✔ Ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels are 100% energy efficient
✔ They cost between £200–£250, with larger models reaching up to £899
✔ Infrared panels heat people, not the air
Infrared heating panels are a great alternative to ordinary radiators, working much more efficiently to warm homes — without the need to use gas or oil. The cost of infrared heating panels isn’t too eye-watering either.
They can be mounted both on walls and ceilings, and in this article, we’re taking a look at the latter. Our guide on ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels will tell you everything you need to know.
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Photo credit Herschel
What are ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels?
Ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels are flat heating systems that emit infrared waves, a harmless form of radiation that heats objects instead of the air.
These waves warm the surface of objects and people. Radiators on the other hand, are convection heaters, which means they heat the room by circulating warm air.
The major downside to this is that by circulating air, radiators also circulate dust particles. That makes ceiling-mounted infrared heaters ideal for people with allergies, as they don’t disturb a home’s environment.
Ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels can also cut your energy bills by 30–50%.
Despite all these benefits, awareness of infrared heating panels is still low. According to our National Home Energy Survey, just 17% of Brits have heard of infrared heating panels.
Want to learn more about the price of infrared heating panels, how much they cost to run, and whether they can save money on your bills? Check out our infrared heating panel costs page.
And if you’d like to consider other alternatives, you can check out our page on infrared wallpaper.
How much do ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels cost?
You should expect to pay around £200–£250 for most ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels.
This is slightly above the average price for wall-mounted infrared heating panels, which will cost you between £125–£180 per panel.
Premium ceiling-mounted panels can cost as much as £899, but this is typically for very large rooms that have a lot of items to heat.
Of course, these prices are all averages. If you want a better idea of how much a ceiling-mounted infrared panel will cost you, try using our personalised quote tool. Simply pop a few details in the form, and we’ll put you in touch with trusted installers, who’ll provide you with free bespoke quotes.
Read our guide on infrared heating panel costs for more information.
Advantages and disadvantages of ceiling-mounted infrared panels
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cheaper energy bills | High upfront costs |
Low emissions | Not good at heating water |
Cheaper than heat pumps | |
Discreet | |
Aesthetically pleasing | |
Simple to install | |
No need to worry about obstruction | |
No noise pollution | |
Easy to use |
Advantages of ceiling-mounted infrared panels
Cheaper energy bills
Like all infrared heating systems, ceiling-mounted panels are incredibly efficient — the best models can reach 100% efficiency. Because of this, your energy bills can be around 30–50% cheaper.
Low emissions
Ceiling-mounted infrared panels only need electricity to heat your home, so you’re not burning fossil fuels to power a boiler. If you can power your infrared heating panels with an eco-friendly addition like solar panels, then your emissions will be even lower.
Cheaper than heat pumps
A complete infrared heating system in your home will cost, on average, half of what you’d spend on an equivalent system powered by a heat pump.
Discreet
Unlike a bulky radiator, ceiling-mounted panels take up very little space. Plus because they’re over your head, you’re unlikely to notice them (especially if they match the colour of the ceiling).
Aesthetically pleasing
You can turn a ceiling-mounted infrared panel into the focal point of a room with a custom image.
Simple to install
Ceiling-mounted heating panels don’t need any additional pipework, they only need an electrical current.
No need to worry about obstruction
Wall-mounted panels have to be placed in parts of the room where their infrared waves aren’t blocked by furniture. Ceiling-mounted panels don’t have to worry about this issue.
No noise pollution
Ceiling-mounted heating panels are silent when running.
Control
It’s easy to set up infrared heating panels so you can control them with an app on your smartphone.
Disadvantages of ceiling-mounted infrared panels
High upfront costs
With each ceiling-mounted infrared heating panel costing between £200–£250, getting one for every room in the house will cost around £1,250. This cost will keep rising if you find you need more than one panel per room. The long-term costs of infrared panels are lower, however.
