Infrared Heater Warms You, Not the Room? Height, Power and Cost

You switch on an infrared heater and your face glows, yet your legs stay cold and the workshop barely warms. That is how infrared works: it heats what it shines on, not the air. Aimed and mounted well, it keeps you warm where you work.

PartsForMachines lists eight Sealey and SIP heaters in its infrared heater range: five electric infrared models, from portable halogen units to a 6kW wall heater, and three diesel or paraffin space heaters.

Why Does My Infrared Heater Warm Me but Leave the Workshop Cold?

Because infrared heats the people and surfaces it faces, not the air. Whatever is in the beam warms; your back, legs and anything outside it stay cold. The air only warms second-hand, from surfaces the beam has heated.

A mobile cabinet heater such as the IR14 rolls on castors, so you can park it beside the bench at body height. If your back stays cold, turn the heater or add a second unit behind you. Treat infrared as spot heat, not a way to warm the whole room.

How High Should I Mount an Infrared Heater, and Where?

High enough to clear heads and machines, but no higher than you need, angled down onto where you stand. Radiant heat works best close to you, so a unit far above a panel saw or spindle moulder can feel weak at the bench.

The IWMH6000R wall-mounting heater needs a mounting height of at least 1800mm and comes with fixings and a 600mm stand-off bracket. Sealey rates it for an area of up to 50m². In a big shop, warm the bench zone, not the whole floor.

Plug-In, 110V or Hard-Wired: What Supply Does an Infrared Heater Need?

A 13A socket, a 110V site supply or an electrician-fitted supply, depending on the model. A plug-in unit such as the IR15 or IR14 draws up to 2.8kW, close to the roughly 3kW limit of a 13A socket, so give it a socket to itself.

The IR14110V and the 110V IR15110V run at up to 2.4kW from a 32A plug, for sites where 110V is standard.

The 6kW wall heater draws about 26A at full power, twice what a 13A plug can carry, so have a competent electrician provide a suitably rated supply.

Is an Infrared Heater Cheaper to Run Than a Fan Heater or Oil Radiator?

Not kilowatt for kilowatt. Infrared, fan and oil-filled heaters all convert virtually every kilowatt they draw into heat, so 2.4kW on full uses 2.4kWh an hour, whatever the type. Cost is kW times hours times your unit rate.

Infrared can save through how you use it. You feel it almost at once, so short visits need no warm-up, and you heat yourself rather than all the air. An oil radiator only costs less if it uses fewer kWh over the session. Sealey says the wall heater’s PIR sensor runs it only when someone is there.

What Should I Check Before I Buy?

• Supply: a 13A socket, a 32A 110V site supply or, for the 6kW wall heater, a suitably rated supply fitted by an electrician.
• Fixed or mobile: the wall heater mounts at 1800mm or higher; the four halogen units roll on castors.
• Distance: measure from the planned heater spot to your bench, ramp or lift; the closer it sits, the stronger the warmth.
• Controls: all four halogen units have a 15–45°C thermostat, the 110V models add a 7-day timer, and the wall heater has a PIR sensor and remote.
• Clearance: keep anything that can burn at least a metre from a halogen heater; for other heaters, follow the manual.

Browse the Infrared Heater range, or contact the PartsForMachines team by WhatsApp, telephone or email with your supply type and the area to warm.

Product options, delivery options and returns terms are shown on each product page. A 30-day return policy applies to eligible items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should I put a halogen heater so it does not dazzle me?

Out of your direct line of sight: to one side, or above and in front, tilted down onto your hands and body rather than your face.

Is sawdust on an infrared heater a fire risk?

Yes. Dust that settles on a heat source can catch fire. Keep the elements and reflector clean, following the manual, and keep shavings, rags and finishes at least a metre away from a halogen heater.

How quickly will I feel the heat?

Within moments, as long as you are in the beam. Sealey says the carbon fibre tubes in the IWMH6000R reach full temperature quickly.

Can I use one while lying under a vehicle?

Often, yes, with a mobile unit that has a tilting head, such as the IR15 or its 110V twin, the IR15110V. Wheel it alongside, tilt the head down so the beam reaches you, and lock the rear castor.

What does the tilt cut-out switch do?

It switches the heater off if it is knocked over. All four halogen units have one, which matters on a busy floor with leads, trolleys and creepers about.

Can the heater come on before I get to the workshop?

Yes, on the two 110V models, which have a programmable 7-day timer. The 13A plug-in IR14 and IR15 have a shut-off timer instead, and the wall heater has a two-setting timer and remote control.

Is it worth replacing a failed element, or should I buy a new heater?

Compare the price of new elements with a new heater first. Each of the four halogen units has two elements; send our team the model number from the heater and we can check what is available.

Will my insurer accept infrared heaters in a woodworking shop?

Only your insurer can tell you. Give them the heater type, wattage and whether it is fixed or mobile, then follow any conditions they set on clearances, guards or where it can go.

What if I need to heat a whole building, not just my bench?

Electric infrared suits spot and zone heating. For large spaces the same range also lists diesel or paraffin space heaters such as the 09043, rated for roughly 900m³. Ask our team about fuel and ventilation before you buy.