In the last 60 years, development has focused mainly on fossil fuels, which are becoming increasingly expensive. Today, however, there is a technology that effectively converts renewable electricity into heat and is suitable for personal and business use, in apartments and houses. The infrared heating system is suitable for all types of buildings, especially as the main or for additional heating.
At Ekosen, we provide a comprehensive service for infrared heating, from professional advice to sales and quality installation throughout Slovenia. We offer you high quality infrared heating panels with a 12-year warranty. We are also educating and developing all the way through. We are the leading company in the field of infrared heating in Slovenia and Croatia with the highest Gold Rating Excellence AAA.
What does the acronym IR even mean?
IR means infrared. Infrared light is part of the invisible light spectrum and has several subtypes. It refers to one of the natural forms of heat transfer that accompanies us every day. In a certain form, it is transmitted and received by you and your surroundings at any time. The Earth receives huge amounts of heat from the Sun every day exclusively through various forms of infraredwaves. The sun also emits a number of other electromagnetic waves, but some, unlike infrared waves, are even harmful, e.g. UV rays. infrared heating panels do not have these harmful rays.
Influence of infrared (IR) rays on health
The belief that infrared panels have harmful radiation is NOT true. Quite the opposite. Infrared rays are a well-researched area and have a very beneficial effect on our body. They have been used in Chinese medicine for over 3000 years. Infrared heat is actually the most natural heat. This fact is further confirmed by the information that infrared heat is present in the use of bread ovens, clay kilns and open fires. This type of heating has also been used in healthcare for decades – e.g. when using incubators that maintain healthy heat for newborns in maternity hospitals and are often equipped with infrared heating systems. It is also used for therapies for muscle pain, various allergies, arthritis, etc.
In addition to the good effect of infrared rays on our health, it also has a beneficial effect on the operation of infraredpanels, which provide clean and fresh air in the room, which further contributes to better well-being and comfort. The reason is, among other things, reduced dust formation. Our customers were also convinced of the good impact on health.
"The youngest son always had problems with various forms of bronchitis, after moving in he no longer had these problems."
Installation and required power of infrared heating panels
Installation required to install infrared heating panels
If you are afraid of dirt after installation, we can take away your fear, as our installers leave behind a tidy environment and restore the condition of the building (they also perform puttying…).
In principle, an installation intended for luminaires is not sufficient. Otherwise, there are certain cases where the light installation can also be used. Electricity is usually derived from an existing installation, as infrared panels do not require much power. In cases where higher panel powers are required, electricity is drawn directly from the cabinet. Installation is thus very affordable and easy. If we compare: e.g. installation for a heat pump for a house of 140 m2, where the complete installation costs up to 13,000 €, while the installation for infrared panels for the same area costs approx. 5,000 € for approximately 11 panels and 7 IR Sun WiFi smart regulators with professional installation.
»We are very satisfied with the installation of the panels, as they are mounted without visible interference on the walls. All installation takes place under the surface of the walls, without visible channels. Friendly installers are technically well-versed so they do the job professionally and accurately. We have been using the infrared heating system for several years. Our guests are very happy, the feeling in the apartments is the same as pampering yourself on the sun terrace. In addition, we saved as much as 60% on electricity consumption. "
Calculation of power of infrared heating panels
The comparison of consumption for an average large house of 140 m2 is approx. 400 € per year. The reason for the low consumption is also the operating time of the panels, which due to the adjusted operation is only 3-4 hours a day. On average, an insulated apartment, about 50 m2 in size, needs a total panel power of about 3000 W. For a medium-insulated apartment, approximately 2,160 kilowatt hours (kWh) are used annually, which means 259 € per heating season. Thus, compared to oil furnaces, the savings are as much as 50% or even up to 60%. In addition, the remaining heating methods must take into account maintenance costs, e.g. chimney sweep services, etc.
For the approximate calculation of the required power of the panels, the rule is that we need about 65 W (average insulation) for one square meter of space. Due to the even distribution of heat, we also follow the rule that it is always better to put more panels of lower power in the room than fewer panels of higher power.
The required strengths of the panels are different for each room (and the purpose of use) and also depend on specific parameters such as: quality of insulation, windows, room humidity, desired temperatures, panel positions, heat loss and of course the purpose of the room.
