Frequently asked questions and answers about infrared heating

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Here you will find all the questions and answers, as well as explanations of topics and technical terms that can be relevant for an infrared heating system.

We encounter infrared (IR) radiation (also called heat radiation) every day in nature, e.g. as part of solar radiation. Besides visible light and UV radiation, the sun also emits infrared radiation, which is converted into heat when it hits the earth’s surface. But the heat emitted by a campfire or a tiled stove is also infrared radiation.

Technically, infrared radiation is an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength of 800 nm to 1 mm that propagates in free space without a transmission medium. Depending on the wavelength, a distinction is made between A, B and C radiation. heatness infrared heaters only produce pleasant radiant heat in the long-wave C range, which is absolutely harmless to the skin and eyes (in contrast to infrared A and B radiation).

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Convection is the heating of the ambient air, as is the case with a conventional radiator. The heated ambient air rises due to its lower density and pushes the colder air to the floor. This creates air circulation, which raises dust and distributes it in the ambient air. Convection also causes a cold-feet effect, as the colder air is permanently pushed downwards. With infrared heating, on the other hand, there is only a slight convection effect, so very little dust is whirled up and a more even distribution of heat is achieved.

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The heat is generated by an electrically conductive carbon heating element placed behind the front panel or glass pane. Applying a voltage to this heating element causes the surface to heat up and thus emit the pleasant infrared radiation.
In contrast to convection heaters, infrared radiation does not use the air to transport heat, but solid objects and bodies are heated directly (same operating principle as with the tiled stove). The radiated objects store the supplied heat and then release it evenly into the room.
Therefore, there is no dust whirling up! The temperature is the same in the entire room. Hardly any heat is lost during ventilation. This is because the walls have stored the heat and so it quickly becomes cosy again.
The room only needs to be warmed up a little, because you feel infrared heat more intensively. So you always feel the room about 2-3 degrees warmer than when using conventional convection heaters. Therefore, the air always stays pleasantly fresh and the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract do not dry out.
Mould also no longer has a chance, as the walls gradually dry out from the inside. That is why infrared heaters are also used for drying out buildings.
In addition, there is the health effect of infrared rays! In infrared cabins, for example, infrared radiation is used for therapeutic purposes. The heat radiation dilates the blood vessels, thus promoting blood circulation and increasing the effect of the body’s own immune system. In addition, the warm infrared rays relax the muscles and relieve tension.

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Infrared heat has an extremely positive effect on the human organism. It is not only a subjective feeling, but has also been proven countless times in many expert reports that infrared heat is a beneficial warmth for the body and alleviates many kinds of complaints.
Since an infrared heater does not heat the air in the room directly, but rather the objects in the room, you also benefit from higher humidity, as well as less room air circulation (warm air rises, cools and falls again). This has a particularly positive effect on asthmatics and allergy sufferers, as less dust is stirred up by the reduced room air circulation.

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The long-wave infrared C radiation (which is also beneficial to human health) warms objects and walls in your home. The walls thus become warm and dry and subsequently give off the heat to the room again. The infrared heating removes moisture from the walls and thus prevents the formation of mould.

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Since the entire heating power is generated from electrical energy, the environmental friendliness is dependent on the generation of this electrical energy. Infrared heating in combination with green electricity or a photovoltaic system is therefore an exemplary way to protect the resources of our environment and ourselves.

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• They cost much less to buy than, for example, gas or oil heating.
• They provide a very pleasant warmth. Furthermore, infrared heat has proven to be healthy and beneficial.
• They do not cause any maintenance costs, as they are completely maintenance-free.
• They save space as they can be installed almost anywhere and can be used in another place at any time.
• They protect the environment because almost exhausted energy resources are saved and no CO2 is emitted during heating. Electricity is gradually becoming more and more environmentally friendly and is the most important energy source of the future.
• 100% of the energy supplied (electricity consumption) is converted into heat.
• In addition, infrared heaters with a picture or glass surface can not only heat your rooms, but also enhance and beautify them.

