Do Home Infrared Heaters Work?

Benefits

• Infrared heaters warm the surrounding area using infrared radiation. Unlike forced air systems, these heaters do not directly warm the air in your house. Instead, they heat the objects around the heater, which then release their heat into the air. Although infrared heaters begin heating the area around them quickly, they are not very effective at warming the air. Some infrared heaters use a heat exchanger and a fan to remedy this problem. This type of infrared heater uses an infrared bulb to heat the exchanger while the fan blows across the exchanger to produce a stream of warm air.

Drawbacks

• Portable home infrared heaters do not produce enough heat to warm an entire house. To produce substantial energy savings using infrared heaters, you must use zone heating and only warm the parts of your house that are occupied. The drawback to this method is that it can cause the water vapor in your house to condense on the walls in the unheated areas of your home. If the temperatures in the unheated areas of your home drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, it can cause the water pipes in your home to freeze.

Uses

• Portable infrared heaters are an efficient means of heating the uninsulated areas of your home. An infrared heater installed in the garage, for example, will warm you during the winter without wasting energy trying to heat the entire space of the garage. Infrared heaters are also effective outside or on patios.

Considerations

• Infrared heaters require a minimum clearance between the heater and flammable items such as paper or cloth. Always follow the manufacturer's clearance guidelines. If you plan on heating the living spaces of your home, consider getting an infrared heater equipped with a fan and heat exchanger to more effectively heat the space in your home. Avoid using an extension cord with your infrared heater since the high power requirements of the heater can overheat your extension cord and create a fire hazard. According to the University of Missouri, electric infrared heaters can use over 14 amps of current and often require their own electrical circuit to avoid overloading a fuse or breaker.