With which radiant heater to heat the terrace, balcony and bathroom?
Guide with tips on making the right choice
When looking for a heat source for your indoor or outdoor area, such as the garden or terrace, you will often hear the term Infrared heater have heard. Read here what this type of patio heater is all about and how to make the right choice for your home.
Content:
- Operate infrared radiant heaters electrically or would you rather buy a gas radiant heater?
- What heat output is required outside?
- Correct degree of protection for outdoor radiant heaters
- Notes on safety when mounting on the wall / ceiling
- Carbon tube and ultra low glare heating element in comparison
- What are the heating costs for an electric heater?
- Can a patio heater also be used inside in the bathroom or at the changing table?
- Which patio heaters are suitable for gastronomy?
Operate infrared radiant heaters electrically or would you rather buy a gas radiant heater?
When choosing a patio heater, you must first choose between a electric infrared heater and one Gas heater decide. If the heater is only to be used outdoors, a gas heater is an option. With an infrared patio heater, however, you enjoy greater flexibility. Because such an electric radiant heater does not produce any exhaust gases when heating and can therefore also be used in closed rooms if necessary, such as in the garden shed or garage.
The direct heat effect of an infrared radiant heater is another plus point. Its heat waves hit the people and objects in its vicinity directly and warm them up quickly and efficiently. An advantage over other heaters that waste energy heating the air, which then rises and quickly dissipates with the heat generated.
Here is an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of gas and infrared radiant heaters:
What heat output is required outside?
The power required to bring your outdoor area to a comfortable temperature depends on various factors. Is it an open outdoor area or is your patio partially sheltered from the wind? In addition to the wattage of the selected patio heater, the integrated heating element and the surrounding reflector also play a major role in heat distribution. The product descriptions of good manufacturers should state which heating angle is given and whether the reflector emits the infrared radiation over a wide area or concentrates it. A Infrared heater usually has 2000 – 3000 watts. An infrared radiator helps with this 2500 watts or. 2.5kW, outside an area of maximum 15 m² and inside until 30 m² to heat.
Correct degree of protection for outdoor radiant heaters
Important for eligibility electric heater for the open outdoor area as well as that bathroom is the one specified IP protection class. This two-digit value indicates the extent to which the infrared heater is compatible with certain external influences. The first number stands for resistance to foreign objects such as dust. The second digit provides information about water protection. A patio heater with IP65 is for example dust– and protected against water jets. Has a heater over IP44 Neither foreign objects larger than 1 mm in size nor raindrops or splash water damage. However, a protection class of IP20 indicates that the infrared radiant heater is only resistant to coarse foreign bodies with a diameter of 12.5 mm and is not waterproof.
The degree of protection required for your outdoor area depends on the roofing and the windbreak. IPX4 is often fine, IP65 however recommended if the patio heater to stay outside all year round.
Notes on safety when mounting on the wall / ceiling
A Infrared heater transforms the current used almost 100% in pure warmth around. This is then directed forward with the help of the integrated reflector. However, since the patio heaters produce such intense heat in order to be effective even in wind and cold outside temperatures, certain precautions must be taken during installation safety distances be respected. Especially to combustible materials. The following distances apply to both wall/ceiling heaters and mobile infrared heaters with a base.
Recommended distance to wall/ceiling/mounting surface: 17 cm
Necessary distance to the front: 100 cm
Lateral safety distance: 100 cm
Ideal position of ceiling / wall heaters: Mount the radiant heater at a 45° angle to the surface to be heated at a distance of up to 2.2 metres.
Carbon tube and ultra low glare heating element in comparison
High quality infrared heaters usually have a carbon tube or an ultra low glare heating element. The table below shows the properties of the two heating tubes:
What are the heating costs for an electric heater?
In order to calculate the costs generated by an electric radiant heater, you need the electricity price and the heat output of the device. Suppose there is an average, German electricity price from approx. 29 centsfall at one 2000 watts or. 2kW patio radiator the following electricity costs:
0.29 € / kWh * 2 kW = 0.58 € / h
The operation of the infrared heater costs per hour 58 cents. If it is a dimmable radiant heater with several heating levels, you must of course know the wattage of the different power levels in order to calculate the heating costs correctly.
Can a patio heater also be used inside in the bathroom or at the changing table?
Generate as explained above Infrared heater during operation no emissions. For you, this means that you can even use your patio heater in completely closed areas without hesitation. Ideal for basements, summer houses, conservatories and bathrooms. Wherever there is an increased need for heat, as well as in rarely visited, cooled rooms, an electric radiant heater is the ultimate solution for fast, intensive heat.
as Changing table radiant heater for their infant is particularly important that the heater stepless dimming leaves or over multiple heating levels for flexible heat regulation. This is the only way to reduce the strong infrared heat to a gentle, comfortable level for the changing table.
For use in bath must the electric heaters, as described above, one protection class of at least IP44 or IP65 against splashing or jet water.
Which patio heaters are suitable for gastronomy?
patio heaters and heating pyramids With gas operation can still be seen in the outdoor area of some restaurants or occasionally at the Christmas market. Due to the fact that an energy transition is currently taking place, gastronomy however, more and more electric heaters deployed. Because these can be operated in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way with green electricity or photovoltaics, in contrast to gas radiant heaters. In some cities such as Munich, Cologne, Berlin and Münster, there is already a Gas ejectors ban in gastronomy. Therefore, if you are looking for a heater for your restaurant or beer garden, look no further infrared heater on the safe side.