Conventional heating systems (convection heating systems) heat the air, which then circulates in the room and transports dust. Our system generates radiant heat that is evenly distributed in the room, thus preventing dry air and increased dust pollution.
Since the perceived room air temperature is always about 2 – 3 degrees higher when heating with an infrared heater, the actual room air temperature can be 18 – 19 degrees. Lowering the room temperature by only 1°C means an energy saving of 5-7%. The temperature difference to the outside air becomes smaller and consequently the heat loss decreases by approx. 15 – 20%. In addition, the heated walls insulate better and mould growth is prevented.
Since the heat does not have to be transported from the boiler room to the radiators, there is no heat loss in the pipes to the radiators or underfloor heating circuits.

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Here you will find all the questions and answers about the purchase costs, operating costs and running costs of infrared heating.

No, heating with electricity actually offers significant advantages. Compared to other heating systems, the purchase of an infrared heating system is associated with lower investment costs. In addition, discrepancies in the billing of heating and ancillary costs can be avoided, as each flat has its own electricity meter.
In addition, significant price increases for natural gas and heating oil have brought electric heating back into the focus of flat owners and tenants. In addition, there are the extraordinarily interesting system advantages of direct electric heating in combination with modern, energy-saving construction methods. Not to forget the possibility of combining infrared heating with other heating systems or the possibility of further cost savings in electricity consumption with a photovoltaic system.
Comparisons of heating costs show that electric heat often only appears more expensive at first glance – due to the sometimes higher kilowatt prices for electricity compared to oil or gas. However, if one takes into account the higher efficiency on site and the investment of distribution lines, boiler room and chimney system as well as the ongoing costs for maintenance, heating with electricity surprises with considerable economic advantages.

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The operating costs are directly proportional to the electrical power consumed. Due to the extremely efficient conversion of electrical power into energy, direct heat generation on site and a lower room temperature, operating costs can be reduced by up to 30% if used correctly.

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heatness infrared heaters can be in operation continuously for 24 hours or longer. When using the heater for the first time in the heating season, a longer heating-up time should be allowed. At least until the infrared waves are reflected by the material (walls, ceilings, floors, etc.) as heat. After that, by controlling the room thermostat / timer, an operating time of only 4 – 10 hours per day is required, depending on the outside temperature. The longer the infrared heating is in use, the more heat is stored in the walls. Usually, the heating can be turned off at night.

As a rule, 60-80 watts of infrared heating are required per square metre of room area. The required wattage is calculated even more precisely if the room height is taken into account. The rule here is that an average of 30 watts of power is needed per cubic metre.

The required watts of an infrared heater, or the number of infrared heating elements required, depends on the area of the room, the room height, the orientation in the room, the existing thermal insulation, the outside temperature and the desired inside temperatures. Smaller infrared heating panels such as the 300 Watt Simpel XS or 400 Watt Simpel S are suitable for smaller rooms of 3-4 m². For bathrooms and toilets, however, a larger model such as the 400 Watt Simpel M for 5 m² or the 600 Watt Simpel L for 8 m² is always recommended despite the room size.

The main reason for choosing a larger model is that it provides the desired temperature more quickly, which is particularly important for feeling comfortable in the bathroom. In addition, the 800 Watt Simple XL infrared heating panel is suitable for a room size of 10 m². The combination of several infrared heating elements is not only recommended for rooms with a room area larger than 10 m², but also in general the use of several smaller heating elements compared to one large heating element has a positive effect on the perceived room climate.

The calculation of the required heating elements is quite simple:
For a room with an area of 4 x 4 m, a room height of 2.5 m and an average required output of 30 watts per m³, this results in a required output of 1200 watts.

4 m x 4 m x 2.5 m x 30 watts = 1200 watts

Therefore, the optimal choice in our example would be the combination of two 600 Watt L infrared heating panels. Alternatively, the combination of a 400 Watt M infrared heater with an 800 Watt XL heater would also work out.
In this case, you can enjoy two heat sources that you can position ideally in the room. We will be happy to advise you personally on the effective and individual design of your infrared heating.

heatness infrared heaters are cheaper than comparable panels on the market, even though they are of the highest quality. On the one hand, this is due to the high degree of industrial production and the resulting high quantities, but also to the efficient company structure.
In addition, any price mark-ups between manufacturer and seller are eliminated because heatness manufactures all the products it offers itself.
We can let the customers benefit from all this in the price calculation.

Here you will find all the questions and answers about the use and function of an infrared heater.

