What Is Infrared?
Posted by Harpreet Gill on 20th Dec 2017
Infrared Heating is a concept that is very new for many people and therefore probably unfamiliar to them.
Throughout this blog we will take a look at how Infrared works and understand its basic physical properties.
Infrared is a type of natural electromagnetic radiation that is emitted through the sun’s rays. It is energy that travels at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) and is invisible to the human eye, but people can feel it as heat.
Below is a chart that details the spectrum and the length of each electromagnetic wave.
| Name | Wavelength |
| Gamma rays | < 0.01 nm |
| X-rays | 0.01 nm – 10 nm |
| Ultraviolet rays | 10 nm – 400 nm |
| Visible light | 400 nm – 700 nm |
| Infrared rays | 700 nm – 1 mm |
| Microwaves | 1 mm – 1 m |
| Radio waves | 1 m – 100,000 km |
Infrared is very close to visible light in the spectrum; however, the difference is that the infrared waves are much longer.
It was Sir Frederick William Herschel (1738-1822) who discovered Infrared in the 1800’s. He discovered it through an experiment using light, a prism and thermometer – something we can do at home ourselves!
He did this by shining the light into the prism, which spilt the colours of the spectrum. He measured the temperature of each colour and came to an understanding that the temperature continued to rise, even past the red end of the visible spectrum.
He concluded that there are invisible waves, which is what we know today as Infrared!
How Does IR Work?
Infrared works by emitting heat and objects absorbing it. The more heat emitted, the hotter the object will get.
The waves emitted by the Infrared radiation bounces off objects which then absorb the waves. The process is repeated until all the energy in the waves have been exhausted.
This exactly how our IR panels work. You absorb the waves being emitted and get a sensation similar to when you step outside and the sun is shining down on you.
Compared to convection heaters, this type of heat is healthier for you as it does not circulate dust and moisture within the air in your home. IR heating is also the most energy efficient form of heat that will save you up to 60% on your heating bills!
Is Infrared Radiation Safe?
Some people may be wary about the word ‘radiation’ and assume that all of it is bad for us!
Don’t be alarmed, Infrared Radiation is 100% safe!
The image above shows that approximately 50% of the energy released from the sun is IR energy. If it was bad for us, life on earth would not be easy!
Our panels do not release visible light and UV light, ensuring our Infrared Heaters are not only safe, they are natural too!
In fact, life on earth would not exist without Infrared Radiation.
If you would like to know about Infrared heating, our panels or have any other enquiries, then please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0116 321 4124 or email us at sales@suryaheating.co.uk.
You can also reach us on our social media channels. Just follow us on Facebook or Twitter, send us a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible!