Infrared heating is a relatively new technology, and as such, not many people have an extensive knowledge about how it actually works, and how you would go about deciding how many panels you need.

What we’re going to be looking at here is how you would calculate the number of infrared heaters you would need to heat different bedrooms of varying sizes and levels of insulation.

Knowing How To Calculate The Number Of IR Panels You Need

The actual method of working this out is fairly simple. Using a measuring tape, you’ll first need to measure the size of your bedroom in metres. Multiplying the length by the width, and then by the height gives you the volume in cubic metres, or m³.

Then, you need to know how well insulated your home is. The table below gives you a rough guide to this, as this will affect the amount of heat your bedroom need.

Multiplying the volume by the wattage required per m³ gives you the total power needed. A more detailed explanation of how to calculate the number of panels needed can be found in our guide.

We’ll go through a few examples of some commonly sized bedrooms that populate many of the country’s homes.

Example 1: The Average Sized UK Bedroom

The first example we’ll look at is a bedroom that measures 4 x 4 x 2.5m. Multiplying these values together gives us a volume of 40m³.

Given that the house is located on a brand new estate built just 5 years ago, it’s safe to assume that it is very well insulated – we’ll only need 20W per cubic metre.

40m³ multiplied by 20W gives us a total energy requirement of 800W.

If you prefer to keep warmer rather than cooler, then our 795 x 1195mm 900W Infrared Heater might just give you the level of heat you’re looking for.

For those who would rather stay cooler or are otherwise sensitive to excessive heat, then the 595 x 1195mm 700W IR Heating Panel is the one to go for.

Example 2: A Below Average Sized UK Bedroom

Next, we’ll look at a small sized bedroom measuring 3 x 3 x 2.5m. This size is ideal for a kids bedroom, or a guest room. The volume of this bedroom is the length multiplied by the width, and then by the height. This gives us a value of 22.5m³.

The home was built in the mid 1960s, so is moderately insulated. This means we need 25W per cubic metre.

Multiplying 22.5m³ by 25W gives us the total power requirement, which is 562.5W.

A single 595 x 995mm 580W panel would be ideal for this bedroom, comfortably meeting the energy requirements we calculated.

For a personal touch, you could purchase the custom image IR 580W panel, letting you have any image you want printed on it. We’ve got a detailed step by step guide on how to order custom image infrared heaters, to streamline your purchasing experience.

If you prefer to be slightly warmer, then another option could be to install two 595 x 595mm 350W IR Heaters, and placing them away from each other.

Example 3: An Above Average Sized UK Bedroom

The last example we’re going to look at is a large bedroom – it measures 5 x 4 x 2.5m. The volume of the room then, is 50 cubic metres.

The property was built in 1923, so isn’t very well insulated by today’s standards. We’ll need 30W per m³.

50m³ multiplied by 30W per m³ gives us an energy requirement of 1500W for the bedroom.

A combination of our 995 x 1195mm 1200W IR Panel, and our 595 x 595mm 350W panel would meet the energy needs almost to the Watt.

Alternatively, you could use two identical 595 x 1195mm 700W IR Heaters, so that you have 2 panels that are similar in size.

Ordering IR Panels Made Easy

Working out how many infrared panels you need is simpler than most people think, and only requires some basic maths, along with some knowledge about your home.

For any other queries about our infrared heating panels, please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of our team on 0116 321 4124. Alternatively, you can also send us an email to sales@suryaheating.co.uk.

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