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The heart of heatness infrared heaters is a specially developed carbon fibre fabric, which is embedded between the outer two panels, separated by insulating layers. This carbon fibre fabric converts the absorbed energy (specified connected load of the panels) into infrared radiation. The decisive factor here is how high the percentage of radiant heat (infrared radiation) generated is. The higher the percentage of infrared radiation generated, the more efficient the radiant heating.
Due to a specially developed reflector layer, 95% of the heat radiation is radiated to the front in standard panels.

heatness infrared heaters reach a surface temperature of up to 105°C. However, as confirmed by the TÜV, there is no risk of burns, as you cannot stick to the surface and a brief touch is not enough to burn yourself. Nevertheless, caution is definitely advised for children and people with sensorimotor disorders. Therefore, the sticker on the front should not be removed under any circumstances.

The operation is very simple – the unit works with 100% of its power when plugged in. In order to be able to offer the most flexible control solutions for our infrared panels, we have not integrated them directly into the radiators. This allows you to choose the best control option for your individual application and needs. Our thermostats enable temperature or time-controlled heating and are available in a wide variety of designs.

Depending on the model of the heatness infrared heater, it takes 5 – 15 minutes until the full radiation output is reached. Of course, this heating time depends on the initial temperature and the surface of the heater. Glass heating and mirror heating tend to take longer to reach the desired surface temperature.

The distance between heatness infrared heaters and the area to be heated depends on the model and ideally should not exceed 3 metres.

Our infrared heaters themselves are electrosmog-free, the only electrosmog load is generated by the cable connection (supply cable). The magnetic field generated by a single one of our infrared heaters is therefore lower than the field strength of a normal light bulb.
These values have been tested by the TÜV and our panels are far below the permitted limit for electrical appliances.

When used properly, heatness infrared heaters have an expected lifespan of up to 20 years. There are no electronic components or mechanically moving parts in the panel, so there are no parts that are subject to wear.

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Yes, the bulge is caused by the increasing temperature. In order to avoid noise due to temperature stress, the heating surface is mounted floating in the frame, which can cause the bulging.

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Here you will find all the questions and answers about the correct positioning, installation and connection of an infrared heater.

The installation of an infrared heater can be done easily with 4 screws on the wall or ceiling. In addition, the Simpel infrared heaters can be easily converted into a mobile infrared heater with the stand set and positioned anywhere in the room.
In order to heat as effectively as possible, free radiation should always be ensured. Although direct radiation from the infrared heater is perceived as very pleasant, it is much more effective if the infrared heater radiates and heats up as large an area of the room as possible.

Ceiling mounting is clearly recommended here. This way, the largest area is irradiated. In addition, the floor heats up similar to underfloor heating. Although mounting on the ceiling is only slightly more complicated than mounting on the wall, the space saved by mounting on the ceiling should not go unmentioned. As an additional bonus, Simpel ceiling-mounted infrared heaters even save between 50 and 100 watts of electricity per infrared heating panel.

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In addition to the spatial requirements (space, positioning, etc.), the electrical connections are an important factor. These are usually not a problem, but should be considered for some special applications or applications with high power requirements. Consumers with a total power consumption of 2,700W can be connected to a socket fused with 12A (this corresponds to approx. 4 pcs. 700W heating panels).

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Yes, heatness infrared heaters can be installed without hesitation on any type of wall according to the installation instructions. The only prerequisite is the use of the original suspension and the original frame.

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Our heatness infrared heaters have been approved by TÜV as splash-proof. Installation in the bathroom is therefore possible without hesitation. However, a safety distance of 60 cm from the nearest water connection must be maintained.

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Basically, the position of the infrared heater should be chosen so that it radiates the area in which you are most often located, and the infrared heater should irradiate as much surface area of the room as possible. Furthermore, you can get even more efficiency out of the infrared heating with the right positioning. Interior walls store heat best. Therefore, mounting the infrared heater on outside walls is the first choice. However, if there are problems with moisture in the outside walls, it is also advisable to mount the heater on the inside walls. The rays from the infrared heating dry out the moisture and mould cannot form. In addition, the insulation of the exterior walls is improved by the radiation of an infrared heater.

