With the gradual easing of lock-down restrictions and summer approaching, we are all looking to make the most of our outside entertaining spaces. This means being prepared for those cooler times when your customers, family and friends will require a bit of extra warmth to feel comfortable.
We have an in-depth knowledge of our infrared heating products and pride ourselves on taking the time and effort to ensure our customers are matched with the right product.
We have selected a range of high quality outdoor infrared heaters in our guide below.
Selecting the appropriate heater
| Your Installation Options | Heating Area | Mounting Height | Heater | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall | Ceiling | Stand | Under Parasol | Free Standing | |||
| Yes | Yes | No | No | No | 12m² (3m from wall x 4m wide) | 2.5m-3m |  SOLAMAGIC S2 2500 £887.28 inc VAT |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (with stand) | 10.5m² (3m from wall x 3.5m wide) | 2.3m-2.5m |  SOLAMAGIC S1+ 2000 £426.10 inc VAT |
| Yes | Yes | No | No | No | 10.5m² (3m from wall x 3.5m wide) | <2.3m |  ETHERMA Solid £224.25 inc VAT |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (with stand) | 7.5m² (2.5m from wall x 3m wide) | <2.3m | SOLAMAGIC S1+ 1400 £383.25 inc VAT |
| No | No | No | No | Yes | Localised heating (e.g. sofa or 1 side of dining table) | Ground |  SOLAMAGIC Z1 £808.35 inc VAT |
Light Emission
Our outdoor heater elements produce a gentle red glow with minimal light emission. This is needed for an efficient outdoor heater because the shortwave infrared is generated at a high temperature.
Dark infrared emitters (no light emission) do not function effectively as outdoor heaters. They have a lower element temperature that produces a longer wavelength of infrared which is effected by air movement and are therefore seen as ‘energy wasters’ in an outdoor environment.
Considerations when selecting an Outdoor heater
To ensure your outdoor heater works at maximum efficiency, we have taken the following factors into account when recommending the mounting height and calculating the effective heating area:
Air temperature
The direct warming effect of infrared is felt less in lower air temperatures. For this reason, the effective heating area of our outdoor heaters has been calculated based on the average UK spring/autumn temperature of 9.5°C. This is the time of year when you really need to feel the infrared warmth to be comfortable. On a summer evening when the air temperature is around 15°C the effective heating area will be significantly larger.
Wind chill
Your skin looses heat quicker in a breeze and you therefore require more infrared warmth to feel comfortable in more exposed areas prone to air movement – this not because the infrared is less effective is such environments.
In spring/autumn there is generally more air movement compared to summer, so the effective heating area will be smaller, which we have taken into account. However, if you are planning to use the heater in a very sheltered area or in the summer months, then the effective heating area will be larger than we have suggested in the table below.
Distance from the heater
The closer you are to the infrared heater the smaller the heating area becomes but the more intense the heating effect. Conversely, as you move away from the heater the reverse happens. For this reason we recommend specific mounting heights to achieve the optimum balance between coverage and comfort.