Prior to installation, the energy calculation of the building is therefore mandatory. Based on this, the strength of the infrared heating panel and the location of the installation are determined. The energy calculation is performed by infrared heating specialists who are qualified for this. We do not recommend self-installation, as various errors can occur, which later manifest themselves in the form of higher consumption or non-functionally heated space.
How do infrared heating panels work?
Are you burdened by dry air, mold, humidity, accumulation of dust in your home?
With the help of infraredtechnology, you will eliminate humidity and mold, reduce the formation of dust and thus alleviate respiratory diseases, including muscle and joint pain. This innovative and natural heating system is healthy and suitable for everyone, especially for those who sit a lot or are older, as it increases the body’s energy.
The principle of operation of infrared heating panels is similar to the operation of the Sun, the Earth receives heat from the Sun through various infrared waves. infrared heat surrounds us every day and is the most natural heat. infrared heating does not heat the air, but heat is absorbed into walls, floors and objects. As a result, the warmer surfaces also heat the air, but do not raise dust (as the temperature is approximately the same throughout the room) and does not dry out the air.
The Ekosen infrared heating panels convert almost 100% of electricity into heat, which should clearly tell you that there are no losses. Most of the energy is transferred to the space through, humans and animals, the most natural forms of heat. The remaining heat is transferred to the objects with which the infrared panel is in contact with. Objects absorb the energy through infrared waves and emit it back in the form of heat, which is transferred partly to the air, partly to objects and partly back to the surroundings. So infrared waves do not heat the air directly, as usual heating methods, but mainly heat things in their immediate vicinity – floors, walls, objects, liquid and living beings, which in a natural and healthy way emit heat to the environment and heat space and air evenly. As a result, the temperature is the same throughout the room and there is no feeling of e.g. coldness under the table, as it is usual with ordinary heating, where air circulates. The heating infrared panel turns your space into one big low temperature radiator. This is a key feature of infrared heating, which leads to many other advantages, which we will present below. In fact, we can say that infrared heating is a more natural and healthy way of heating compared to convection. Natural because it mimics the natural heating cycle, and healthy because there is less air swirling and proper humidity is maintained.
The exceptional efficiency of infrared panels can be further increased by using a special, unique thermo-ceramic coating THERMOSUN. The coating contains thermo-ceramic balls, which repel heat from the wall faster. Namely, infrared panels heat only the upper surface of the wall and the coating thus contributes to even faster space heating and consequently saves even more. In addition, with very damp and cold walls, it helps prevent the appearance of mold. It can also be used for painting purposes, when the panel has been in use for several years, it is simply refreshed by painting it and it is like new again.
IR SUN WiFi regulator
You will be able to check how much energy you have devoted to heating your space. The IR regulator has an advanced algorithm that calculates the required space heating. Most classic thermostats have a hysteresis of +/– 0.5 ° C. This means that when e.g. we set the heating temperature to 22 ° C, the thermostat switches off the heating only when the room temperature reaches 22.5 ° C. We unnecessarily heated the room by 0.5 ° C more than we wanted, resulting in higher electricity consumption than in classic thermostats. The IR Sun WiFi regulator does not have this fluctuation, so with this regulator the consumption can be further reduced by around 25%. In the case of high ceilings up to 30%. Detects higher outdoor temperatures e.g. the Sun, which heats the interior space and on this basis immediately reduces the heating power. Its advantage is also that it warns you of high consumption and improper ventilation.
IR SUN mobile application
The application allows you to view the electricity consumption, for each regulator separately or for the entire heating system. In the library you can create and save heating schedules for a building or an individual room. The IRSUN app will be your favorite app as it will make sure your apartment is always warm when you return home.
With its help, you can change settings in one go of the entire Ekosen infrared heating system or individual infrared heating elements. The infrared heating system can be operated by several users to whom you give permission via e-mail.
Heating only one space and dividing the investment
Looking at the whole picture, we recommend investing in infrared panels that will serve as the main heating in your house or apartment and not just as additional heating. Why? The reason is that infrared panels support interoperability. That is, a panel installed in the living room will heat the walls of the living room and an infrared panel in the adjoining room e.g. in the bedroom will heat the walls of the bedroom. As a result, the panels switch off consistently and operate for less time, consuming less energy. Namely, it often happens that customers decide to heat with panels in one room, they open windows and doors in this space and thus the consumption is higher, because the power emitted by the panel is too small. In such a case, we advise you to split the investment. This means that you equip the rooms with infrared heating panels gradually and according to your wishes.
