The Disadvantages of Infrared Heating - What to Watch Out For

Infrared heating has its disadvantages too: it is not the cheapest heating in every house, an infrared panel stays visible and is felt less at a distance, it can only be regulated with a thermostat, it does not store heat, and in a poorly insulated building it has to run for a long time. Below we go through what to watch out for before you decide on infrared heating.

With this article we do not want to talk anyone out of infrared heating; we want you to know every detail before you choose. We know of no disadvantage that is harmful to health or that causes damage because of how it works - the pitfalls lie in cost, placement and installation.

Cost: it is not the cheapest everywhere

We do not claim that infrared heating is the cheapest choice. When this article was published in 2020, looking only at the energy bill, gas heating was one of the cheapest and most widespread solutions. With gas heating, however, design and installation cost money too, and if gas is not yet connected to the plot, laying the gas pipe alone is a big cost. Energy prices have changed considerably since then, so a decision today needs a fresh calculation - our recent cost comparison of heat pumps and infrared heating is a good starting point.

The disadvantages of an infrared panel

• It cannot be made invisible. An infrared panel is visible on the wall or ceiling, and it is not worth hiding either: the further we are from it, the less we feel the warmth, so it has to go in a central position. Mounted on the ceiling it is less conspicuous.
• Its surface cannot be painted or covered. The panels sold when this article was written had a ceramic-grain, white, rough heating surface that not everyone gets used to easily - its efficiency, however, was better in our experience at the time than that of smooth-surfaced or glass-fronted types.
• Outdoors only in a protected place. Panels are generally not waterproof; outdoors they can only be used in a place protected on all sides and from water.
• It can only be regulated with accessories. The panel itself cannot be regulated; a thermostat or timer is needed. Its output cannot be adjusted either: when switched on it always heats at full power, and the thermostat holds the temperature by switching off and on.
• Connection. The supply typically comes with a cable of about 60 cm, which, depending on placement, can be too little or too much, and there is not always a plug on the end, because most people wire it into a thermostat or directly into the mains.
• Network extension. If the house runs solely on this heating method, extending the electrical network may also be needed - have an electrician assess this.
• It does not store heat. After switching off it still heats for a few minutes, then cools. In a house with poor energy efficiency it therefore runs for long hours, which means a considerable extra cost.
• Its surface is hot. In operation, the surface temperature of the panels sold when this article was written was around 100 degrees. If there is a small child or a pet in the household, the panel should not be in an easily reachable place.
• Uneven warmth. Because of the operating temperature, it is much warmer in the immediate vicinity of the panel than further away.
• High ceilings. In a tall room the panel's efficiency can drop; in that case it can be brought closer by mounting it on a plasterboard suspended ceiling.

When is it not the right choice?

• To supplement existing convector heating we do not recommend it. If it is cold even with the convector, a panel may solve the problem, but it will certainly not be kind to your wallet. In that case it is better to spend on replacing windows and doors and on insulation.
• To completely replace working gas heating with infrared panels we saw no reason when this article was published; whether it pays off today can only be decided by a calculation with today's prices.
• In a poorly insulated house with high heat loss any electric heating runs for a long time, so it is worth reducing the heat loss first.

And heating film?

Most of the points above apply to the infrared panel. Heating film built into the floor, wall or ceiling is not visible, and its surface does not get as hot as a panel's, but it has its limits too: in an existing home, installing it involves breaking up the floor covering or putting up a new ceiling covering, the layer build-up and the quality of the installation are decisive, and afterwards it is harder to access than a wall-mounted panel. The electricity cost here too depends on the thermal insulation of the house and on use. We give a 15.5-year warranty on 4th-generation heating film if we carry out the installation. You can read about the details of installation on our page about heating film underfloor heating.

Where is it still a good choice?

When this article was published, central gas or mixed-fuel heating was still the most common, but there are many life situations in which infrared heating is a particularly good choice. In new construction, even combined with solar panels, it can be a practical solution, and it works well as supplementary heating for individual rooms. In a holiday home or weekend house, a quickly switched-on heater makes staying there more pleasant in early spring and autumn too - and let us admit, installing any other heating there would be far more expensive.

Infrared panels in our webshop

The products below are examples of the panel solution; you will find the current price and availability on the product page (Hungarian-language shop, delivery within Hungary).

• Church heating infrared panel 100CH 100W
• Church heating infrared panel 150CH 150W P
• Church heating infrared panel 200CH 200W

Summary

As the list shows, this heating system has quite a few disadvantages too. Think carefully about what you are installing, since you are not planning the investment for a year or two: the decision determines for a long time how warm and comfortable your home will be. We also compare the advantages and disadvantages of infrared heating together in another article.