Are infrared heater claims valid

There are a number of marketing drives and adverts on the TV now for infrared heaters, and there are also a number of claims being made about the energy savings that can be obtained. Most adverts suggest that you can heat your complete home for mere pennies, and unlike conventional central heating systems, the heat will be instant and remain for some time. While some of the claims can be thought of as merely marketing hype, there is some substance to the claims of infrared heaters being better than conventional heating systems. You first need to understand the differences between the various types of infrared heaters. Firstly, you get radiant infrared heaters, which are often found outdoors on the patio or the deck. Whereas indoor infrared heaters do not emit much radiant heat, and they do not have any line of sight to the person. Their elements are enclosed in a heating chamber deep within the heater, and thus operate slightly differently to the outdoor type heaters. These type of heaters, like he Edenpure and SolarFlare are types of indoor heaters that you can obtain. Indoor heaters work on the principle of convection. But so do conventional heaters. Basically the difference is the manner in which the air is distributed that makes it more efficient than a conventional heater.