22 Aug 2019
Convection and radiant heaters are both common options when it comes to choosing heating. They use similar components, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Heating specialist Tansun, a leading UK manufacturer of quartz electric shortwave infrared heaters, has compared the two in order to help customers choose the right heater for their application.
Convection heaters – what are they and how do they work?
Convection heaters are indirect heaters that are designed to warm the air that circulates through a specific area. The air heats up and circulates, raising the temperature of the entire room.
How the target area is heated is one of the main differences between convection and infrared heaters. Convection heating is ideal for enclosed spaces as it heats circulating air and able to heat an entire room. But this reliance on circulation means it’s only effective in a closed area.
Therefore the larger the area, the more difficult it is for a convection heater to achieve and maintain a temperature. However, in smaller spaces it can easily maintain its level of heat production and performs best when working over a longer period of time.
When it comes to efficiency and expenditure, convection heaters take advantage of automated thermostat controls. Convection heaters do not run continuously to maintain heat like a radiant heater and instead uses its connection to a thermostat to shut off when it reaches the required temperature. The heater turns back on if the temperature drops.
Infrared heaters and how they differ from convection heaters
Radiant heaters are designed to offer more direct heating by using infrared rays to radiate heat into the air. Infrared heaters are more directional and provide more targeted heating, making them perfect for a number of different environments, both indoors and outdoors.
Radiant heaters are also better when used intermittently. This is because the heat is direct and reaches a temperature quickly with minimal energy use. The heat loss is faster when it is turned off, allowing for quicker heat dissipation, making it ideal for use in areas that are not frequently in use or that have more variable temperature needs.
Infrared heaters are also the preferred choice of those worried about allergens and contaminants, as they don’t circulate air and therefore don’t spread particles around enclosed areas, making them a much healthier form of heating.
Tansun radiant panels are designed with a number of benefits which include providing instant, comfortable and gentle heat and ensuring safety and reliability as they contain no moving parts. Each panel is fully thermostatically controllable, very lightweight and silent, making it perfect for noise-sensitive environments. Developed to be highly energy efficient, the panels are cost effective to install and can save approximately 30-70% in heating costs.
All of Tansun’s products are made in the UK and are designed using premium components. The company has been established for 35 years and invests heavily in R&D to bring superior quality products to the market. Tansun also pioneered the concept of infrared electric heaters alongside Philips technology and has the largest range of commercial, industrial and domestic infrared heaters in the world, providing maintenance-free, safe and healthy shortwave heaters for many different types of heating applications.
Further information is available from Tansun on 0121 580 6200, by emailing sales@tansun.com or by visiting the company’s website at www.tansun.com
