Ceiling infrared heater, ceiling lamp for space heating

Infrared heaters are the most diverse product in their category in terms of assortment and prices. Among all the lines of models and manufacturers, you can find devices with different wavelengths, intended for domestic and industrial premises, powered by gas, electricity and diesel fuel. There are portable options that are placed on the floor, wall and ceiling. A number of brands also have built-in models.

Ceiling infrared heaters have earned popularity because they do not take up useful space in the room. We will talk about them today.

What is an infrared heater

Infrared lamps for heating a room on the ceiling do not fundamentally differ from their floor and wall counterparts.

The heating element induces infrared radiation, which is transmitted to objects within the reach of the rays: floors, walls, furniture. They absorb this radiation, heat up and release thermal energy to the air.

The wavelength that an element emits depends on how hot it is. The temperature it reaches varies from 300 to 1000 degrees, and the wavelength ranges from 50 to 0.76 microns. The dependence is well expressed: the higher the temperature, the shorter the wavelength.

Short waves are more penetrating, can dry out the skin and even lead to burns, but their intensity decreases with distance from the source.

The emitter can be made in the form of a carbon spiral, placed in a quartz tube, nichrome sealed in ceramics, a tungsten coil in a halogen lamp, metal films between layers of silicone and a conductor between layers of mica (micathermic elements). The presence of this or that housing in the conductor excludes the burning of oxygen, which is very typical for the same elements without a housing (especially tungsten and nichrome). Ceiling infrared heaters of the new generation are increasingly equipped with sintered heating elements.

Ceiling heaters have one important advantage: they do not take up space where interior items can stand or a person can be. Placed on the ceiling, they do not get confused, but they have a good coverage area, because the radiation is not impeded by objects standing in the way.

Types of ceiling infrared heaters

Currently, there are three main directions in the production of this type of heating devices, and each of them has its own buyer. They are classified not so much by the physical principles of work, but by the form, quantitative indicators and method of installation.

Gas heating appliances

As you might guess, they run on gas. Most often, a gas cylinder of various forms of release is connected, but there are also models designed (or allowing) the connection of main natural gas. The combustion gas in the chamber heats up the radiant panel, and it transfers heat further.

Such devices have many advantages.: they heat up very quickly, do not generate dust, are great for outdoor use, but what would be an advantage for a cold workshop or a garage with a high ceiling would be a disadvantage for a room. These devices are both short-wave (light) and long-wave (dark), but they all have a high power, which can cause overheating and fire. The combustion gas burns out oxygen (1 cubic meter of methane for combustion requires 10 cubic meters of air), therefore, the room where such heaters are located must be equipped with an exhaust hood.

Thanks to this combination of advantages and disadvantages, ceiling gas devices have found their buyer. in production, but for domestic use they are of little use, except that in the country they can be hung in yard. But among mobile models they have no competitors of such devices, and they are deservedly popular among tourists.

Among the ceiling models, it is worth noting such brands as Condor, Pacole, Roberts Gordon Blackheat, Norgaz, Ballu, and among the Russian ones - Infra, SCHWANK.

If you have purchased such a device for heating a workshop, workshop or other industrial premises, be sure to equip it with an exhaust hood and do not store explosive and flammable substances in it.

Electric heaters

This type of instrument is the most popular. It is impossible not to appreciate their merits. First of all, these are:

• ease of installation;
• fast heating of the room;
• lack of combustion products and oxygen burning;
• does not produce dust or odor.

All this is somewhat offset by the high price and the need to find the optimal location, because the irradiation angle is about 90 degrees. Low ceilings make room coverage to a minimum, and the buyer often has a choice of whether to hang the emitter - above the bed or above the desk.

Before choosing this type of heater, pay attention to the shape of the reflector and the lower front surface. If the first is semicircular and the second is flat, then the angle of coverage will be no more than 90 degrees. For heating large rooms, opt for models with a semicircular front, or even better with a tubular radiator. In the latter, the coverage exceeds 120 degrees.

Such devices are mounted on suspensions, but there are also models that can be fixed to the ceiling. They are equipped with good thermal insulation to prevent fire. You should take a closer look at the installation features in advance, since it is dangerous to build a device that is not intended for this into the ceiling.

All ceiling heaters are equipped with a wall-mounted control unit. It is a box with a thermostat that allows you to regulate the temperature. There are such brands of these products on the market as Almac, Ballu, Timberk, Peony, Resanta, NroClima, IkoLine, EcoLine, Bilux, Polaris.

Before buying such a device, estimate the dimensions of the room where you will hang it. This is the area, ceiling height and the presence of various niches, if the room is not strictly rectangular. Also pay attention to the original temperature setting and the one you want to achieve. This will determine with what coverage and capacity you choose the product.

Warm ceilings

This is a built-in version of the heater, which is a carbon heater in a film, therefore they are sometimes called infrared films. The film is mounted on a layer of heat-insulating material, most often rolled, connected to a thermostat and closed with a false ceiling. Usually it is lining, drywall or suspended tiled ceilings.

This is a very economical and convenient way of heating, besides it is safe: the film does not heat up above 45 degrees. The disadvantages include:

• the need for the correct arrangement of electrical appliances, there should be no film over them;
• in the event of a flood near neighbors from above, the system fails completely and cannot be repaired;
• not applicable for high ceilings, as the radiation power decreases with distance from the source.

Among the manufacturers it is worth noting Korean Caleo, Heat, Russian PSO-EVOLUTION (Zebra film) and NTK Innotech (Nirvana film), American Calorique.

Overview of individual models

The table shows the comparative characteristics of 1 kW devices from different manufacturers.

Heating area, sq. m	Dimensions, cm	price, rub.
Almac IK 11R	10-20	133x16x3	3400
Timberk TCH A5 1000	12	115x14x5	2800
Ballu BIH-APL-1.0	10	136x13x4	3000
Wester IH-1000	10	136x13x4	2500
BISON ICO-K3-1000	16	162x15x4	2100
Neoclima IRO-1.0	15	162x15x4	2600
Zilon IR-1.0	20	163x12x4	2800

The ratio "price - quality" in this category of goods is observed. The price may increase with the availability of options, but brand awareness does not lead to a strong rise in price.