What are IR heaters
The modern market offers so many varieties of the product that it is easy to get confused in this abundance. Let's divide all types of heaters into categories.
According to the type of installation, infrared heaters can be divided into the following: ceiling; floor; wall.
Ceiling heaters are considered the most efficient in terms of heating the room. Their radiation covers almost the entire area of the room. Such warming is safe and harmless, comfortable. Some models are installed at the junction between the ceiling and the wall.
Underfloor heaters are not as efficient as ceiling mounted ones. However, their advantage is ease of use (they do not require special installation, they are plugged into a power outlet). It is recommended to buy such devices to replace oil heaters, since they are much more comfortable and economical.
Wall-mounted IR heaters are used outdoors. This is a separate class of IR heaters - convective infrared heaters. This is a type of device that not only emits IR heat, but also warms up the air next to it. In this they are similar to Soviet cast-iron batteries.
Types of heaters by wavelength
According to the wavelength, IR heaters can be: short-wave; medium wave; longwave.
shortwave heaters. They have a high heating temperature (up to 800 degrees Celsius) and glow red. Shortwave heaters are halogen, quartz, carbon.
As a rule, they are mounted on a wall or installed on the floor. It is very comfortable to stay under the rays of such a device for a long time, since the temperature is high. As a rule, shortwave models are installed on the street.
medium wave devices. They are also not recommended for heating residential premises. These are models of heaters with an open heating element. Medium-wave heaters are a steel tube heated to a red glow, surrounded by a reflector. Application: rooms with high ceilings (workshops, warehouses), rooms subject to drafts (metro).
Long wave heaters. They radiate a rather mild heat flux. It is this variety that is recommended to be used for the main or additional heating of residential premises, as well as children's and medical institutions. The heat from long-wave devices is felt much less, but it is much more comfortable and pleasant.
General information about PLEN
PLEN - film radiant electric heater. In it, the energy of electricity is converted into infrared radiation, which heats the floor, and from it - the room. The system itself is multilayer, where there are non-conductive polymer films and resistors interconnected.
This film is usually sold in rolls.
As electrical energy travels through the resistors, they heat up and transfer heat to a high heat conductive surface. It then transfers the received and converted thermal energy into infrared waves with a length of 9 to 12 microns. These rays heat another surface, which heats the room.
Principle of operation
After installing the system and connecting to electricity, the energy flowing through the resistors is converted into heat. This is due to contact with aluminum foil covering the entire film.
With proper distribution of resistor elements, heat will be distributed evenly. When the surface is heated to a temperature of 40 - 45 ⁰С, infrared radiation appears, which moves to another surface, such as the floor. Reflected from it, it is evenly distributed throughout the room.
Advice
The decision to install this or that heating system in a private house should be made carefully, since few people decide to re-alter the entire property.If there are problems with the gas supply, then you can choose an alternative - PLEN heating.
Laying PLEN on the floor
It is easy to mount it yourself, but do not forget about the choice of finishes. And also correctly calculate the required power and location of the thermostat. During operation, you will appreciate all the advantages of a "warm film" in the house.
One of the most pressing issues for owners of country houses, cottages, cottages, baths, and other country-type buildings is the issue of heating. To date, there are three main types: solid fuel, gas and electric heating. Let's try to figure out which one is better. We calculate three options for heating a small country house 90m 2.
Operating costs of various heating systems
Consider heating a country house: options and prices for the operation of appliances.
House heating costs
Tips for installing heating systems
- Installation of the system begins with the installation of the boiler. For him, you need a pedestal of concrete with a height of at least five centimeters. Instead of a concrete pillow, you can use a sheet of iron.
- The joints of the chimney and the ventilation duct must be carefully sealed.
- In the room where the boiler is located, it is necessary to make additional ventilation with natural or forced air supply.
- In any installation, a thermometer must be installed to determine the temperature of the coolant.
- When laying the heating system, make sure that the pipes do not pass through the supporting structures or come into contact with electrical wiring.
If the choice is on an electric boiler, you should choose a system with a built-in pump, automatic control and a large tank
- The temperature of a solid fuel boiler can reach one hundred or more degrees. Therefore, only metal pipes should be used for mounting the system.
- The first start-up of a new heating system is best done in the presence of a professional mother. Otherwise, mistakes can be made, due to which the boiler will not be accepted for warranty service.
- At the first start, excess air is released at the top of the system. You may have to do this more than once.
It is necessary to observe the water level in the expansion tank of the water circuit and not to allow it to drop sharply. From time to time it is necessary to add water to the tank
Infrared heaters pros and cons, price
Advantages of IR heaters:
- do not burn oxygen and do not dry the air;
- when properly selected power is safe for health;
- quickly heat up the room;
- the possibility of mounting on the ceiling or wall (do not interfere underfoot);
- fireproof;
- long service life;
- do not overheat the air under the ceiling.
Flaws:
- They heat only a certain part of the room (under the rays).
- A little noise (especially noticeable at night).
- Red light emitted by some models (interferes at night).
- IR heaters are usually quite large.
As for the cost, it is determined based on the type of heater, its power, brand. The price of IR heaters ranges from 2,000 to 9,000 rubles.
