Heating a home electrically requires a heating plan. Start with insulation, heat loss, use and desired temperature per room. Then compare suitable systems, electrical installation and total costs. Electric heating is not automatically cheaper, more energy-efficient or suitable for every home. Infrared can form part of the solution but is not a universal replacement for every existing system.
Key points
Distinguish electric resistance heating from a heat pump. Compare the same heat demand and operating conditions. Include hot water, cooking, connection capacity, controls and any solar panels. General percentages, fixed outputs by construction year or claims about improved energy labels do not replace a calculation for your home.
A switch starts with the home and its use
Establish heat loss through roof, façades, floor, glazing and ventilation. Determine which rooms need warmth at which times. Primary heating must provide the required heat under design conditions; supplementary heating has an additional role. Construction year or floor area alone gives insufficient certainty about required capacity.
Also check current regulations. In October 2026, the Dutch Government describes a cabinet proposal for smart hybrid heat pumps when central-heating boilers are replaced from 2029, for homes that are neither connected nor scheduled to be connected to a heat network. Details are still being developed. This is not a general obligation from 2026 to install infrared heating.
Distinguishing heat transfer and energy efficiency
An infrared panel transfers heat through radiation and also convection. Radiation can reach people and surfaces; warmed surfaces then release heat to the surroundings. A convector mainly heats air, which circulates through the room. The distinction is therefore not an absolute separation between air heating and radiant warmth.
Electric resistance heating converts almost all electricity drawn into heat. This applies to other electric resistance appliances as well as infrared panels. The radiant heat fraction is a different quantity from total conversion into heat. A high radiant fraction therefore does not prove a fixed reduction in annual consumption.
A heat pump works differently: it uses electricity to move environmental heat and can therefore deliver more heat per kWh of electricity than direct resistance heating. Do not compare only two resistance appliances when heating an entire home. For each system, assess heat demand, performance under relevant conditions, investment, installation and running costs. No heat-transfer method eliminates losses through ventilation or poor insulation.
Calculate costs using your own assumptions
Compare purchase, mounting, controls, maintenance and energy use. At constant full power: watts × hours ÷ 1,000 = kWh. A 1,000-watt appliance operating continuously at full power for two hours uses approximately 2 kWh. Costs follow from kWh × your tariff. A thermostat changes actual operating time; two hours of occupancy does not automatically mean two hours at full power.
Compare more than purchase prices and wattages. Include controls, installation, maintenance, energy prices and the complete heating arrangement. Electric supplementary heating is not automatically cheaper than gas heating or a heat pump. The outcome depends on the systems and the heat demand actually replaced or added.
Solar panels change the cost calculation but do not supply enough electricity at every heating moment. Consider simultaneous generation and demand, winter use and contract conditions. In the Netherlands, net-metering ends on 1 January 2027; do not calculate future use as though annual generation and consumption can be offset without restriction.
Assess each room separately
In a living room or bedroom, heat loss, operating duration and desired temperature matter. Targeted supplementary heat may suit a study if it genuinely reduces heating elsewhere. Wall and ceiling mounting each have conditions; neither is always technically the best position. Match positioning to the comfort zone, unobstructed radiation path and instructions for the chosen model.
In a bathroom, model, electrical installation and exact mounting position must be suitable together. An IP rating alone does not prove suitability for every zone. A heated mirror may reduce condensation on its heated surface but does not prevent all condensation under all conditions or replace ventilation. Underfloor heating beneath laminate or parquet also requires approval from the manufacturers and suitable temperature limits; no universal limit applies to every floor.
Heating is for thermal comfort and does not treat allergies, asthma or other conditions. Ventilation, cleaning and addressing moisture sources remain necessary. A different heat-transfer method therefore does not guarantee a healthier indoor climate or dust-free room.
Product selection and our support
We supply private and business end users, installation companies and wholesalers. Describe the space, existing heating, desired heating zone and usage times. Include dimensions, insulation data and your preference for wall, ceiling or another version. We help compare suitable products, mounting conditions and controls.
We help compare panels, mounting and suitable controls using your information. For a complete home, discuss hot water, other electrical loads and supply capacity with the installer too. An existing connection is not sufficient without assessment. Warranties, expected service life, certificates and any building-management link must be checked for the specific product.
Decide using a complete plan
Low maintenance does not mean maintenance-free. Follow the manual for cleaning and checking appliance, fixings, connection and controls. Do not cover heating, and maintain prescribed clearances. Recurring moisture, mould or draughts needs investigation of the cause; heating is not a general solution to such building or ventilation problems.
A suitable plan connects building, capacity, position, controls, electrical installation and costs. Replacing an appliance does not guarantee an improved energy label or higher property value. Have these effects assessed separately and compare solutions using verifiable information. Ask us for product advice or a quote based on your situation.
Frequently asked questions about electric heating
Can electric heating cost less than gas?
That depends on system, heat demand, tariffs, investment and use. Compare total costs over the same period at equivalent comfort. Include a heat pump when considering an entire home; do not treat all electric heating as one technology.
How much output and how many panels do I need?
Determine heat demand per room first. Panel output, quantity, position and controls follow. A calculator can help organise information but is not an exact heat-loss calculation or guarantee that a particular wattage per square metre suffices.
Is infrared maintenance-free and always healthier?
No. Follow maintenance and cleaning instructions and also check fixings, connection and controls. Expected service life is not a warranty period. Heating is not medical treatment and does not replace ventilation or tackling moisture problems.