Advantages of the panels
Save up to - 60% with heating costs.
Environmentally friendly, green energy.
Professional advice and the right choice of products.
Seamless operation of your heating system.
Installation is easy.
Almost invisible in space.
Best energy efficiency.
They achieve a long lifespan.
Where can we use Ekosen infrared heating panels SUNLIFE heating system
Infrared heating is the most economical and comfortable heating solution in almost all situations. Regardless of the complexity or shape of the room, experienced infrared heating specialists can create the ideal thermal comfort with the right choice of product and its installation, at very low heating costs. It is a mistake to believe that the use of infrared panels is not the best solution in some rooms due to properties such as: low ceiling, poor insulation, poor electrical wiring, humidity, large windows… The use of infrared panels for heating is in practice unlimited. You can also use the panels for additional heating, but in no case do we recommend using them for additional heating only. Let’s take a look at some use cases below.
Ekosen infrared heating panels in living areas
Due to the wide range of shapes, colors and weights, the infrared heating panels of the Ekosen heating system fit perfectly into any room, both ceiling and wall.
Ekosen infrared heating panels in offices
Heating can be zonically adjusted to suit the different needs of employees. In addition, due to the excellent responsiveness, greater drops in temperatures overnight are possible, and thus additional savings. You can also manage each office separately and have costs up to a cent precisely determined, in addition, you can improve the “mutual – climate” of the team by zoning.
Ekosen infrared heating panels in healthcare - health center, hospital ...
Ekosen infrared heating panels in saunas and for hot yoga
We can turn any room into a sauna if we equip it with enough power. Therefore, a smaller space is usually taken, up to 3 m2, which is equipped with about 300 W / m2, which in this case would be 900 W. The optimal temperature in infrared panel saunas is from 35 oC to 42 oC. The cost of a one-hour sauna is only 0.12 €. Also, infrared heating panels are suitable for centers where hot yoga is performed.
Ekosen infrared heating panels in agriculture
Ekosen infrared heating panels in production
So we don’t heat the whole space if we don’t need it. infrared heating is also characterized by high responsiveness, lack of maintenance, low consumption and is therefore a recognized method of heating in many industrial and other halls around the world. As the only way, it is suitable in buildings such as: shipyards, aircraft production or large warehouses.
Ekosen infrared heating panels in construction - for drying
Types of Ekosen SUNLIFE infrared heating panels
Heating with infrared heating panels Ekosen SUNLIFE brings you up to – 60% lower costs. We offer you high quality heating infrared heating panels and up to 15 years warranty. We are the leading company in the field of infrared heating in Slovenia and Croatia.
Infrared heating panel SUNLIFE ONE
Infrared heating with SUNLIFE ONE panel is especially suitable for the main heating of living and working spaces. Suitable for houses, apartments, weekend houses, offices, health centers, hospitals and also for motorhomes or boats.
It is white, has no frame, is thin and therefore less noticeable. Suitable for buildings with a ceiling height of up to 3.2 m with a classic thermostat and up to a height of 3.8 m with an IR Sun WiFi regulator.
Installation is easy, without much interference into space. 90% of them are mounted on the ceiling, as this ensures the best energy efficiency. As a picture, we mount it on the wall. Installation is performed only by licensed installers who install infrared heating panels aesthetically and optimally in each room separately. Due to the adjusted dimensions, the 300 W and 700 W panels can also be mounted in Armstrong ceilings.
Infrared heating panel SUNLIFE PREMIUM
The panel is mounted mainly on the wall. We mount it on the ceiling only in the case of a concrete ceiling. For knauf ceilings, attach it directly to the profiles. They are suitable for any ambience and any building with a ceiling height of up to 3.2 m with classic thermostats and up to 3.8 m with IR Sun WiFi regulators.
