How to calculate the power of an infrared heater?

06 March 2017

When ordering infrared heaters, one of the main questions that interest buyers is: “How to calculate the number of infrared heaters per room”, since this type of devices creates not only a comfortable microclimate throughout the room or office, but in a certain sector. Let's figure out how to make the right calculations, and what factors need to be considered first.

Calculation of the power of infrared heaters: main features

For those who want to find the answer to the question: "How to calculate the power of infrared heaters in the room?" in a couple of minutes, we recommend visiting specialized sites where it is enough to enter a number of parameters and get a ready-made answer. But miscalculations are not always correct. The error in calculating the thermal return of devices is 8-10 ° C, and this is a solid "blow" to the microclimate.

But there is another way to find out which rating, and from it follows, and the power consumption of an infrared heater is suitable for your home, office or shopping center. To do this, you need to clarify parameters such as:

type of masonry at home or office building (corrugated metal sheet construction, wood, brickwork);

the presence of thermal insulation;
height, width, length of the room (total area);
the difference in temperature between the window and inside the house or office (preferred heating level).

The calculation of the power of the heater for the room also depends on the installation location of the devices: on the wall or ceiling and wavelengths (short, medium and length). For products mounted under the ceiling, the coverage of the zone is 1.5 times greater than for wall ones. As for the long-, medium- and short-wave devices, their main difference is that they work in different ways: long-wave ones are suitable for heating the entire area of the bedroom, living room or office, and medium- and short-wave ones - for a certain location - the seller’s place , a game zone, an angle in which the desktop is located.

It is believed that compact rooms (up to 15-20 sq. M.), With thermal insulation, heat up faster. Even in cases when outside the window - 20 ° C, and the desired temperature regime reaches + 25 ° C. In this case, the temperature difference is significant - 45 ° C. Another thing is buildings with no insulation. To create a comfortable indoor microclimate, you need more energy in the autumn-winter period, even in the case of a slight decrease in air temperature.

There is a third way to get accurate data in calculating the thermal return of the infrared heater: multiply 100 watts by 1 square. m., but on condition that you purchase heating devices for a building in which a double-glazed window is installed and thermal insulation is present.

For rooms without thermal insulation (garages, barns, gazebos, sports grounds), it is recommended to calculate the thermal return according to the scheme: up to 200 W per 1 sq. m. To select outdoor infrared heaters from the manufacturer follows a similar principle to ensure an acceptable level of heat in open areas.

What factors should be considered when buying infrared heaters?

Another aspect that you should pay attention to is the presence of drafts in the apartment or office. Under their influence, the heat will quickly evaporate, despite the fact that objects, carpets, dishes and other attributes that are in the room “gain” heat. If in the study, kitchen, bedroom there are gaps in the window structure or wall through which cold air enters the room, experts advise to choose a device with a higher power, or to eliminate the source of "trouble". In the second case, it is no longer necessary to select a heating device with maximum power.