Electric Garage Heaters: smart and sustainable

Dr Infrared Industrial and Garage Heater

You may be using your garage as a workshop, as your “hobby room”, as an extension to your personal space, or just as a garage – a home for your vehicles. But when the temperatures dip below those tolerable by humans, it becomes imperative to have all spaces you inhabit to be warm. Garage heaters that are commonly used are one of three types: electric garage heaters, propane fuelled heaters, or natural gas fuelled heaters. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. But the most commonly used and the safest type is undeniably electric garage heaters. Except for the unfortunate event of a power outage, these heaters can be really useful for garage heating. Especially given the fact that electricity is a cleaner form of energy as compared to propane and natural gas combustion, electricity as an energy source is generally a more eco-friendly option. However, most electric heaters are based on convection, and are thus not very energy efficient, making them extremely energy intensive. In effect, electric heaters may increase your electricity bills considerably. Thus, an electric heater that is more energy efficient would be the right choice for your garage. Infrared heaters fulfil this requirement quite well. Infrared heaters can be powered by electricity, are very energy efficient – require up to 50% less electricity than other electric heaters, and in addition have some proven health benefits that make them the ideal choice for any kind of space heating – home, office, or garage heating. Electric garage heaters based on infrared technology are designed to fulfil the requirements of garage heating.

In conventional heaters, electrical energy is converted into heat by using an electrical resistor to heat the active element. This active element heats up to high temperatures. The heat is then transferred to the air by thermal conduction. Hot air rises up, while forcing cool air downwards. This creates a convection current of hot air that rises up from the heater, heats the cool space, cools, and then repeats the cycle. Because of the amount of heat transfer involved, such heaters are not very energy efficient.

Infrared heaters work differently. Infrared heaters typically have an infrared lamp that generates infrared light by using appropriate filters. These lamps often include an internal reflector to increase energy efficiency of the heater. The thermal radiation thus generated can propagate contact-free, i.e. air is not required to propagate infrared heat. Thus, infrared light generated from the emitter is directly transferred to objects, clothes and skin that absorb infrared heat and get warm.Infrared heaters are very energy efficient, and can convert up to 90% of electrical energy into heat.

Infrared garage heaters are designed to be suitable for warming garages, construction sites, basement and workshops, and are generally portable. These heaters come with a thermostat to adjust the temperature as per your comfort. Infrared heaters come with special safety features such as finger-proof intake and discharge grills. Moreover, infrared heaters do not overheat, and are cool to touch. Hence, the possibility of burns/fire hazards are out of question. In addition, infrared light penetrates deep into human body, and provides many health benefits such as improved blood circulation, enhanced cell growth and metabolism, and a refreshing and invigorating effect.

Thus, with so many benefits attached to them, electric garage heaters based on infrared technology can easily be called a “smart and sustainable alternative” for garage heating.