Infrared heating panel SKY
Infrared heating panel SUNLIFE PRESTIGE
Infrared heating panel Sunlife MIRROR
Is an infrared heated glass mirror that has a wide range of applications and fits nicely into any room. Your bathroom will always be warm and the mirror will never be foggy, or you will surprise your guests with a pleasant warmth in the hallway. The Sunlife MIRROR infrared panel can be used alone or in combination with other IR heaters and heating systems. We mount it on the wall. You also have the option of LED lights.
Infrared heating panel PREMIUM ART (infrared panel with a printed image)
You can choose a frameless version of the Sunlife PREMIUM ART infrared panel on which an image or photo can be printed. It can be installed in the bedroom, hallway, staircase or living room as a detail that brightens up your space. You can use it to heat the apartment and heat the room with a unique decoration. You provide us with your motif, which we print on a panel. We also recommend it as a gift.
Sunlife TAG infrared heating panel (black or white board)
The Sunlife TAG infrared panel is a heating board in black or white, on which you can draw or write with chalk. The unique design of the infrared heating board is suitable for ceilings as well as for the walls of the kitchen, children’s room and office, which is mounted on the wall. The front of the infrared panel is made of black and white glass, so they belong to a higher price range. You can write daily tasks on them or in any other way spice up their appearance. With IR Sunlife TAG no task will be forgotten.
Infrared heating panel SUNLIFE SUN F
They are beige in color and partially serrated on the front. These types of panels are an ideal solution for anyone who does not want dark-colored infrared panels. They are an excellent solution for apartments and houses with high ceilings, for old stone houses and for rooms with large square footage, as they heat up quickly and strongly. Like all other panels, these also dry moisture and mold and do not cause dust.
Infrared heating panel SUNLIFE VARMA
Heaters are also resistant to moisture. They are best used: on the terraces of restaurants, factories, industrial halls, warehouses, tents, workplaces, construction sites, commercial buildings, markets, churches, basements, fitness centers, garages or in sports facilities.
How do we save with the Ekosen infrared heating system?
Infrared heating is very economical and the savings can be tremendous. If you currently heat with ordinary radiators, oil or liquefied gas, have an old natural gas or wood stove, you do not use all living space, then you will be able to save more than half of your annual amount for heating, provable user savings of up to 60 percent.
If you buy a unit in a new building or a new house, your savings can be even greater, as you can save up to 70 percent when investing in heating and other maintenance systems. All this is a calculable fact if we look at the total cost of ownership of heating systems, which includes maintenance, consumption, service life and investment.
- Infrared heating has almost 100% efficiency, as electricity is almost entirely converted into heat in the room where the heating body is located. As a result, there are no losses through the chimney and pipes. Ventilation losses are reduced because there is less hot air in the room, and the air temperature rises faster because heated objects that accumulate heat heat up faster, and as a result, infrared panels are turned on less time than with a convection heating system.
- Over time, the drying effect of the walls increases the effect of insulation. In fact, damp walls in some cases reduce the effect of insulation by up to - 50%.
- Each room can be heated just as much as needed. This avoids condensation problems when the temperature rises rapidly. The system is extremely responsive, which means additional savings during the transition period.
- We feel that real heat because all objects are warmer between 2 ⁰C and 4 ⁰C and so you will no longer have cold walls that draw heat from our body. There is no longer a need to raise the air temperature because there are cold walls around you. Cold objects, walls and floors are the main reason that you can get cold in winter, despite the fact that the thermostat is at 23 ⁰C.
- You can save even more with infrared panels in combination with photovoltaics. Read more about the latter combination below.
"A heat pump would cost us 20,000 € - 22,000 € for a complete installation, while we deducted only 8,000 € for infrared heating panels, the rest we spent on photovoltaics (11 kWh)."
Infrared heating panels in combination with photovoltaics or solar cells
We do not sell solar cells in our company, but we are happy to recommend companies that deal with this. Why do we recommend investing in solar cells in combination with heating with infrared heating panels?
The reason is that photovoltaics allow you to be self-sufficient for the entire heating season. However, the rest of the electricity can be used for household use. In addition, the combination of photovoltaics and infrared heating panels is ideal, as the lifespan of photovoltaics and infrared heating panels is over 30 years and realistically the investment pays off the fastest. When will the investment pay off?
