Infrared Heating Provides Warmth From The Ground Up
Keeping large rooms warm in extremely cold weather can be somewhat difficult, especially when using forced air methods. Many factories and warehouses use infrared heating to take advantage of the electromagnetic radiation that produces hit when it is absorbed by an object, such as a floor or a person. In theory, the heaters are placed in the ceiling and the heat radiates towards the floor, heating the floor and other objects, including people, in which it comes into contact.
As the floor and all the other objects are warmed, their heat is conducted into the air, causing it to become warm, effectively heating the area from the bottom upwards to the ceiling. The system of infrared heating is more efficient than using forced air systems to circulate hot air through the air and hopes it reaches the ground before it rises naturally as all hot air does.
Typically used in large warehouses, gas fired infrared heating systems are also designed for many commercial uses and are often used in home garages and on patios to efficiently provide heat. The energy efficiency of an infrared heating system will be determined by the environment, and how well the objects in that environment, can absorb the electromagnetic waves being produced.
Heaters Used For More Than Just Comfort
There are also industrial applications for infrared heating such as welding plastics, in the annealing process and for forming plastics and drying coatings on a variety of materials. One of the major benefits is that the energy is broadcast to the objects in its path, which are warmed by the process, and the objects in turn heat the remainder of the air in the room. Although the air temperature may still be low, once a person inside the space is warmed by the infrared heating, they will not feel how cold the room actually is.
With infrared heating systems, thermostats are usually set lower than with other heating systems, resulting in a fuel savings to the facility for the same amount of heat. It is expected the average size building in a typical climate can realize about a 50 percent savings in the cost of heating the building with something other than infrared heating.
The design of the system forces the infrared radiation to be focused downwards towards the floor and once it had been absorbed there is very little heat loss reflected back to the ceiling. This type of infrared heating is efficient as well as cost effective in heating large open areas that may also have open areas through which forced air heat can escape.
