HOW TO HEAT 10 M2 EFFICIENTLY WITH AN ELECTRIC HEATER? CONSTRAINTS TO BE RESPECTED…

As a result of rising property prices in all metropolitan areas, room sizes have become smaller over time. Heating solutions have also evolved considerably to adapt to this new situation. The new environmental regulation RE2020 also changes the way small rooms under 10 m² are heated.

In this article, we present our selection of high performance electric heaters whose technology (infrared heating) allows us to meet the double requirement: quality of radiation and compactness of the heater. This is, of course, a bias as there are other solutions such as convectors, electric inertia radiators or heat pumps. However, as far as conventional electric heaters are concerned, it is still rare to find heaters that are compact, low-power (= consumption) and efficient.

See also our dossier on projects where a space saving (narrow, low height) toilet heater is required.

In modern housing, some «big changes» will influence the heating pattern in small rooms of less than 10 m²:

1. Insulation will be increasingly efficient due to regulations. Heat loss will be increasingly lower. As a result, the heating capacity of the heaters will be increasingly lower. 600 Watts with a high performance radiator is enough to heat 10 m² (60 Watts per m²). It no longer makes sense to offer a 1000 watt (100 watts per m²) or 1500 watt heater or to install a central heating system in every room…
2. Useful space will be increasingly reduced. It is no longer possible to reserve a 1 m² space on the wall for the heater. The heater must be discreet. The heater must be compact, i.e. offer high performance with the smallest possible floor or wall space. The heater should be thin or extra flat so as not to disturb the layout.
3. Electric heaters are more efficient in that they no longer heat the air directly but heat the «masses» (floor, wall, ceiling, objects) by radiation (see our dossier on radiant heating). The thermal comfort is thus improved and the heat felt is gentle. Indeed, when the heater is well positioned and efficient, its radiation is felt in the four corners of the room and not only in the vicinity… In addition, with this method, consumption is significantly reduced as the heat no longer accumulates unnecessarily under the ceiling.

Power requirements? Are you wondering how much surface area you can heat with a 1000W heater, how many heaters to place in a room? Note that the electrical power (e.g. 1500 Watts) of a heater corresponds to its consumption, in the same way as a hoover. This element does not provide any performance criteria, but only a consumption criterion. Clearly, a 750W heater can heat better than a 1000W depending on its thermal performance and technology. Also, for a novice it is not so easy to assess the right power without guidance.

The following selections are presented for high efficiency premium heaters.

This selection is based on our criteria of finish, overall quality, safety and low consumption:

• Heater positioning: vertical, horizontal, square (17 sizes)
• Fixing: wall or ceiling heater. Very easy to install with 2 anti-unhooking studs
• Finish: mirror, tinted glass or metal in customisable colours, art decor…
• Only 2 cm thick (extra flat heater category) incorporating high density insulation on the back to force the radiation forward
• High efficiency infrared technology at very low power (only 60Watts per m2)
• Very low consumption of 1€ per day maximum for the highest power ratings. Ranked as the most economical heating solution for an over 20 years period.
• Safety: IP45 class 1. Warranty: 8 years. Price: from 399€.

The following selection of heaters is suitable for heating a bedroom or bathroom of less than 10 m².

This type of electric heater is ideal for heating a 10 m² bedroom, office or bathroom. Relatively compact, the customisable finishes (mirror, colour, glass, decoration, etc.) mean that it can be integrated into the wall (in height if necessary) to limit the loss of space. Its radiant performance allows you to feel a gentle warmth in the whole room without storing warm air under the ceiling unnecessarily. The specifications are therefore met: low consumption, no loss of space, design.