Why choose an infrared heating lamp instead of a traditional heating system? There are many good reasons for this: first of all, heating lamps do not only emit a pleasant warmth, but also a pleasant glow. Infrared radiation is part of the spectrum of natural sunlight, so it is perfectly tolerated by the eye.
Secondly, infrared radiation directly heats people and objects instead of overheating the surrounding air: the heat is localised and does not cause turbulence in the air. Let’s see how infrared heating works, and how to choose the right heating lamp for your environment.
Infrared heating lamps are the perfect combination of heat and light. They are commonly used in the terraces of bars and restaurants, but can also be used in terraces or private gardens. Since the heat they produce is localised and does not affect air quality, they are also useful in various enclosed spaces such as industrial buildings, bathrooms and even saunas.
But how does a heating lamp work? By taking advantage of two physical principles:
1. the principle of energy conversion
2. the principle of heat transfer from hot to cold spaces
In essence, infrared heaters transform electrical energy into radiant heat in the infrared spectrum, invisible to humans. Then heat transfer occurs from the hottest object (the lamp) to the least hot person or object.
How much does a heating lamp consume?
Given their excellent heating capacity, the question that arises is: do infrared heaters consume a lot of electricity? Absolutely not. Heating lamps consume less electricity than conventional heating systems.
Consider, for example, a good infrared heating lamp with an output of about 1500 watts. The average cost of electricity for 24 consecutive hours of use can be calculated as:
1500 x 24 x 0,067 ÷ 1000
where division by 1000 is used to convert watts into kW and 0.067 €/kWh is the current cost* of electricity in Italy. If you do the calculation, you see that the total cost of operating an infrared lamp is only €2.40 per day.
*Electricity price in May 2023. Source: https://luce-gas.it/guida/tariffe/kwh
How to choose a heating lamp
Given the economic and efficiency advantages, how do you choose a heating lamp that suits your environment? You must first consider these three factors:
- The place of installation
- The size of the area to be heated
- The need for a special design
Place of installation and size of the area
Do you need to keep several tables warm in the outdoor area of your venue during the winter? Or do you have to heat a single workstation in your workshop? Or even the entire hardware store?
For each use, it is possible to opt for heating lamps with different wattages.
For small areas, heaters with about 500-1000 watts are sufficient. If you want to place the lamp in a larger room or in an outdoor area, a higher wattage is required: heaters with a wattage from 1,500-2,000 W are ideal, as they ensure sufficient heat emission.
For all your needs, you can choose from Star Progetti’s range of heating lamps:
- The HELIOS RADIANT® IRK PROFESSIONAL line for industrial environments
- HELIOSA HI DESIGN for the Ho.Re.Ca. and hospitality sector
- INFRACALOR for domestic applications
VARMA TEC specifically for the hardware industry
Lamp design
Another aspect not to be underestimated when choosing a heating lamp is the design. In certain contexts, such as the home, catering and hospitality, aesthetic impact is very important.
A heating lamp must not only be efficient, safe and cost-effective, but also aesthetically pleasing. The Star Progetti models of the INFRACALOR line, for example, are best suited to the various requirements of interior design, patios, terraces and gardens.