According to informative calculations we received from the contractors Gen-i, Petrol and Prosigma, the investment for a 5-kilowatt power plant pays off in about fifteen years, and the additional savings in a total of thirty years of operation is about 8,000 €.
Given the growth of prices in the last ten years and the current forecasts, further growth of electricity prices is expected. The average Slovenian household consumes about 5,000 kWh of electricity per year, and from this point of view the decision for a solar power plant is reasonable, as the household can produce all the necessary electricity on its own and ensure independence from rising market prices.
What is the approximate amount of investment?
In addition to the basic price of the contractor, VAT must be paid, which is 9.5%, but only if the power plant is on a residential building intended for permanent residence, and if the usable area of the apartment does not exceed 250 m2 (for single-family buildings) or 120 m2 (multi-apartment buildings). Where solar cells are installed on a non-residential building (garage, shed, barn…), the building exceeds the stated square footage or it is a holiday building, the usual 22% tax rate applies.
Due to the above advantages, we reduce heating costs by up to 50 to 60% compared to heating oil and up to 20% compared to wood pellets.
The first self-sufficient apartment building has already been built in Radenci, which was also the first multi-apartment building of its kind in this part of Slovenia. We have equipped the building with infrared panels, which will provide residents with individually tailored heating. It is also equipped with photovoltaics. You can read the response of the residents below.
"Photovoltaic support in combination with infrared panels will be sufficient for all the needs and for household electricity use. Consumption is even lower than expected, and residents are very satisfied."
Comparison of infrared heating panels with a heat pump and electric convection radiators
The purpose of heating is to raise the average temperature in the room to such an extent that it provides us with appropriate living or working conditions. Of course, we are always interested in energy consumption, which in the first place depends on the heat loss of space and in the second place on the efficiency of the heating system. When we talk about efficiency, we need to measure the operation of the heating device in practical use, in terms of how many units of energy are needed to raise the temperature in the room to the desired. The latter is also highly dependent on system losses, responsiveness and energy efficiency in the room to raise the temperature.
Take, for example, heating with a heat pump during the transition period (warm days and cold nights). In this case, the heat pump is in the basement and heats the room on the 2nd floor. The radiators are stocked and installed next to the window. A large loss of energy is quickly shown. Energy loss continues even when the appliance is not operating (during the day when it is warm) as energy is leaking from the heat storage. The story, of course, is different when heated with infrared heating panels. When we heat the room with infrared panels, all the energy is consumed in the room and only when we need it. If you’re wondering now, isn’t it the same if we heat with any electric heater? No, it’s not! Take a 2 kW iron as an example and try to heat the room with it. The difference is significant, which is due to the different way of transferring heat to the room, and this also shows the different energy consumption. The energy consumption is thus much higher than in the case of the wrong heating and to achieve the same temperature as compared to infrared panels. In the latter, energy consumption is significantly lower due to optimal heating and almost zero energy loss.
Infrared heating in circumstances such as living and working spaces brings less losses than any other electric heating. In infrared heating, energy is used extremely efficiently to raise the temperature, provided that the correct heating body is selected, the correct power and optimally installed. Namely, when infrared panels are not installed correctly, energy consumption can still rise. In order to avoid installation errors, our experts advise you and measure (calculate) heat losses in the apartment before installation. In practice, you will save more than 40% when used correctly, compared to an energy-saving electric radiator. When using classic electric radiators, you will almost certainly have problems with moisture, dust and thermal comfort. The reasons are excessive temperature differences between the walls and the air. The difference in the purchase price is thus more than repaid.
Asked if their customers had noticed any difference between the current infrared heating and the heating they had before, Jožef Kramberger, Ph.D. med. spec., replied:
“The difference is amazing, the best answer to such a question is: 'come and feel it!' The objects in the room are all equally warm, this gives us a feeling of natural warmth. There is no noticeable temperature difference between the floor and the ceiling, the floor is as warm as underfloor heating, and there is no smell of moisture in the room, because there is no mold on the wall. "
Infrared heating compared to other types of heating
The calculation of savings is of an informative nature and takes into account all costs: services, replacement of components, renovation and, of course, heating.
Our company operates on the basis of continuous education, development and ethical sales. So we are looking for solutions that are best for you and thus ensure mutual satisfaction.
For more information or an approximate calculation of savings contact us.