The best position for an infrared heater also depends on the room layout. In general, you should avoid installing the infrared heater opposite window surfaces or mirrors. Both cannot store heat. While mirrors reflect almost 99 percent of the infrared radiation back into the room, glass loses heat radiation. The infrared radiation simply passes through windows, just like the sun’s rays. As a small tip, it is recommended to simply counteract the losses with curtains and drapes.

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No. If an infrared heating panel is installed directly or covered, heat builds up. Although a built-in temperature fuse protects the heatness heaters from overheating, they should never be installed or covered!

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In principle, of course, good thermal insulation is always an advantage.
With infrared heating, however, many things are completely different than with conventional heating, which first heats the air in the room via convection heat. Such a heating system must first heat the air. The warm air then heats the matter and the person. To ensure that this warm air does not disappear again immediately, the walls must be well insulated.
Excessive insulation can in turn lead to moisture problems. (dew point)
With infrared heating, matter and people are heated directly; initially, no insulation is needed at all, and this even works in large halls and churches. Only for the indirectly generated heat is good insulation always an advantage.
Since with infrared heating you already have a perceived warmth of approx. 21 degrees at 19 degrees, the temperature difference from the inside to the outside is smaller and consequently also the heat loss.
By heating the masonry, the wall becomes drier and thereby increases its own insulating properties. Warm, dry walls insulate much better than cold, damp walls.

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Here you will find all the questions and answers about the design of an infrared heater.

Painting or painting the infrared heating is expressly not recommended. Although infrared heaters can theoretically be painted with heat-resistant special paints, the surface of infrared heating panels can reach temperatures of up to 105 degrees. The paints can therefore develop a pungent odour due to the heat or, even worse, it can lead to a fire. In addition, the effectiveness of the infrared heating is reduced if it is painted or varnished. You are on the safe side if you choose our picture infrared heating. These can be individually printed with your own desired motif, offer maximum safety and the heating performance is not minimised. Choosing a picture heater does not involve any additional costs for you. Simply select a motif from our picture catalogue or send your own picture to verkauf@heatness.at for preview. Our graphic designer will then check the quality of your picture.

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Basically, any picture can be printed on the surface of an infrared picture heater using our special printing process. The quality is of course decisive for the sharpness of the motif on the infrared picture heater. A quality of 300 DPI is recommended here. In practice, it has been shown that pictures taken with modern smartphones are already of sufficient quality for beautiful infrared picture heaters. As a free service, we can offer you a check of your pictures. Simply send the desired image to verkauf@heatness.at and our graphic designer will adapt your image to the format of a picture infrared heater. You will then receive a print preview and can see the quality for yourself.

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Due to the surface temperature, heatness infrared heaters can only be glued on to a limited extent. Therefore, we cannot generally make a recommendation. Our special printing process for our picture heaters, however, guarantees optimal results with the highest quality and durability.

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Here you will find all questions and answers about the quality, durability and guarantee of heatness infrared heaters.

Recently, heatness infrared heaters have not only been awarded the CE and TÜV test marks and a certificate from Seibersdorf Laboratories, but have also been awarded the GS test mark.

heatness GmbH gives a 48-month functional guarantee on all products from the date of purchase. The proof of purchase, i.e. the invoice, is valid as proof of guarantee.
We grant a 24-month guarantee on the colour fastness of our picture motifs.
Excluded from the guarantee are optical defects, furthermore damages caused by improper installation or faulty operation, as well as products with removed or obscured serial numbers or mechanical damages.
Intervention by unauthorised third parties invalidates the warranty claim.
The warranty covers the repair or exchange of the defective part, but not their necessary expenses.
We would like to point out that the new delivery of goods will be refused if it is associated with disproportionately high costs compared to the repair of the defect (represents the rule case).

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The defective device or part is to be sent to heatness GmbH with a description of the defect in the original packaging including accessories and the invoice (copy) and, in the case of a warranty claim, with a warranty card. Unfree shipments will not be accepted. You will receive the warranty card back with a corresponding note from our service workshop and the repaired unit/part.

If you have purchased your panel from a dealer, please contact the respective dealer first in the event of a fault. If the dealer cannot solve the problem, please send the unit to heatness GmbH and enclose the warranty card and a copy of the original invoice. Unfree shipments will not be accepted.

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No, heatness infrared heaters are completely maintenance-free. An occasional cleaning with a damp cloth or glass cleaner (for the panels of the Fein series) is possible, but not necessary.

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