Not good at heating water
Despite infrared heating panels being great alternatives to boilers, they are far too inefficient at heating water. This means you probably won’t be able to completely eliminate your reliance on a boiler.
When should you use ceiling-mounted infrared panels instead of wall-mounted?
Ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels are perfect for rooms where there are too many obstructions for a wall-mounted system.
This is because infrared panels work poorly when they’re blocked by something like furniture, or some other structure in a room, such as a wall space or chimney breast.
Infrared waves only heat the surface of objects and people, so putting an infrared panel behind furniture will drastically reduce its effectiveness.
With a ceiling-mounted panel, the infrared waves are free to keep the entire room nice and toasty!
If you have a longer, thinner room, you may need to install more than one ceiling-mounted heating panel. This is because of how the infrared waves are distributed — a square-shaped space should be fine with just one large panel.
When should you not use ceiling-mounted infrared panels?
Most properties will have no issue installing ceiling-mounted infrared panels, but there are exceptions.
If a room’s ceiling is more than four metres high, the infrared panel’s heat might have difficulty reaching you, as infrared waves typically have a maximum range of 3.5–4 metres.
Vaulted ceilings aren’t ideal either. Their angle makes it difficult for infrared waves to reach the lower part of the room, so any heating usually ends up being wasted.
Also, depending on the type of vaulted ceiling, it might not even be possible to install ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels.
Can you change the appearance of ceiling-mounted infrared panels?
There are plenty of businesses offering custom designs for ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels, so you can design them to fit in seamlessly, or stand out as a focal point.
The best part about this is you can almost completely hide the fact that a ceiling-mounted panel is an infrared heating unit. Many companies offer extremely high-quality image options that can make the panel look like a stylish ornament.
Other companies, such as Hershel, add style to their infrared panels. They don’t try to hide them — instead they design their panels to stand out.
The best ceiling-mounted infrared panels
Hershel — Inspire White frameless panel
Hershel is a big name in the infrared heating panel industry, and produces a range of high-quality panels.
Its Inspire White frameless panel is perfect for mounting on a ceiling, with an elegant design sure to complement any room.
A big positive of the Inspire White heating panel is the 10-year warranty it comes with. Even though heating panels require almost no maintenance, having such a long warranty is sure to give you peace of mind.
The downside is that the Inspire White range is expensive by heating panel standards. Prices start at £347 and climb as high as £899 per panel.
The Infrared Heater Company — Glass infrared heating panel
If you’re looking for a ceiling-mounted heating panel that really wows guests, The Infrared Heater Company’s Glass range definitely hits the spot.
The crystal-clear panel can be either mounted directly onto the ceiling, or suspended from discrete cables. They work brilliantly in conservatories too, seamlessly blending into the glass and letting plenty of light shine through.
Prices for these start from £169 and unlike most infrared heating panels, the ceiling-mounted version is cheaper (wall-mounted panels start at £176).
Mirrorstone — SunHeat infrared panel
Costing just £114 per panel, Mirrorstone’s SunHeat model is a fantastic choice for those on a budget, or for people who want to try one panel without investing in an entire system.
The company says the panel can operate for 20–25 years and comes with a 5-year warranty.
At 2.2cm deep, it’s not the thinnest panel on the market, but it’s still discreet enough to hang from your ceiling without much fanfare.
Next steps
Ceiling-mounted infrared heating panels, when installed properly, are brilliant tools for keeping you and your home warm. They don’t break the bank, they only use electricity to run and they don’t circulate dust — perfect for people with allergies.
As more people look for alternatives to heating their homes with fossil fuels, it’s inevitable that infrared heating panels will become increasingly popular. Combined with other sustainable technologies, infrared heating could become an essential tool in the UK’s drive to net zero emissions.
Think infrared panels would be perfect for your home? Find the perfect set of panels by using our free quote tool. Simply pop a few quick details in the form, and our expert installers will be in touch with free quotes.
Alternatively, you can learn more about infrared panels by checking out some of our helpful guides below:
