Infrared heaters throughout the entire house?

Hello everyone,

I was at a consultation last week with a prefab house provider.
Of course, it was also about the desired energy class of the house.
KfW55 is actually already standard for a prefab house, KfW40 is also quite easy to achieve. Obviously, the houses basically consist of just a few wooden beams and insulation material.

Since I want to install photovoltaics on the roof anyway, you quickly reach KfW40+.
My idea was therefore to go towards KFW40+ with a solar system, air-to-water heat pump, and underfloor heating.

My consultant has now suggested me as an alternative to install infrared heaters instead of the air-to-water heat pump and underfloor heating throughout the house. That way, you could save the costs for the heat pump (including maintenance) and the underfloor heating. KFW40+ would still be achievable because the insulation remains the same and the heating energy is provided by the photovoltaics.
Unfortunately, I forgot how the domestic hot water is heated (I think either purely electrically or with additional solar thermal).

Roughly calculated, there would be no big difference in the overall costs. However, with infrared heating, maintenance costs and wear and tear would be eliminated.

Has anyone already had experience with this and equipped the entire house with infrared heaters?
Until now, I only knew it as a bathroom mirror.

Oh yes, this manufacturer was recommended to me: just google "Infrarot Riedlingen" :)

Regardless of whether it works or not, I found the warmth from the infrared heater unpleasant. Spotwise very warm and also quite slow to heat up a room.

The heating energy is provided by the photovoltaic system.

At night and from October to March as well?

Unfortunately, I forgot how the domestic hot water is heated (I believe either purely electrically or with additional solar thermal).

So also from the socket – in winter, solar thermal doesn’t provide you with hot water, and the photovoltaic system doesn’t supply electricity for the instantaneous water heater. A domestic hot water heat pump would be a sensible solution.

Overall, I absolutely do not approve of the proposal.

Infrared heating works well.....in Spain.

Reports occasionally appear from sufferers who had bet on this horse. One of the important points to consider is: houses with infrared heating have a high depreciation.

I find infrared quite nice before the shower or on the sofa. Simply where you want it a little warmer quickly. For heating an entire room, it’s a bit like a campfire. Grill function on the face, back duckling suit

Regardless of whether it works or not, I found the heat from the infrared heater unpleasant. Very warm in spots and also quite slow to warm up a room.

I only know it as an additional heater for the bathroom so that the mirrors don’t fog up, or as a small heater for the garage to work in.
I can’t really imagine it on a large scale either.

At night and from October to March too?

So also from the socket – in winter solar thermal doesn’t give you warm water and the photovoltaic system doesn’t provide electricity for the instantaneous water heater. A domestic hot water heat pump would be a reasonable solution.

Overall, I don’t like the suggestion at all.

That is of course always the problem that at times of highest energy demand you also have the least energy production. And then the battery just doesn’t help you last long enough. It’s not infinitely large either.

Infrared heating works well.....in Spain.

There are also always reports from people suffering who put their trust in this horse. One of the important points to consider is: houses with infrared heating lose a lot of value.

That completely confirms my suspicion. There must be a reason why almost no one does it. And here in the Black Forest, with still quite significant winters, heating is indeed something important.
I also gave thought to the fact that it would be a very exotic solution. Especially if you save yourself the piping for underfloor heating, you then have a problem forever, because it is almost impossible to retrofit. If the system does not live up to expectations, you’re stuck.
Also regarding the resale value of the house, a classic system is better.

My tendency was already in the discussion that despite all the supposed advantages, I will stick with the conventional system (air-water heat pump, photovoltaic with storage, and underfloor heating). That is also later still usable for almost all types of heat generation, if something else comes along and the heat pump is out.