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28th January 2021

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Infrarad warms up energy debate

Stylish, good looking and highly efficient space heating that consumes half the energy required to run conventional radiators is now available from a new UK company, Infrarad.

Founded in May 2012 by Peter Ferguson and Avic International Renewable Energy Co (itself part of one of China's largest industrial groups), Infrarad offers three product ranges that are new to the UK.

Contract range
The Contract range is a collection of five lightweight composite panels designed for wall- or floor-mounting. Three hard-wired models are available in output ratings of 500W, 800W and 1kW.

Panels are available in plain gloss white and plain gloss black, with matching frames, and are designed for a surface temperature of below 90 deg C.

The Curve
Also new is The Curve, a variation on the Contract panel concept with a convex curved surface. Available in plain gloss black and plain gloss white, this unit comes with rated power outputs of both 250W and 350W, and measures 750mm x 480mm x 20mm. Both The Curve and the Contract range have a minimum working life of 100,000 hours.

Designer
The Designer glass panel towel-warmers are designed for wall-mounting in all bathrooms irrespective of the heating system. They boast built-in controls for independent function and are available with optional stainless steel towel rails. Two models are available, rated at 500W and 900W, in either black or white glass.

Made of silk screen toughened safety glass, the Designer panels are splash-resistant to IP4 and are fitted with thermal overheat and fuse over-current protection. They are also fitted with an LCD display and timer function.

The Designer 500W measures 700mm deep x 500mm wide while the Designer 900W is deeper at 1,200mm. Both have five power settings (60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100%). Though currently available in either black or white, Infrarad plans to introduce a wider choice of colours during 2014, as well as increasing the range with different sizes and power ratings.

In addition, new ranges of standard glass panels and mirrors, with outputs of 500W and above, will be launched for every room in the home.
Infrared heating

Infrarad's products all use radiant heat. "We use the same method as the sun's rays," explains Peter Ferguson. "The energy is emitted in the form of infrared rays which heat only the solid objects they land on including the occupants of the room.

"This means that, whereas a traditional method of calculating a standard room's requirement for heat is based on 50W m3, with infrared panels only 25W m3 is required. Because the Infrarad units heat by radiation rather than convection, they are more efficient and do not create a stuffiness inside the room.

"For example, if a room needs 2KW of standard gas and electric convector radiators, then with infrared, it will only need a 1KW radiant panel. In many instances, infrared heating can be more cost-effective than traditional central heating, he adds: "The capital cost of Infrarad's panels is generally lower than traditional radiators and boilers, and the cost of installation is considerably less."

E: [email protected]
W: www.infrarad-heating.com

8th November 2013