PLEN heating technical characteristics, price, advantages and disadvantages
Infrared warm ceiling, the price of which is different, has its own technical characteristics, which can be collected in one summary table below.
| Parameter | Manufacturer's declared data |
|---|---|
| Production material | Special alloy for the heating element, and the insulation is made of three-layer PET. Aluminum acts as a reflector. |
| Weight 1 m² | 550 g |
| Thickness | 0.4 mm |
| The highest heating temperature | 45 ⁰С |
| Power consumption | 150 or 175 W per m² |
| efficiency | About 98% |
| Lifetime | At least 50 years old |
In addition to the general values, there may be differences in power density from 100 to 150 W/m². this parameter should be selected based on the height of the ceiling.
PLEN is also applicable for heating greenhouses in winter, only mounted differently
So, with a height of up to 3 m, a power of 125 W / m² is applicable, and from 3 to 4.5 m it is necessary to buy a film with an indicator of 150 W / m². This parameter, when choosing, is influenced not only by ceilings, but also by the average negative temperature. The lower it is, the more heating power is needed.
Pros and cons
Quite often in private houses you can find IR heating, the reviews of which are in a positive way, because the rays resemble solar ones in the way they give off heat. In addition, there are many other advantages:
- Dimensions. Only a film with a small thickness is mounted on the ceiling, so the entire heating system, to which it remains to add wires, does not take up much space. It is not necessary to fasten the PLEN to the ceiling, any surface can be used.
- Installation. The heating system with the help of "warm film" is easy to install, so every consumer who knows how to handle tools can mount it on their own. Since the material is light, then assistants can not be involved. Typically, work with a ceiling surface of 70-80 squares takes 2-3 days.
Heating options using PLEN (schematically)
- Low irrationality. You can easily change the temperature in a separate room by setting the necessary parameters.
- Safety. From the side of the fire protection system, PLEN heating is the safest. The maximum heating is only up to 45 ⁰С, which cannot lead to fire.
Thanks to these advantages, it is increasingly possible to meet IR heating using a film in private homes, but this option cannot be called cheap. The material itself will require financial investments, and the price of electricity is constantly growing. In addition, the disadvantages, according to consumer reviews of infrared heating using a film, include:
Finishing difficulties. The information from the manufacturers states that the film can be hidden under any finish that does not contain metallic inclusions. But, for example, they closed the PLEN with a clapboard and got a multi-layer device through which it is difficult to break through the IC, thereby the heat level drops. It turns out that to mount a warm ceiling, not a floor. Therefore, it is worth considering the thermal resistance of various coatings. It is best to use through structures with a coating of no more than 50%, which transmit heat rays.
Ceiling finishing option using infrared heating
Design. An uncovered film will heat the room best, but outwardly such a room will look like a warehouse.
It turns out that although the film is easier to mount, closing or decorating it is much more difficult than conventional pipes with batteries.
Price
Having considered the technical characteristics of heating PLEN, we will give the price of some options in the table below, so that there is something to focus on when planning the heating of a private house.
| Name | Image | Film characteristics | Price for 1 m², rub. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Zebra" EVO-300PRO - 0.6x0.5 |  |
Heater size | 600 by 500 mm | 360 |
| Thickness | Not less than 1 mm | |||
| Current frequency | 50 Hz | |||
| Power | 66 W | |||
| "Zebra" EVO-300PRO - 4.2x0.5 |  |
Heater size | 4.2 by 0.5 cm | 2500 |
| Thickness | Not less than 1 mm | |||
| Current frequency | 50 Hz | |||
| Degree of protection | IP 44 | |||
| Heating film TM 0.5 x 1.25 | Heater size | 0.5 by 1.25 m | 440 | |
| Thickness | 0.34mm | |||
| Current frequency | 50 Hz | |||
| Degree of protection | IP 44 | |||
| Guarantee | 10 years |
In different cities, there are various companies offering turnkey installation and sale of IR film heating.
Related article:
What is a heating system project
For the design, the area of heated premises, the power of the boiler and the probable heat loss are taken into account. The number of batteries in each room and the length of the pipes are calculated. The number of windows, doors and the nature of the wall materials also matter.
Detailed calculations allow you to optimally spend money and further minimize the cost of system maintenance. Water heating can be included in the heating system.
When designing a system, it is necessary to take into account the climatic features of the region. For example, in the conditions of the Far North, a liquid-fuel boiler will be inefficient, since its fuel loses its ability to ignite even at minus thirty degrees.
Alternative and traditional heating of a country house prices and options
Consider the main types of fuel that can be used to heat private households in our latitudes:
- firewood and coal;
- fuel oil, diesel, gasoline, mining;
- network and bottled gas;
- electricity (grid, solar or wind);
- geothermal energy.
Each of these types has its pros and cons.
When choosing the type of heating, it is important to take into account the financial possibilities of the family for the purchase and operation of the system, the availability of fuel and the possibility of combining different types of fuel.
It should be borne in mind that cheap equipment, as a rule, is short-lived.
Saving on skilled craftsmen can result in system failures
That is why it is important to think through everything to the smallest detail, correctly draw up a project and entrust the work to professionals.
conclusions
We considered the options and prices for heating a country house. The cheapest types of fuel are gas and coal. It is possible to connect to a free geothermal heat source, but the cost of installation is not yet affordable for most consumers.
In any case, when planning a home heating system, take into account the availability of energy sources and choose the best option.
Take the time to carefully calculate and consult heating experts. Their professional opinion will help you make the right choice.
Most owners of private houses are accustomed to gas heating from a boiler, which is considered the most economical and affordable. However, what about those where there is no possibility of installing such a heating system? A great alternative is PLEN heating. Specifications, price and reviews of different models are different. We will analyze all the features and self-installation of such a “warm film”.
Mounting option in a wooden house
