Panel Heaters

Our products are are stylish, slim and occupy minimum wall space and are perfect for small rooms such as bedrooms, studies, conservatories and loft conversions and for rooms used less frequently. All of our manual and timer versions have an adjustable thermostat offering a wide temperature range including a frost protection setting of 5°c. For maximum safety there is a thermal cut-out on all models to prevent overheating, should the outlet grille be accidentally covered.

How a panel heater works

Panel heaters work by heating the air that is in the room. It starts by passing the cool air through the heater, as it starts to get warm, the hot air comes out and then rises, pushing the the cooler air down. This creates what is known as a convection heating cycle, where the cooler air in the room sinks, goes through the heater and then rises when it gets warm until all of the air in the room is heated and a constant temperature has been achieved.

Efficiency of panel heaters

Due to the way that they work, panel heaters aren't considered to be the most efficient way of heating a room. As the hot air will naturally move to colder areas, it can be lost quickly through any draughts such as doors, windows or poorly insulated rooms. As the method of heating used is convection, this means that as soon as the heater is turned off, the air starts to cool and the warmth will be lost. Electric radiators do not suffer with this problem and they combine the speed of the convection method as well as radiant heat which keeps the rooms warmer for a longer period of time. They do not have to be expensive to run. The amount of energy used will depend on how large and cold the room is. Just like any product used during the daytime, these heaters will use normal rate electricity, however, our range features highly accurate thermostats to help reduce running costs by avoiding over-heating a space. To reduce costs even further, we also have a number of panel heaters with timers with advanced timers for even greater temperature control and economy, enabling you to match the heating to your occupancy for maximum comfort at minimum cost. Please see the individual product pages for more detailed specifications.

Reasons why you would choose a panel heater

The main reasons that you would use a panel heater would be: You are looking to heat a room for only a short period of time, such as a utility rooms or a conservatory. You require a heater to back up your main heating system. This can be anything from backing up storage heaters that are frequently running out of charge, or larger rooms that do not have sufficient heating to heat the whole room. You need heating for a room that you only use occasionally, such as a home office or a spare bedroom.

Guide to Installation

Some will come with a plug installed and some don't, such as Dimplex panel heaters. However, as long as the heater is under 3kW (which most are) you can purchase a plug and fit it yourself if you are comfortable in doing so. Most will also come with brackets to allow for DIY installation and can be done in minutes if you are happy to do so. If you want your panel heater to be hard wired, then you would need to employ the services of a qualified electrician.

If you would like further guidance choosing your ideal panel heater, please call us on 01473 276686 and one of our technical team will be happy to assist you. Alternatively, feel free to browse through our articles.