~10% of households off the mains gas grid (~250,000 homes). Rural Shropshire, Herefordshire and Staffordshire hold most of the region's off-gas-grid homes, away from the Birmingham conurbation. Grid electricity carbon: moderate — West Midlands electricity is cleanest through the middle of the day when solar output peaks — useful for scheduling electric heating.
East Midlands: ~15% of households off the mains gas grid (~320,000 homes). Lincolnshire, rural Derbyshire and the Peak District give the East Midlands one of England's higher off-gas-grid shares. Grid electricity carbon: high — The East Midlands grid still leans on gas generation, so running electric heating during solar-rich daytime hours makes a real difference to carbon.
Wales: ~23% of households off the mains gas grid (~320,000 homes). Rural Wales has one of the highest off-gas-grid rates in Britain — much of mid and north Wales has never had a mains gas connection. Grid electricity carbon: moderate — With so many Welsh homes off the gas grid already, efficient electric heating is often the most practical low-disruption upgrade.

## Locations (2024 climate data, Open-Meteo archive, base 15.5C)

Accrington, Lancashire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/accrington — 2280 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.4C
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/barrow-in-furness — 1909 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Birkenhead, Merseyside — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/birkenhead — 1725 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11C
Blackburn, Lancashire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/blackburn — 2280 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.4C
Blackpool, Lancashire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/blackpool — 1856 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6C
Bolton, Greater Manchester — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bolton — 2256 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.5C
Burnley, Lancashire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/burnley — 2392 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9C
Carlisle, Cumbria — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/carlisle — 2098 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 9.9C
Chester, Cheshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/chester — 1846 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Chorley, Lancashire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/chorley — 2123 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.8C
Crewe, Cheshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/crewe — 1928 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.5C
Kendal, Cumbria — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/kendal — 2149 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.7C
Lancaster, Lancashire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/lancaster — 2079 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 9.9C
Liverpool, Merseyside — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/liverpool — 1799 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8C
Macclesfield, Cheshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/macclesfield — 2136 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.8C
Manchester, Greater Manchester — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/manchester — 1875 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Nantwich, Cheshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/nantwich — 1957 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Oldham, Greater Manchester — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/oldham — 2298 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.4C
Penrith, Cumbria — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/penrith — 2439 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 8.9C
Preston, Lancashire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/preston — 1896 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5C
Rochdale, Greater Manchester — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/rochdale — 2299 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.3C
Salford, Greater Manchester — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/salford — 1875 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Southport, Merseyside — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/southport — 1794 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8C
St Helens, Merseyside — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/st-helens — 1899 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5C
Stockport, Greater Manchester — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stockport — 1870 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Warrington, Cheshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/warrington — 1876 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6C
Widnes, Cheshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/widnes — 1851 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Wigan, Greater Manchester — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wigan — 2048 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.1C
Workington, Cumbria — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/workington — 1893 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.4C
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/berwick-upon-tweed — 2056 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10C
Bishop Auckland, County Durham — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bishop-auckland — 2177 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.7C
Darlington, County Durham — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/darlington — 2045 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.1C
Durham, County Durham — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/durham — 2024 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Gateshead, Tyne and Wear — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/gateshead — 2065 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.1C
Hexham, Northumberland — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/hexham — 2101 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.9C
Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/middlesbrough — 1947 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Morpeth, Northumberland — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/morpeth — 2067 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10C
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/newcastle-upon-tyne — 2037 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.1C
Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stockton-on-tees — 1947 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Sunderland, Tyne and Wear — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/sunderland — 2031 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.1C
Barnsley, South Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/barnsley — 2114 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 10C
Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/beverley — 1877 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Bradford, West Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bradford — 2158 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.8C
Doncaster, South Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/doncaster — 1864 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8C
Grimsby, Lincolnshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/grimsby — 1768 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1C
Halifax, West Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/halifax — 2176 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.7C
Harrogate, North Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/harrogate — 2098 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10C
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/huddersfield — 2101 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 10C
Keighley, West Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/keighley — 2120 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.9C
Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/hull — 1884 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Leeds, West Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/leeds — 2038 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Ripon, North Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/ripon — 2045 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.1C
Rotherham, South Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/rotherham — 1947 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.5C
Scarborough, North Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/scarborough — 1958 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Sheffield, South Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/sheffield — 1948 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.5C
Skipton, North Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/skipton — 2348 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.2C
Wakefield, West Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wakefield — 1913 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.6C
York, North Yorkshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/york — 1896 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6C
Birmingham, West Midlands — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/birmingham — 1995 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/burton-upon-trent — 1937 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.5C
Cannock, Staffordshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/cannock — 2027 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Coventry, West Midlands — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/coventry — 1899 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Dudley, West Midlands — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/dudley — 2038 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Hereford, Herefordshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/hereford — 1875 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Kidderminster, Worcestershire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/kidderminster — 1928 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.6C
Lichfield, Staffordshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/lichfield — 1963 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Oswestry, Shropshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/oswestry — 2010 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Shrewsbury, Shropshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/shrewsbury — 1930 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.5C
Stafford, Staffordshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stafford — 2030 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/stoke-on-trent — 2107 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.9C
Tamworth, Staffordshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/tamworth — 1887 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Telford, Shropshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/telford — 1879 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6C
Walsall, West Midlands — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/walsall — 2021 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Wolverhampton, West Midlands — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wolverhampton — 1988 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.3C
Worcester, Worcestershire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/worcester — 1773 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1C
Boston, Lincolnshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/boston — 1753 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11.2C
Buxton, Derbyshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/buxton — 2596 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 8.5C
Chesterfield, Derbyshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/chesterfield — 2057 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.1C
Corby, Northamptonshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/corby — 1876 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8C
Derby, Derbyshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/derby — 1934 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.5C
Grantham, Lincolnshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/grantham — 1930 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.6C
Kettering, Northamptonshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/kettering — 1863 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8C
Leicester, Leicestershire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/leicester — 1938 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.6C
Lincoln, Lincolnshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/lincoln — 1821 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11C
Loughborough, Leicestershire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/loughborough — 1908 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.7C
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/mansfield — 2022 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.3C
Matlock, Derbyshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/matlock — 2217 HDD (colder than the UK average), mean 9.6C
Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/newark-on-trent — 1822 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11C
Northampton, Northamptonshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/northampton — 1861 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8C
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/nottingham — 1894 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.7C
Skegness, Lincolnshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/skegness — 1712 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11.3C
Wellingborough, Northamptonshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wellingborough — 1850 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.9C
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/aberystwyth — 1676 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1C
Bangor, Gwynedd — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/bangor — 1834 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5C
Caernarfon, Gwynedd — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/caernarfon — 1796 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.8C
Colwyn Bay, Conwy — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/colwyn-bay — 1714 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11C
Denbigh, Denbighshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/denbigh — 1942 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.4C
Dolgellau, Gwynedd — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/dolgellau — 1900 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5C
Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/holyhead — 1703 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11C
Llandudno, Conwy — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/llandudno — 1675 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 11.1C
Machynlleth, Powys — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/machynlleth — 1880 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.6C
Mold, Flintshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/mold — 1969 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.3C
Newtown, Powys — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/newtown — 1988 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.3C
Rhyl, Denbighshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/rhyl — 1732 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.9C
Ruthin, Denbighshire — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/ruthin — 1888 HDD (milder than the UK average), mean 10.5C
Welshpool, Powys — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/welshpool — 2021 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 10.2C
Wrexham, Wrexham — https://infraredheatinginstallers.co.uk/infrared-heating/wrexham — 2091 HDD (close to the UK average), mean 9.9C