What Size Infrared Panel Do I Need?

Work Out the Size & Quantity of Infrared Panels That You Need

Infrared panels are commonly used for heating rooms in homes and offices. Working out what size and quantity of infrared heating panels you need is an important step. Doing this will ensure that you have the heating capacity required to keep you toasty warm on the coldest days of winter.

The volume of the space that needs to be warmed and it's insulation level determine the amount of heat required. You can work out the wattage of the infrared panel(s) that you need by feeding this information into the calculator below.

To use the calculator, just measure the length, width and height of your room (in metres) and enter these numbers in the boxes provided. Then, estimate how well insulated your room is and select the 'Poor', 'Moderate' or 'Good' button. Then click the "CALCULATE" button and the box below will now be updated to show the total wattage that you will need.

Use this to select the size and number of panels by checking the different wattages of panels available.

Infrared Panel Size Calculator

Example Size Calculation

Question : what size infrared panel do I need when the room size is 3.5 metres wide, 4.5 metres long, 2.5 metres high.

Answer : the room volume is : 3.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 = 39.4 ㎥, and the room is in a 1970s house. The house has good double glazing to all doors and windows. You therefore assess that it is moderatley well insulated, meaning that you will need 30 Watts of infrared heating per ㎥.

So, the infrared panel size required is : 39.4 x 30 = 1181 Watts.

You then check the infrared panel suppliers website and see that they can provide panels of the following capacities : 350W, 580W, 700W, 900W and 1200W.

So, in order to provide the power required to heat the room effectively, your most obvious choices are either:

1 * 1200W infrared panel, or
2 * 580W infrared panels (this is close enough to the required wattage).

Other combinations could work too.

Why Use Multiple Panels?

When deciding which combination to go with, it is important to consider how heat would flow in the room:

A single 1200W panel may have enough capacity, but would heat one side of the room more than the other. This would work if only part of the room is used heavily. For example, if the room has a well used seating area, but the rest of the room space is rarely used.
Choosing the 2 * 580W panels and placing them at opposite ends of the room would provide more balanced heating. This would work for a room (such as a living room) that would benefit from heating that is balanced throughout the space.

Calculation Method

The 5 steps to calculate the size of infrared heating panel(s) required

WATTAGE NEEDED BASED ON INSULATION

	Poor Insulation	Moderate Insulation	Good Insulation
Wattage Per ㎥	35W per ㎥	30W per ㎥	25W per ㎥

Need Further Assistance?

Hopefully, this article has helped you to asess the size and number of infrared panels that you need. When you have this information, bear in mind that this is a general guideline. Other factors such as room orientation, number of windows, or specific heating needs may also influence the infrared wattage required.

If you're unsure about any aspect of the calculation, check with a panel supplier to get more personalised recommendations for your situation. If you need any help working out how many infrared panels you need, please feel free to contact us.